Free tool · Data from NHTSA
Free VIN decoder
Enter a 17-character VIN to see the vehicle's year, make, model, trim, engine, and specs. No sign-up, no report upsell.
What is a VIN?
A vehicle identification number (VIN) is the 17-character code that identifies one specific vehicle. Every car and light truck sold in the US since the 1981 model year has one. It encodes the manufacturer, the model and engine, the model year, the factory, and a serial number.
How do you read a VIN?
| Characters | What they mean |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | World manufacturer identifier: the country and manufacturer |
| 4–8 | Vehicle descriptor: model, body, engine, and restraint system |
| 9 | Check digit that catches typos and fake VINs |
| 10 | Model year |
| 11 | Assembly plant |
| 12–17 | Serial number |
How do I find the model year from a VIN?
The 10th character is the model year. The codes repeat every 30 years, so an A means 1980 or 2010. The letters I, O, Q, U, and Z and the digit 0 are never used for the year.
Why doesn't a VIN use I, O, or Q?
They are too easy to confuse with the numbers 1 and 0. If a VIN you were given has one of them, it was copied wrong.
Where is the VIN on a car?
Look at the lower corner of the windshield on the driver's side, or the sticker on the driver's door jamb. It also appears on the title, registration card, and insurance card.
Is this VIN decoder free?
Yes. It uses the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public vPIC database, the same data manufacturers report to the federal government. It shows how a vehicle was built, not its history. For accidents, title brands, and odometer records, use an NMVTIS-approved history report.