Free VIN Decoder & VIN Number Lookup

Buying or selling a vehicle? Use a VIN decoder to get full access to vehicle specifications, including the year, make, model, engine specs, transmission, drive type, and even past history records. Check now!

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What is a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)?

The VIN is a unique code that is unique to every vehicle made. The VIN contains details about the vehicle’s year, make, model, engine type, transmission and drive type among other information.

You can also use the VIN to check for thefts, accidents, services, title brand records, stolen records, and much other information.

What is a VIN Decoder?

A VIN decoder is a tool that reads the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number and translates it into useful information about the vehicle.

Each character in the VIN has a purpose, so the decoder can identify things like the model year, engine type, transmission, body style, safety features, and where the vehicle was built. It gives you an accurate snapshot of what the vehicle was when it left the factory.

With the VIN decoder, car buyers and sellers can also view past history records like accidents, damages, theft records, ownership history, and more. This helps in making better decisions and car valuations.

Why Do You Need a VIN Decoder?

A VIN decoder is important for both buyers and sellers because they can get full access to not only vehicle specs but also history records. With this, car buyers can make informed decisions, and sellers can have better listings and more sales.

Other benefits of a VIN decoder are:

Car Buyers

Avoid Fraudulent Listings: A VIN decoder checks if the car details match the seller’s claims. This guards you against phony listings or untrustworthy sellers.
Check All History Records: You can look up accident records, changes in ownership, theft records, and safety recalls before you buy.
Compare Several Options: With accurate specs and history, you can weigh your options and pick the car that gives you the most value.

Sellers and Dealerships

Set Fair Prices: A VIN decoder helps dealers tag cars with the right price and correct specs in ads leading to quicker sales.
Win Customer Trust: By offering confirmed VIN specs and history, dealerships show they have nothing to hide and earn buyers’ trust.
Saves Time & Effort: Rather than digging up specs or searching through documents, a VIN decoder displays all the details in a flash.

What Information Can You Get from a VIN Decoder?

With a VIN decoder, you can get full access to useful information that a seller may forget to mention with the listing. Here’s what you can get with a VIN decoder:

Vehicle Specifications

A good starting point is knowing exactly what the vehicle is. Listings can be vague or even mistaken, so this section gives you the correct factory build information.

What You’ll Usually Find

Year, make, and model
Trim level and body style
Engine type and displacement
Transmission type
Drive configuration such as FWD, RWD, or 4WD
Fuel type
Manufacturer country and production details

This information makes it easier to compare vehicles and confirm that the seller’s description matches the actual vehicle.

Ownership History

Ownership history helps you understand how stable the vehicle has been over time. Long-term ownership often points to a well-cared-for car, while short cycles can suggest something worth looking into.

What This Section Typically Includes

Number of owners
Each owner’s state or region
Purchase and transfer dates
Length of ownership
Usage type such as personal, fleet, or rental

This timeline offers helpful clues about how the vehicle may have been treated and how frequently it changed hands.

Mileage History

Mileage plays a big role in a vehicle’s value, so a VIN decoder tracks recorded readings across different stages of the vehicle’s life. It helps you see whether the numbers line up naturally or raise questions.

What You Can Expect to See

Early mileage readings at registration
Consistent increases over time
Mileage entries from inspections or title updates
Flags for unusually high or inconsistent readings

Patterns like sudden jumps, repeats, or implausible numbers often suggest the need for a closer look.

Accident History

Accidents happen, and they are not always disclosed in listings. This section gives you documented events that help clarify the vehicle’s past condition.

What Accident Records Often Show

Date of the incident
Reporting state or county
Nature of the collision
Notes on airbag deployment
Case numbers or agency references

This information helps you understand the severity of the event and whether additional inspection might be worthwhile.

Recalls Check

Manufacturers release recalls to fix safety or performance issues. A VIN decoder can show whether the vehicle still has upcoming or incomplete recall repairs.

What This Area Includes

Number of open recalls
Confirmation when no recalls are pending
Categories of recalled components

Knowing whether a recall is unresolved helps you plan for future repairs or dealer visits.

Title Brand Records

Title brands tell a deeper story about the vehicle’s legal and structural condition. They help you see what has been recorded at the state level.

Common Title Brands Identified

Salvage
Rebuilt
Flood or water damage
Fire or hail damage
Junk or scrapped
Odometer rollback
Lemon or manufacturer buyback

These records can affect both value and safety, so they are important to check.

Theft Records

Stolen vehicles sometimes make their way back into the market years later. A theft record is something buyers should always be aware of.

What You’ll Find Here

Whether the vehicle has ever been reported stolen
Whether it was recovered or still listed as missing
Dates tied to theft or recovery events

Even a recovered vehicle may have insurance or title concerns that matter during a purchase.

