How to decode your VIN number.

How to decode your VIN number.   

  

There are 17 numbers and letters (17 positions) in a VIN and you can divide them into three groups: World Manufacturer Identifier, Vehicle Descriptor Section, and Vehicle Identifier Section. We will go through all 17 positions here so you can decode any VIN number. You will become a VIN decoding expert! World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) The first three letters and numbers of the VIN are the World Manufacturer Identifier.

Position 1 The very first letter or number of the VIN tells you in what region of the world your vehicle was made. Match the letter or number below to the first number or letter of your VIN to find out in what region of the world your VIN was made. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H are made in Africa J, K, L, M, N, P, and R are made Asia S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z are made in Europe 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are made in North America 6 and 7 are made in Oceania 8 and 9 are made in South America

Position 2 The second letter or number, in combination with the first letter or number in the VIN, tells you in what country the car or truck was made. You may be surprised to know that not all Japanese cars are made in Japan and not all GM cars are made in America and so on. Anyway, cars and trucks are made in over 80 countries and there are over 600 VIN country codes. Match the first two letters and/or numbers of your VIN to the list below to find out where your vehicle is made. 10 = United States 11 = United States 12 = United States 13 = United States 14 = United States 15 = United States 16 = United States 17 = United States 18 = United States 19 = United States 20 = Canada 21 = Canada 22 = Canada 23 = Canada 24 = Canada 25 = Canada 26 = Canada 27 = Canada 28 = Canada 29 = Canada 30 = Cayman Islands 31 = Costa Rica 32 = Costa Rica 33 = Costa Rica 34 = Costa Rica 35 = Costa Rica 36 = Costa Rica 37 = Costa Rica 38 = Cayman Islands 39 = Cayman Islands

9F = Colombia 9G = Colombia 9H = Colombia 9J = Colombia 9K = Colombia 9L = Paraguay 9M = Paraguay 9N = Paraguay 9P = Paraguay 9R = Paraguay 9S = Uruguay 9T = Uruguay 9U = Uruguay 9V = Uruguay 9W = Uruguay 9X = Trinidad 9Y = Trinidad 9Z = Trinidad AA = South Africa AB = South Africa AC = South Africa AD = South Africa AE = South Africa AF = South Africa AG = South Africa AH = South Africa AJ = Ivory Coast AK = Ivory Coast AL = Ivory Coast AM = Ivory Coast

S1 = Latvia S2 = Latvia S3 = Latvia S4 = Latvia SA = United Kingdom SB = United Kingdom SC = United Kingdom SD = United Kingdom SE = United Kingdom SF = United Kingdom SG = United Kingdom SH = United Kingdom SJ = United Kingdom SK = United Kingdom SL = United Kingdom SM = United Kingdom SN = Germany SP = Germany SR = Germany SS = Germany ST = Germany SU = Poland SV = Poland SW = Poland SX = Poland SY = Poland SZ = Poland T1 = Portugal TA = Switzerland TB = Switzerland

40 = United States 41 = United States 42 = United States 43 = United States 44 = United States 45 = United States 46 = United States 47 = United States 48 = United States 49 = United States 50 = United States 51 = United States 52 = United States 53 = United States 54 = United States 55 = United States 56 = United States 57 = United States 58 = United States 59 = United States 81 = Venezuela 82 = Venezuela 91 = Trinidad 92 = Trinidad 93 = Brazil 94 = Brazil 95 = Brazil 96 = Brazil 97 = Brazil 98 = Brazil 99 = Brazil 1A = United States 1B = United States 1C = United States 1D = United States 1E = United States 1F = United States 1G = United States 1H = United States 1J = United States 1K = United States

