Free VIN decoder: read what the 17 characters mean
This VIN decoder reads a vehicle identification number and tells you what each part means: the manufacturer and the country it was assigned to, the model year, the assembly-plant code, the serial number, and whether the check digit is valid. Type or paste the VIN and the decoded result updates as you type, with every position colour-coded.
It works completely offline. Your VIN is not sent to any server, so the VIN decoder is free and private — but it also means it cannot look up trim, engine, ownership or accident history. It decodes VINs from any country, including VIN decoding for India, Europe and North America, and uses the same check-digit rule as the US standard.
How to decode a VIN
- Find the VIN: on a plate at the bottom of the windscreen, on the driver’s door pillar, on the registration certificate (RC in India, V5C in the UK) or on the insurance papers.
- Type or paste it into Vehicle identification number — spaces, dashes and lower case are fine.
- Check the coloured boxes: red marks a character that cannot appear in a VIN. If you typed I, O or Q, press the suggested fix.
- Read the manufacturer, country, model year and check digit, then the position-by-position table.
- Use Copy the decoded VIN to paste the result into a note or listing.
VIN Decoder features
Check digit calculator
Recomputes position 9 with the weighted mod-11 rule and shows the sum, so typos in North American VINs stand out.
Model year
Decodes position 10, explains the 30-year cycle and applies the US position-7 rule where it applies.
Maker and country
About 1,500 manufacturer codes and the ISO country ranges, including small manufacturers that use a 9 in position 3.
Typo help
Flags I, O and Q (never used in a VIN) and offers a corrected version with 1 and 0.
Private
Runs in your browser with no network request.
VIN structure: what each position means
A modern VIN has 17 characters in three parts, set by ISO 3779. In the US, 49 CFR Part 565 fixes the meaning of every position and requires the check digit; in other markets positions 9–11 are often used differently.
| Position | Part | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | WMI | World manufacturer identifier: region (1st), country (1st–2nd) and maker |
| 4–8 | VDS | Model, body, engine and safety equipment — defined by each maker |
| 9 | Check digit | 0–9 or X, calculated from the other 16 characters (compulsory in North America) |
| 10 | Model year | A–Y (no I, O, Q, U, Z) then 1–9, repeating every 30 years |
| 11 | Plant | Assembly plant code |
| 12–17 | Serial | Production sequence number (12–14 also identify small makers) |
How the VIN check digit is calculated
Each letter becomes a number (A=1 … H=8, J=1 … N=5, P=7, R=9, S=2 … Z=9; digits keep their value). Each value is multiplied by its position’s weight — 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 10, (skip), 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 — and the products are added. The remainder after dividing by 11 is the check digit, with 10 written as X.
Worked example (from the Wikipedia article on VINs): for 1M8GDM9A_KP042788 the products add up to 351; 351 mod 11 = 10, so the check digit is X and the VIN is 1M8GDM9AXKP042788.
Model year, India and other limits
- The year code repeats every 30 years: K means 1989 or 2019. For US cars, MPVs and light trucks a digit in position 7 means 1980–2009 and a letter 2010–2039.
- Indian VINs start with codes such as MA, MB, MC, MD, ME or MZ. Indian and many European makers use positions 9–11 their own way, so a check-digit mismatch or an odd year is normal; the RC shows the month and year of manufacture.
- The maker list is partial. A “not in the list” result does not mean the VIN is fake.
- For US-market vehicles, NHTSA’s free vPIC database gives the full factory specification. For other related tasks see the IDV calculator and the car depreciation calculator.
VIN Decoder FAQ
How do I decode a VIN for free?
Type the 17 characters into the VIN decoder above. It shows the maker, country, model year, plant code and check digit straight away, without sign-up and without sending the VIN anywhere.
Does the VIN decoder work for Indian vehicles?
Yes for the structure, maker and country: Indian VINs start with codes such as MA3 (Maruti Suzuki) or MAT (Tata Motors). Indian makers often code the year and month their own way, so check the RC for the manufacturing date.
Is this the NHTSA VIN decoder?
No. It decodes offline using the same check-digit and model-year rules as US regulations, but it does not query NHTSA’s vPIC database for trim and engine details.
Why is my VIN check digit invalid?
For a North American vehicle it almost always means a character was copied wrongly — 0 and D, 8 and B, 5 and S are easily confused. Vehicles built for other markets often do not use a check digit.
Why can a VIN not contain I, O or Q?
They are too easily confused with 1 and 0, so ISO 3779 leaves them out. If you see them, they are almost certainly 1 or 0.
Can a VIN tell me a car’s history?
Not by itself. Accident, theft and ownership records are held by registries and insurers; this page only decodes what the characters mean.