A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a 17-character code that identifies one specific motor vehicle. In the United States its format is set by federal regulation 49 CFR Part 565 for vehicles from the 1981 model year onward.
What a VIN is for
The regulation states its purpose as simplifying the retrieval of vehicle identification information and increasing the accuracy and efficiency of recall campaigns. Because every VIN is unique, it ties together registration and title records, insurance, repair and warranty systems, and — most importantly for owners — manufacturer recall records. Part 565 requires that no two vehicles manufactured within a 60-year period beginning with the 1980 model year share the same VIN.
The characters
A modern VIN has exactly 17 characters drawn from the digits 0–9 and the letters A–Z except I, O and Q. Leaving those three out avoids confusion with 1 and 0. If a VIN you copied contains an O, it is almost certainly a zero.
What the 17 characters encode
- Positions 1–3, world manufacturer identifier (WMI): the manufacturer and type of vehicle. NHTSA has contracted SAE International to coordinate WMI assignments in the United States.
- Positions 4–8, vehicle descriptor section: attributes such as model line, body type, engine and restraint system, coded by each manufacturer.
- Position 9, check digit: a calculated character that catches transcription errors.
- Position 10, model year, position 11, assembly plant, and positions 12–17, production sequence.
The position-by-position guide walks through each section.
Who can decode it
The structure is public, but the meaning of positions 4–8 and 11 is specific to each manufacturer. Manufacturers must submit the information needed to decipher their VINs to NHTSA at least 60 days before selling the first vehicle that uses it; NHTSA publishes that information through its vPIC database, which the VIN decoder on this site queries on request.
What a VIN does not tell you
Decoding a VIN reveals how the vehicle was built. It does not reveal ownership, accident history, title brands, odometer readings or whether a recall repair was done. Recall completion is tracked by manufacturers and shown through NHTSA's VIN recall search.
Sources
- 49 CFR Part 565 — Vehicle Identification Number requirements (eCFR)
- NHTSA vPIC — Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing
- NHTSA — Check for Recalls
Written by the Vehicle Recall Index editorial process from these primary sources; not reviewed by NHTSA or a lawyer. How content is produced.