AN = Ivory Coast BA = Angolia BB = Angolia BC = Angolia BD = Angolia BE = Angolia BF = Kenya BG = Kenya BH = Kenya BJ = Kenya BK = Kenya BL = Tanzania BM = Tanzania BN = Tanzania BQ = Tanzania BR = Tanzania CA = Benin CB = Benin CC = Benin CD = Benin CE = Benin CF = Madagascar CG = Madagascar CH = Madagascar CJ = Madagascar CK = Madagascar CL = Tunisia CM = Tunisia CN = Tunisia CP = Tunisia CQ = Tunisia CR = Tunisia DA = Egypt DB = Egypt DC = Egypt DD = Egypt DE = Egypt DF = Morocco DG = Morocco DH = Morocco DJ = Morocco

TC = Switzerland TD = Switzerland TE = Switzerland TF = Switzerland TG = Switzerland TH = Switzerland TJ = Czech Republic TK = Czech Republic TL = Czech Republic TM = Czech Republic TN = Czech Republic TP = Czech Republic TR = Hungary TS = Hungary TT = Hungary TU = Hungary TV = Hungary TW = Portugal TX = Portugal TY = Portugal TZ = Portugal U5 = Slovakia U6 = Slovakia U7 = Slovakia UH = Denmark UJ = Denmark UK = Denmark UL = Denmark UM = Denmark UN = Ireland UP = Ireland UR = Ireland US = Ireland UT = Ireland UU = Romania UV = Romania UW = Romania UX = Romania UY = Romania UZ = Romania V0 = Estonia

1L = United States 1M = United States 1N = United States 1P = United States 1R = United States 1S = United States 1T = United States 1U = United States 1V = United States 1W = United States 1X = United States 1Y = United States 1Z = United States 2A = Canada 2B = Canada 2C = Canada 2D = Canada 2E = Canada 2F = Canada 2G = Canada 2H = Canada 2J = Canada 2K = Canada 2L = Canada 2M = Canada 2N = Canada 2P = Canada 2R = Canada 2S = Canada 2T = Canada 2U = Canada 2V = Canada 2W = Canada 2X = Canada 2Y = Canada 2Z = Canada 3A = Mexico 3B = Mexico 3C = Mexico 3D = Mexico 3E = Mexico

DK = Morocco DL = Zambia DM = Zambia DN = Zambia DP = Zambia DR = Zambia EA = Ethiopia EB = Ethiopia EC = Ethiopia ED = Ethiopia EE = Ethiopia EF = Mozambique EG = Mozambique EH = Mozambique EJ = Mozambique EK = Mozambique FA = Ghana FB = Ghana FC = Ghana FD = Ghana FE = Ghana FF = Nigeria FG = Nigeria FH = Nigeria FJ = Nigeria FK = Nigeria JA = Japan JB = Japan JC = Japan JD = Japan JE = Japan JF = Japan JG = Japan JH = Japan JJ = Japan JK = Japan JL = Japan JM = Japan JN = Japan JP = Japan JR = Japan

V1 = Serbia V2 = Serbia V3 = Croatia V4 = Croatia V5 = Croatia V6 = Estonia V7 = Estonia V8 = Estonia V9 = Estonia VA = Austria VB = Austria VC = Austria VD = Austria VE = Austria VF = France VG = France VH = France VJ = France VK = France VL = France VM = France VN = France VP = France VR = France VS = Spain VT = Spain VU = Spain VV = Spain VW = Spain VX = Serbia VY = Serbia VZ = Serbia W0 = Germany W1 = Germany W2 = Germany W3 = Germany W4 = Germany W5 = Germany W6 = Germany W7 = Germany W8 = Germany

3F = Mexico 3G = Mexico 3H = Mexico 3J = Mexico 3K = Mexico 3L = Mexico 3M = Mexico 3N = Mexico 3P = Mexico 3R = Mexico 3S = Mexico 3T = Mexico 3U = Mexico 3V = Mexico 3W = Mexico 3X = Costa Rica 3Y = Costa Rica 3Z = Costa Rica 4A = United States 4B = United States 4C = United States 4D = United States 4E = United States 4F = United States 4G = United States 4H = United States 4J = United States 4K = United States 4L = United States 4M = United States 4N = United States 4P = United States 4R = United States 4S = United States 4T = United States 4U = United States 4V = United States 4W = United States 4X = United States 4Y = United States 4Z = United States

