In 1981, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standardized the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Since then, all on-road vehicles sold in the United States have a VIN assigned to it. Other countries have also adopted the VIN format.
Interesting Fact: The Vehicle Identification Number does not use letters “I', “O” and “Q” to avoid confusion or misinterpretation (e.g., the number one and the letter “I” can be easily confused so only the number 1 is used).
The 17-character VIN is broken down into the following sections:
Breakdown of the VIN:
- Positions 1-3: World Manufacturer Identifier (or Manufacturer Identifier)
- Positions 4-8: Vehicle descriptor
- Position 9: Check digit
- Position 10: Model year
- Position 11: Plant code
- Positions 12-17: Production sequence number
Manufacturer Identifier (Positions 1-3)
The first 3 characters of the VIN identifies the manufacturer of the vehicle. The Manufacturer Identifier (also known as the World Manufacturer Identifier or WMI) is a unique code assigned by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for the country and manufacturer.
The following table shows the Manufacturer Identifier codes for vehicles in North America:
| World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) | Country | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| 1A4 | United States | Chrysler |
| 1A8 | United States | Chrysler |
| 1AC | United States | American Motors Corporation (AMC) |
| 1AF | United States | American LaFrance (ALF) |
| 1AM | United State | American Motors Corporation (AMC) |
| 1B3 | United States | Dodge |
| 1B4 | United States | Dodge |
| 1B6 | United States | Dodge |
| 1B7 | United States | Dodge |
| 1BA | United States | Blue Bird Corporation |
| 1BB | United States | Blue Bird Wanderlodge |
| 1C3 | United States | Chrysler |
| 1C4 | United States | Chrysler |
| 1C6 | United States | Chrysler |
| 1C8 | United States | Chrysler |
| 1C9 | United States | CX Automotive |
| 1CM | United States | Checker Motors Corporation |
| 1CU | United States | Cushman Haulster |
| 1CY | United States | Crane Carrier Company |
| 1D3 | United States | Dodge |
| 1D4 | United States | Dodge |
| 1D7 | United States | Dodge |
| 1D8 | United States | Dodge |
| 1F | United States | Ford |
| 1F1 | United States | Ford |
| 1F6 | United States | Ford |
| 1F9 | United States | Seagrave Fire Apparatus LLC |
| 1FA | United States | Ford |
| 1FB | United States | Ford |
| 1FC | United States | Ford |
| 1FD | United States | Ford |
| 1FM | United States | Ford |
| 1FT | United States | Ford |
| 1FU | United States | Freightliner |
| 1FV | United States | Freightliner |
| 1G | United States | General Motors |
| 1G0 | United States | GMC (1981 – 1986) |
| 1G0 | United States | GMC Rapid Transit Series (1981-1986) |
| 1G1 | United States | Chevrolet |
| 1G2 | United States | Pontiac |
| 1G3 | United States | Oldsmobile |
| 1G4 | United States | Buick |
| 1G5 | United States | GMC |
| 1G6 | United States | Cadillac |
| 1G7 | United States | Pontiac |
| 1G8 | United States | Chevrolet |
| 1G9 | United States | Google & Waymo |
| 1GA | United States | Chevrolet |
| 1GC | United States | Chevrolet |
| 1GF | United States | Fixible |
| 1GG | United States | Isuzu |
| 1GH | United States | Oldsmobile |
| 1GH | United States | Holden Acadia |
| 1GJ | United States | GMC |
| 1GK | United States | GMC |
| 1GM | United States | Pontiac |
| 1GN | United States | Chevrolet |
| 1GT | United States | GMC |
| 1GY | United States | Cadillac |
| 1HD | United States | Harley-Davidson |
| 1HF | United States | Honda |
| 1HG | United States | Honda |
| 1HS | United States | International Trucks & Caterpillar Trucks |
| 1J4 | United States | Jeep |
| 1J7 | United States | Jeep |
| 1J8 | United States | Jeep |
| 1JC | United States | Jeep |
| 1JT | United States | Jeep |
| 1JU | United States | Marmon Motor Company |
| 1L | United States | Lincoln |
| 1L1 | United States | Lincoln (limousine) |
| 1L9 | United States | Laforza |
| 1LN | United States | Lincoln |
| 1M0 | United States | John Deer Gator |
| 1M1 | United States | Mack Trucks |
| 1M2 | United States | Mack Trucks |
| 1M8 | United States | Motor Coach Industries |
| 1M9 | United States | Mosler Automotive |
| 1M9 | United States | Proterra (through mid-2019) |
| 1MB | United States | Mercedes-Benz Truck Company |
| 1ME | United States | Mercury |
| 1MR | United States | Continental |
| 1N4 | United States | Nissan |
| 1N6 | United States | Nissan |
