Guide
How to read a VIN
A VIN (vehicle identification number) is a 17-character code that identifies one vehicle. Characters 1–3 identify the manufacturer, 4–8 describe the vehicle, 9 is a check digit, 10 is usually the model year, 11 the plant and 12–17 the serial number. The letters I, O and Q are never used.
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The 17 VIN positions
Positions 10–17 together are the Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS).
| Position | Name | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) | The manufacturer and the region or country. Low-volume manufacturers use 9 in position 3. |
| 4–8 | Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) | Model, body, engine and restraint details, coded differently by each manufacturer. |
| 9 | Check digit | Calculated from the other characters to catch typing errors. Mandatory in North America; often a filler character on European-market VINs. |
| 10 | Model year | A letter or digit for the model year. Mandatory in North America; European manufacturers may or may not use it. |
| 11 | Plant | The assembly plant, coded by the manufacturer. |
| 12–17 | Serial number | The production sequence number. Low-volume manufacturers use positions 12–14 to complete their identifier. |
Example: in WAUZZZ4G1JN064266, WAU is Audi, J in position 10 is model year 2018, and N is the plant code.
Letters that never appear
A VIN never contains the letters I, O or Q, so they cannot be confused with the digits 1 and 0. If a VIN you were given contains one of them, it has been copied incorrectly.
Model year codes (position 10)
The codes repeat every 30 years. U, Z and 0 are not used for the model year.
| Code | Model year | Or |
|---|---|---|
A | 1980 | 2010 |
B | 1981 | 2011 |
C | 1982 | 2012 |
D | 1983 | 2013 |
E | 1984 | 2014 |
F | 1985 | 2015 |
G | 1986 | 2016 |
H | 1987 | 2017 |
J | 1988 | 2018 |
K | 1989 | 2019 |
L | 1990 | 2020 |
M | 1991 | 2021 |
N | 1992 | 2022 |
P | 1993 | 2023 |
R | 1994 | 2024 |
S | 1995 | 2025 |
T | 1996 | 2026 |
V | 1997 | 2027 |
W | 1998 | 2028 |
X | 1999 | 2029 |
Y | 2000 | 2030 |
1 | 2001 | 2031 |
2 | 2002 | 2032 |
3 | 2003 | 2033 |
4 | 2004 | 2034 |
5 | 2005 | 2035 |
6 | 2006 | 2036 |
7 | 2007 | 2037 |
8 | 2008 | 2038 |
9 | 2009 | 2039 |
European manufacturers do not always use position 10 for the model year. RevalVIN only trusts it for makers that do, such as the Volkswagen Group and Porsche, and for North-American-market VINs.
Where to find the VIN
- At the base of the windscreen on the driver's side, readable from outside the car
- On a label in the driver's door frame
- On the registration document, such as the V5C in the UK or the Zulassungsbescheinigung in Germany
- In the service book and on insurance documents
Compare the VIN in at least two places before buying a car.
Cars built before 1981
The 17-character format became standard for cars built from 1981. Older vehicles carry manufacturer-specific numbers of different lengths, which standard VIN decoders cannot read.
How RevalVIN decodes a VIN
- A VIN decode costs €0.10 per successful result and returns make, model, engine, fuel, transmission, body, drivetrain and factory features where they are on record.
- RevalVIN never guesses the model year from a registration date. If a recorded first-registration date is earlier than the manufacture year, it shows the manufacture year instead.
- For the Complete report, you enter the model year from the registration document, so market valuations and ownership costs use the right year.
- When a VIN has only basic identification on record, the result says so instead of filling gaps with guesses.
Individual vehicle records, not a comprehensive accident, title or ownership report. Missing records do not prove a clean history.
VIN prefixes by make
Frequently asked questions
How many characters does a VIN have?
Modern VINs have 17 characters. Vehicles built before 1981 used shorter, non-standard numbers.
Which letters are never used in a VIN?
I, O and Q are never used, so they cannot be confused with 1 and 0. The model year character in position 10 also never uses U, Z or 0.
Can you tell a car's year from the VIN?
Often. Position 10 encodes the model year on North-American-market VINs and on many European ones, but some European manufacturers do not use it. The codes repeat every 30 years, so A can mean 1980 or 2010.
Where is the VIN on a car?
Usually at the base of the windscreen on the driver's side, on a label in the driver's door frame, and on the registration document.
Is a VIN check a full vehicle history report?
No. A VIN decode describes the car as built. History checks such as stolen records, mileage and inspections are separate individual records, not a comprehensive accident, title or ownership report.
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