JS = Japan JT = Japan KA = Sri Lanka KB = Sri Lanka KC = Sri Lanka KD = Sri Lanka KE = Sri Lanka KF = Israel KG = Israel KH = Israel KJ = Israel KK = Israel KL = Korea KM = Korea KN = Korea KP = Korea KR = Korea L0 = China L1 = China L2 = China L3 = China L4 = China L5 = China L6 = China L7 = China L8 = China L9 = China LA = China LB = China LC = China LD = China LE = China LF = China LG = China LH = China LJ = China LK = China LL = China LM = China LN = China LP = China

W9 = Germany WA = Germany WB = Germany WC = Germany WD = Germany WE = Germany WF = Germany WG = Germany WH = Germany WJ = Germany WK = Germany WL = Germany WM = Germany WN = Germany WP = Germany WR = Germany WS = Germany WT = Germany WU = Germany WV = Germany WW = Germany WX = Germany WY = Germany WZ = Germany X0 = Russia X1 = Luxembourg X2 = Luxembourg X3 = Russia X4 = Russia X5 = Russia X6 = Russia X7 = Russia X8 = Russia X9 = Russia XA = Bulgaria XB = Bulgaria XC = Bulgaria XD = Bulgaria XE = Bulgaria XF = Greece XG = Greece

5A = United States 5B = United States 5C = United States 5D = United States 5E = United States 5F = United States 5G = United States 5H = United States 5J = United States 5K = United States 5L = United States 5M = United States 5N = United States 5P = United States 5R = United States 5S = United States 5T = United States 5U = United States 5V = United States 5W = United States 5X = United States 5Y = United States 5Z = United States 6A = Australia 6B = Australia 6C = Australia 6D = Australia 6E = Australia 6F = Australia 6G = Australia 6H = Australia 6J = Australia 6K = Australia 6L = Australia 6M = Australia 6N = Australia 6P = Australia 6R = Australia 6S = Australia 6T = Australia 6U = Australia

LR = China LS = China LT = China LU = China LV = China LW = China LX = China LY = China LZ = China MA = India MB = India MC = India MD = India ME = India MF = Indonesia MG = Indonesia MH = Indonesia MJ = Indonesia MK = Indonesia ML = Thailand MM = Thailand MN = Thailand MP = Thailand MR = Thailand NF = Pakistan NG = Pakistan NH = Pakistan NJ = Pakistan NK = Pakistan NL = Turkey NM = Turkey NN = Turkey NP = Turkey NR = Turkey PA = Philippines PB = Philippines PC = Philippines PD = Philippines PE = Philippines PF = Singapore PG = Singapore

XH = Greece XJ = Greece XK = Greece XL = Netherlands XM = Netherlands XN = Netherlands XP = Netherlands XR = Netherlands XS = USSR XT = USSR XU = USSR XV = USSR XW = USSR XX = Luxembourg XY = Luxembourg XZ = Luxembourg Y0 = Ukraine Y1 = Norway Y2 = Norway Y3 = Belarus Y4 = Belarus Y5 = Belarus Y6 = Ukraine Y7 = Ukraine Y8 = Ukraine Y9 = Ukraine YA = Belgium YB = Belgium YC = Belgium YD = Belgium YE = Belgium YF = Finland YG = Finland YH = Finland YJ = Finland YK = Finland YL = Malta YM = Malta YN = Malta YP = Malta YR = Malta

6V = Australia 6W = Australia 7A = New Zealand 7B = New Zealand 7C = New Zealand 7D = New Zealand 7E = New Zealand 8A = Argentina 8B = Argentina 8C = Argentina 8D = Argentina 8E = Argentina 8F = Chile 8G = Chile 8H = Chile 8J = Chile 8K = Chile 8L = Ecuador 8M = Ecuador 8N = Ecuador 8P = Ecuador 8R = Ecuador 8S = Peru 8T = Peru 8U = Peru 8V = Peru 8W = Peru 8X = Venezuela 8Y = Venezuela 8Z = Venezuela 9A = Brazil 9B = Brazil 9C = Brazil 9D = Brazil 9E = Brazil