| 1N9 | United States | Neoplan USA |
| 1N9 | United States | Nikola Corporation |
| 1NX | United States | Toyota |
| 1P3 | United States | Plymouth |
| 1P4 | United States | Plymouth |
| 1P9 | United States | Panoz |
| 1S9 | United States | Saleen S7 |
| 1T7 | United States | Thomas Build Buses |
| 1T9 | United States | Tomcar USA |
| 1TU | United States | Transportation Manufacturing Corporation |
| 1UT | United States | Jeep DJ |
| 1V1 | United States | Volkswagen |
| 1V2 | United States | Volkswagen |
| 1V9 | United States | Vector Aeromotive |
| 1VH | United States | Orion Bus Industries |
| 1VW | United States | Volkswagen |
| 1WU | United States | White |
| 1WV | United States | Winnebago Industries |
| 1WW | United States | Winnebago Industries |
| 1WX | United States | White incomplete vehicle |
| 1WY | United States | White incomplete vehicle |
| 1XK | United States | Kenworth |
| 1XM | United States | American Motors Corporation (AMC) |
| 1XP | United States | Peterbilt |
| 1Y1 | United States | Chevrolet/Geo |
| 1YJ | United States | Rokon International, Inc. |
| 1YV | United States | Mazda |
| 1Z3 | United States | Mitsubishi Raider |
| 1Z7 | United States | Mitsubishi Raider |
| 1Z9 | United States | Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles LLC |
| 1ZV | United States | Ford |
| 1ZW | United States | Mercury |
| 10R | United States | E-Z-GO |
| 10T | United States | Oshkosh Corporation |
| 12A | United States | Avanti |
| 137 | United States | AM General |
| 15G | United States | Gillig |
| 16X | United States | Vixen Motor Company |
| 17N | United States | John Deer incomplete vehicle |
| 19U | United States | Acura |
| 19V | United States | Acura |
| 19X | United States | Honda |
| 2DG | Canada | Ontario Drive & Gear |
| 2F | Canada | Ford |
| 2GX | Canada | General Motors |
| 2G1 | Canada | Chevrolet |
| 2G2 | Canada | Pontiac |
| 2G9 | Canada | Gnome Homes |
| 2HG | Canada | Honda |
| 2HH | Canada | Acura |
| 2HJ | Canada | Honda |
| 2HK | Canada | Honda |
| 2HM | Canada | Hyundai |
| 2L9 | Canada | Les Contenants Durabac |
| 2LN | Canada | Lincoln |
| 2M | Canada | Mercury |
| 2T | Canada | Toyota |
| 3F | Mexico | Ford |
| 3G | Mexico | General Motors |
| 3HG | Mexico | Honda |
| 3HM | Mexico | Honda |
| 3KP | Mexico | Kia |
| 3N | Mexico | Nissan |
| 3VW | Mexico | Volkswagen |
| 4A3 | United States | Mitsubishi Motors |
| 4A4 | United States | Mitsubishi Motors |
| 4B3 | United States | Dodge |
| 4B9 | United States | BYD Coach & Bus LLC |
| 4C3 | United States | Chrysler |
| 4C9 | United States | Czinger |
| 4DR | United States | Integrated Coach (IC) Corporation |
| 4E3 | United States | Eagle |
| 4F2 | United States | Mazda |
| 4F4 | United States | Mazda |
| 4G1 | United States | Chevrolet Cavalier |
| 4G2 | United States | Pontiac Sunfire |
| 4G3 | United States | Toyota Cavalier |
| 4G5 | United States | General Motors EV1 |
| 4GD | United States | WhiteGMC Bridadier |
| 4GD | United States | Opel Sintra |
| 4JG | United States | Mercedes-Benz |
| 4KL | United States | Isuzu |
| 4M2 | United States | Mercury |
| 4ML | United States | Oshkosh Trailer Division |
| 4MZ | United States | Buell Motorcycle Company |
| 4N2 | United States | Nissian Quest (made by Ford) |
| 4NU | United States | Isuzu Ascender (made by GM) |
| 4P1 | United States | Pierce Manufacturing |
| 4P3 | United States | Plymouth |
| 4P3 | United States | Mitsubishi Motors (for export only 2013 – 2015) |
| 4RK | United States | Nova Bus & Prevost |
| 4S1 | United States | Isuzu (made by Subaru-Isuzu Automotive) |
| 4S2 | United States | Isuzu (made by Subaru-Isuzu Automotive) |
| 4S3 | United States | Subaru |
| 4S4 | United States | Subaru |
| 4S6 | United States | Honda |
| 4T1 | United States | Toyota |
| 4T3 | United States | Toyota |
| 4T4 | United States | Toyota (made by Subaru-Isuzu Automotive) |
| 4T9 | United States | Xos, Inc. |
| 4TA | United States | Toyota (made by NUMMI) |
| 4UF | United States | Arctic Cat |
| 4US | United States | BMW |
| 4UZ | United States | Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation |
| 4V1 | United States | WhiteGMC |
| 4V4 | United States | Volvo Trucks North America |
| 4VA | United States | Volvo Trucks North America |
| 4VG | United States | Volvo Trucks North America |
| 4XA | United States | Polaris, Inc. |
| 4Z3 | United States | American LaFrance (ALF) |
| 43C | United States | Consulier Industries |
| 478 | United States | Honda |
| 480 | United States | Sterling Trucks |
