VIN decoder
Decode a VIN to its make, model and year — cars, commercial trucks and trailers — using official NHTSA data.
Official NHTSA vPIC data, proxied through our server. VINs are not stored. Build-spec data only — get a title and vehicle-history report before buying or financing a vehicle.
How to decode a VIN
- Enter a VIN. Type the 17-character VIN (no I, O or Q).
- Decode. We validate it locally, then fetch the full decode from NHTSA.
- Review the vehicle. See the make, model, year and build details.
The 17 characters, decoded
A Vehicle Identification Number is a 17-character fingerprint laid out in three sections (ISO 3779). Positions
1–3 are the WMI,
the World Manufacturer Identifier — who built it and where. Positions 4–8 are
the VDS, describing the model, body and engine family. Positions 10–17 are the VIS,
the unique serial part, where position 10 encodes the model year and position 11 the assembly
plant. The letters I, O and Q never appear — they're banned to avoid
confusion with 1 and 0, so seeing one means the VIN was mistranscribed.
The check digit and instant validation
Position 9 is a check digit that mathematically ties the other 16 together: each character is
transliterated to a number, multiplied by a fixed positional weight, summed, and reduced modulo 11 (a remainder
of 10 is written as X). If the computed value doesn't match the VIN's ninth character, a digit has
been transposed or mistyped. This decoder runs that check in your browser for instant feedback, then —
only for a plausible VIN — pulls the full build record from the US government's NHTSA vPIC database. One nuance:
the position-9 check digit is mandatory for North-American VINs but not universally honoured by imports, so a
foreign-market vehicle can be genuine yet fail the check. Also, the year code repeats every 30 years, so the
decoder reports the most recent plausible model year.
What it covers — cars, trucks, and what it doesn't
Decoding a VIN is essential due diligence before buying: it confirms the make, model and year actually match the listing. Remember it describes the vehicle as built — for title, mileage and accident history you still need a dedicated history report. The same 17-character VIN identifies on-road commercial vehicles, so this works for verifying the year and model of a semi tractor, dump truck, box truck or trailer — handy when sizing up a unit at a dealer or fleet liquidation. The limit for auction buyers: off-road machinery such as excavators, dozers, skid steers and forklifts is tracked by a manufacturer PIN or serial number, not a NHTSA VIN, so it won't decode here — read its data plate or use the maker's serial lookup instead. To go character by character yourself, see the guide on how to decode a VIN by hand, or look up just the maker with the WMI decoder.
Frequently asked questions
- The make, model, year, body and engine details for a vehicle, decoded from its 17-character VIN. It also validates the VIN’s check digit and shows the region of manufacture.
- From the official NHTSA vPIC database (US Department of Transportation). It is free, authoritative public data, queried in real time.
- No. This is a buyer due-diligence decoder for the vehicle’s build specification. It does not include ownership, title or accident records, which come from separate paid history services.
- Yes. On-road commercial vehicles — semi tractors, dump trucks, box trucks and trailers — carry standard 17-character VINs in the NHTSA database, so they decode to make, model and year just like cars. This is handy for verifying a unit at a dealer or an equipment auction before you bid.
- Usually not. Off-road machinery — excavators, dozers, skid steers, loaders, forklifts and most ag equipment — is identified by a manufacturer PIN or serial number, not a standardized 17-character VIN, and it is not in the NHTSA database. To confirm the year and model of a machine, check the manufacturer’s data plate or decode its serial with the maker’s own lookup. This tool handles the on-road trucks and trailers in a mixed auction lot, not the yellow iron.
- The 9th character is a checksum calculated from the other characters. North American VINs must satisfy it; a mismatch usually means a typo. Many imported VINs do not use it.
- No. The VIN is validated in your browser and sent to the NHTSA database through our server to fetch the decode. Nothing is saved.