PH = Singapore PJ = Singapore PK = Singapore PL = Malaysia PM = Malaysia PN = Malaysia PP = Malaysia PR = Malaysia R0 = Saudi Arabia RA = UAE RB = UAE RC = UAE RD = UAE RE = UAE RF = Taiwan RG = Taiwan RH = Taiwan RJ = Taiwan RK = Taiwan RL = Vietnam RM = Vietnam RN = Vietnam RP = Vietnam RR = Vietnam RS = Saudi Arabia RS = Saudi Arabia RT = Saudi Arabia RU = Saudi Arabia RV = Saudi Arabia RW = Saudi Arabia RX = Saudi Arabia RY = Saudi Arabia RZ = Saudi Arabia

YS = Sweden YT = Sweden YU = Sweden YV = Sweden YW = Sweden YX = Norway YY = Norway YZ = Norway Z1 = Slovenia Z2 = Slovenia Z3 = Lithuania Z4 = Lithuania Z5 = Lithuania ZA = Italy ZB = Italy ZC = Italy ZD = Italy ZE = Italy ZF = Italy ZG = Italy ZH = Italy ZJ = Italy ZK = Italy ZL = Italy ZM = Italy ZN = Italy ZP = Italy ZR = Italy ZX = Slovenia ZY = Slovenia ZZ = Slovenia

Position 3 The third number or letter is used by the vehicle manufacturer to identify what kind of vehicle it is. It could be a car, truck, bus and so on. Each vehicle maker uses different codes for this. Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) Letters and numbers in positions 4 through 9 is the Vehicle Descriptor Section. This information gives detailed information about the vehicle itself.

Positions 4 5 6 7 8 Here you can find out the vehicle model, engine type, body style and things like that. Each vehicle maker uses different codes for this.

Position 9 This is the VIN Check Digit where you can use math to figure out if it is a correct VIN. It does not tell you anything about the vehicle itself. Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS) Letters and numbers 10 through 17 is the Vehicle Descriptor Section. This gives you information such as when it was produced, what options it comes with and so on.

Position 10 The 10th letter or number of the VIN tells you the model year of the vehicle. Note that this may be different from when it was manufactured, as many automobile manufacturers start to produce next year's model this year. Find the model year by matching the 10th digit of your VIN to the table below: A = 1980 B = 1981 C = 1982 D = 1983 E = 1984 F = 1985 G = 1986

S = 1995 T = 1996 V = 1997 W = 1998 X = 1999 Y = 2000 1 = 2001

A = 2010 B = 2011 C = 2012 D = 2013 E = 2014 F = 2015 G = 2016

S = 2025 T = 2026 V = 2027 W = 2028 X = 2029 Y = 2030 1 = 2031

H = 1987 J = 1988 K = 1989 L = 1990 M = 1991 N = 1992 P = 1993 R = 1994

2 = 2002 3 = 2003 4 = 2004 5 = 2005 6 = 2006 7 = 2007 8 = 2008 9 = 2009

H = 2017 J = 2018 K = 2019 L = 2020 M = 2021 N = 2022 P = 2023 R = 2024

2 = 2032 3 = 2033 4 = 2034 5 = 2035 6 = 2036 7 = 2037 8 = 2038 9 = 2039

As you can see, each letter or number has been assigned to two different years. To find out which one applies to your VIN, you must look at the 7th letter or number in your VIN. If the 7th VIN position is a letter, then your vehicle is made in 2010 through 2039. If the 7th VIN is a number, then your vehicle is made prior to 2010.

Positions 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 This is where the auto manufacturers enter unique information about the particular vehicle the VIN belongs to. The name of the assembly plant, extra options added to the vehicle, Production Sequence Number and things of that nature. This is different from company to company.