| 5AS | United States | Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) |
| 5BZ | United States | Nissan |
| 5CD | United States | Indian Motorcycle Company of America |
| 5CX | United States | Shelby Series 1 |
| 5DF | United States | Thomas Dennis Company LLC |
| 5EH | United States | Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle |
| 5FN | United States | Honda |
| 5FP | United States | Honda |
| 5FR | United States | Acura |
| 5FY | United States | New Flyer |
| 5G8 | United States | Chevrolet |
| 5GA | United States | Buick |
| 5GN | United States | General Motors |
| 5GR | United States | General Motors |
| 5GT | United States | General Motors |
| 5GZ | United States | Saturn |
| 5HD | United States | Harley-Davidson (for export markets) |
| 5J6 | United States | Honda |
| 5J8 | United States | Acura |
| 5KB | United States | Honda |
| 5L1 | United States | Lincoln |
| 5LM | United States | Lincoln |
| 5LT | United States | Lincoln |
| 5N1 | United States | Nissan & Infiniti |
| 5N3 | United States | Infiniiti |
| 5NM | United States | Hyundai |
| 5NP | United States | Hyundai |
| 5NT | United States | Hyundai |
| 5S3 | United States | Saab |
| 5SA | United States | Suzuki |
| 5TB | United States | Toyota |
| 5TD | United States | Toyota |
| 5TE | United States | Toyota |
| 5TF | United States | Toyota |
| 5UM | United States | BMW |
| 5UX | United States | BMW |
| 5VP | United States | Victory Motocycles |
| 5XX | United States | Kia / Hyundai |
| 5XY | United States | Kia / Hyundai |
| 5Y2 | United States | Pontiac |
| 5Y4 | United States | Yamaha Motor Company |
| 5YA | United States | Indian Motorcycle Company |
| 5YF | United States | Toyota (made by TMMMS) |
| 5YJ | United States | Tesla |
| 5YM | United States | BMW |
| 5Z6 | United States | Suzuki (made by Nissan) |
| 50E | United States | Lucid Motors |
| 50G | United States | Karma Automotive |
| 516 | United States | Autocar |
| 51R | United States | Brammo Motocycles |
| 523 | United States | Vehicle Production Group (VPG) |
| 52C | United States | Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) |
| 538 | United States | Zero Motorcycles |
| 53G | United States | Coda Automotive |
| 53T | United States | Think North America |
| 546 | United States | Erik Buell Racing (EBR) |
| 54C | United States | Winnebago Industries |
| 55S | United States | Mercedes-Benz |
| 56K | United States | Indian Motorcycle International LLC |
| 57X | United States | Polaris |
| 58A | United States | Lexus (made by TMMK) |
For a complete list of Manufacturer codes, take a look at the Vehicle Identification Number article on Wikipedia.
Vehicle Descriptor (Positions 4-8)
The Vehicle Descriptor section is used to describe the information about the vehicle. Each manufacturer has their method of using this section describe the model and body style of the vehicle. Most manufacturers use the last character (position 8) in the Vehicle Descriptor to denote the engine type.
Check Digit (Position 9)
The Check Digit is used inconsistently by the manufacturer. According to Wikipedia, the check digit is compulsory for vehicles in North America and China, but not Europe.
Model Year (Position 10)
The model year of the vehicle is encoded in position 10 of the VIN. Using letters and numbers, the following table shows the model year of the vehicle.
Note that characters O, I, U and Z, and the number zero are not used in the model year code to avoid confusion and misinterpretation (e.g., the letter “V” and “U” may be misinterpreted so only the letter “V” is used and not the letter “U”).
| Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y | 2000 | A | 2010 | L | 2020 | Y | 2030 |
| 1 | 2001 | B | 2011 | M | 2021 | 1 | 2031 |
| 2 | 2002 | C | 2012 | N | 2022 | 2 | 2032 |
| 3 | 2003 | D | 2013 | P | 2023 | 3 | 2033 |
| 4 | 2004 | E | 2014 | R | 2024 | 4 | 2034 |
| 5 | 2005 | F | 2015 | S | 2025 | 5 | 2035 |
| 6 | 2006 | G | 2016 | T | 2026 | 6 | 2036 |
| 7 | 2007 | H | 2017 | V | 2027 | 7 | 2037 |
| 8 | 2008 | J | 2018 | W | 2028 | 8 | 2038 |
| 9 | 2009 | K | 2019 | X | 2029 | 9 | 2039 |
Plant Code (Position 11)
This position is used in North America and China to encode the vehicle assembly plant. Each manufacturer has their own encoding for the plant code.
Production Sequence Number (Positions 12-17)
This section is used by the manufacturer to encode the vehicle's serial number or production number. The production sequence number is unique for each vehicle and like the Plant Code, each manufacture has their own sequence number format.