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VIN Decoder

Paste any 17-character VIN below. Get year, make, model, trim, body class, engine, transmission, GVWR, safety features, and more — instantly.

Decode a VIN by make

Each make page shows the manufacturer's VIN prefixes and where its vehicles are built, on top of the same instant decoder.

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DealerVLO is a dealer management system for independent used-car lots. Every vehicle you add gets this VIN decode automatically — year, make, model, trim, engine, transmission, fuel type, and GVWR fill in the moment you paste the VIN. No re-typing.

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Trim lookup by VIN: how to find your exact trim

The trim level is encoded in the VIN's vehicle-descriptor section (characters 4–8), and this decoder returns it in the Trimfield when the manufacturer reports it to NHTSA. Paste your 17-character VIN above and check the vehicle overview — trim, series, and body style appear together. Two caveats: some manufacturers report trim inconsistently (especially on older vehicles), and packages/options aren't part of the VIN at all — for those you need the window sticker or a build sheet from the manufacturer. If the trim field comes back empty here, the VIN plate on the driver's door jamb and the owner's manual are the next places to check.

How to read a VIN: what each of the 17 characters means

A modern VIN is a 17-character code standardized in 1981 under FMVSS 565. Each position carries specific information. You can decode it by hand with the map below, or paste the full VIN into the tool above and get every field at once.

1
Country of origin
Where the vehicle was assembled. 1, 4 and 5 = United States; 2 = Canada; 3 = Mexico; J = Japan; K = South Korea; S = United Kingdom; W = Germany; Z = Italy.
2–3
Manufacturer
With position 1, these form the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) — for example 1HG = Honda, 1FT = Ford trucks, JTD = Toyota, 1G1 = Chevrolet.
4–8
Vehicle descriptor (VDS)
Model, body style, engine, transmission and restraint system. Each manufacturer defines what these five characters mean for its own lineup.
9
Check digit
A single digit (0–9 or X) calculated from the other 16 characters. If it doesn't match the math, the VIN was mistyped or altered — a fast fraud check.
10
Model year
A letter or number for the model year (see the chart below). Note this is the model year, which can run ahead of the calendar year a car was actually sold.
11
Assembly plant
The manufacturer's code for the specific factory that built the vehicle.
12–17
Serial number (VIS)
The unique sequential number for this exact vehicle as it came off the line.

VIN model year chart: decoding the 10th digit

The 10th character of a VIN is the model year. Find that character on your VIN and match it here:

A
2010
B
2011
C
2012
D
2013
E
2014
F
2015
G
2016
H
2017
J
2018
K
2019
L
2020
M
2021
N
2022
P
2023
R
2024
S
2025
T
2026
V
2027
W
2028
X
2029
Y
2030

The letters run on a 30-year cycle and never use I, O, Q, U, Z or 0. Because of that repeat, check the 7th character to place the year: if it's a number the model year is 1980–2009, and if it's a letter the model year is 2010–2039.

VIN decoder FAQ

How many characters is a VIN?▾
Every VIN issued since 1981 is exactly 17 characters, using letters A–Z (except I, O and Q, which are dropped to avoid confusion with 1 and 0) and digits 0–9. Vehicles built before 1981 often have shorter, non-standardized VINs that won't decode with a modern tool.
What does each part of a VIN mean?▾
Positions 1–3 are the World Manufacturer Identifier (country and manufacturer). Positions 4–8 describe the model, body, engine and restraints. Position 9 is a check digit that validates the VIN. Position 10 is the model year. Position 11 is the assembly plant. Positions 12–17 are the unique serial number for that specific vehicle.
How do I find the model year from a VIN?▾
Read the 10th character and match it to the year chart: for current vehicles A = 2010, B = 2011, on through T = 2026. Because the letters repeat every 30 years, check position 7 — if it's a number the model year is 1980–2009, if it's a letter the model year is 2010–2039.
Is this VIN decoder free?▾
Yes — it's free, needs no sign-up, and pulls directly from the U.S. government's NHTSA vPIC database. Paste any 17-character VIN and the specs come back instantly.
What is the difference between decoding a VIN and running a VIN history check?▾
Decoding a VIN reads the specifications built into the number itself — year, make, model, trim, engine, body — which is what this free tool does. A history or title check is a different, paid service (Carfax, AutoCheck) that reports accidents, prior owners, title brands and odometer readings pulled from outside records. Decode first to confirm the vehicle; run history when you're deciding whether to buy.
Why are some fields blank after I decode a VIN?▾
NHTSA's coverage varies by manufacturer and model year, so older or imported vehicles return fewer fields. The VIN also only encodes model-level data — specific option packages and colors aren't in the VIN, so for those you need the window sticker or a factory build sheet.

Related dealer tools & guides

About this tool

  • Data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vPIC API. Coverage varies by manufacturer; older or non-US-market vehicles may have limited fields.
  • VINs must be exactly 17 characters. Pre-1981 vehicles often have shorter VINs and won't decode here.
  • We don't store the VINs you look up — each lookup is a fresh request to NHTSA. The one exception is if you use “email me this decode” below a result: we keep that decode so we can send it (and follow up only if you opt in).
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