Warranty Status

Some VIN decoders include basic warranty information to help you understand whether any factory coverage might still apply.

Warranty Details Typically Shown

Basic warranty term
Powertrain coverage
Corrosion protection
Roadside assistance duration

This can be helpful when estimating ownership costs or planning upcoming repairs.

Auction History

Auction entries give a more candid look at the vehicle’s condition during resale moments when sellers cannot hide flaws. These records are often valuable for buyers.

Auction Details You Might See

Auction date and location
Sale price
Condition notes such as primary and secondary damage
Whether the vehicle started or ran
Number of photos taken at auction

Auction photos often disclose things you will not see in a normal listing.

Sales History

Some VIN decoders include previous online listings, which help you understand how often the vehicle has been up for sale.

What Sales Records Can Show

Number of times listed
Condition at each listing
Photos from past listings

Frequent listings in a short period may indicate underlying issues.

Service Records

Service entries can help paint a clearer picture about maintenance habits. While not every service shop reports data, recorded entries are useful for evaluating care.

Typical Service Items

Scheduled maintenance
Part replacements
Major or minor repairs
Notes from inspections

A consistent service pattern is usually a positive sign.

Liens and Loans

Liens can create complications during a purchase if not resolved. A VIN decoder helps identify these issues early.

Lien Details Often Listed

Number of lien records
Filing dates
States where liens were recorded
Notes indicating whether they may still be active

This section helps protect buyers from unexpected legal or financial problems.

How a VIN Report Saved a Buyer From a Bad Purchase

Before looking at Mark’s story, here is a quick overview of how common hidden issues are in the used car market:

About 40% of cars on the road have some form of accident or damage record.

Over 1 million vehicles were reported stolen in the past year.

More than 450,000 vehicles have cases of odometer rollback each year.

Several million cars nationwide have salvage or rebuilt titles in circulation.

With all these in mind, Mark decided to get a quick report with a VIN decoder before paying for a used 2015 Jeep Wrangler that looked clean in the photos.

What the Report Revealed

The Jeep had a serious past that the seller never mentioned
Higher risk of structural issues and long-term repair concerns
The vehicle had been through a major event before being resold
A clear sign that the odometer could not be trusted
Extra legal steps and potential delays if he moved forward

Putting everything together helped Mark step back and rethink the purchase. If he had gone through with it, he would have paid close to 8,000 dollars more than the Jeep was truly worth in its condition.

How to Read a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

VINs may look like random letters and numbers but these characters are divided into different parts, each telling you something important.

Here’s what the characters of a VIN represent:

WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier)

The first three characters of the VIN are called the WMI. This section tells you the country where the vehicle was built and the manufacturer’s name. For example:

“1” means the vehicle was made in the USA.
“J” means Japan.
“W” means Germany.

So if you see “1HG,” that means Honda made the car in the USA.

Here are some more examples to help you easily decode where a vehicle was built based on the first character of it’s VIN:

Character	Region	Country
A-H	Africa	AA-AH = South Africa
J-R	Asia	J = Japan/ KL-KR = South Korea L = China MA-ME = India MF-MK = Indonesia ML-MR = Thailand MS = Myanmar PA-PE = Philippines PL-PR = Malaysia RF-RG = Taiwan
S-Z	Europe	SA-SM = United Kingdom SN-ST, W = Germany SU-SZ = Poland TA-TH = Switzerland TJ-TP = Czech Republic TR-TV = Hungary TW = Portugal VA-VE = Austria VF-VR = France VS-VW = Spain VX-V2 = Yugoslavia XL-XM = The Netherlands XS-XW = USSR X3-X0 = Russia YA-YE = Belgium YF-YK = Finland YS-YW = Sweden ZA-ZR = Italy
1-5	North America	1, 4, 5 = United States 2 = Canada 3 = Mexico
6-7	Oceania	6A-6W = Australia 7A-7E = New Zealand
8-0	South America	8A-8E = Argentina 8F-8J = Chile 8X-82 = Venezuela 9A-9E, 93-99 = Brazil 9F-9J = Colombia

VDS (Vehicle Descriptor Section)

The next six characters in the VIN are grouped into the VDS. This part of the number helps describe the vehicle in a more detailed way. It brings together information that tells you what the vehicle was designed to be and how it was originally built.

What Characters 4 to 8 Commonly Represent

Model or series
Engine type or size
Restraint systems such as airbags or seatbelt types
Body style, such as sedan, coupe, or SUV
Transmission type
Additional features coded by the manufacturer

The 9th character is a check digit. It is used to verify the VIN and confirm that the number is valid. If the check digit does not match the calculation used by manufacturers and regulators, it usually means the VIN has errors or has been altered.

VIS (Vehicle Identifier Section)

The final eight characters of the VIN make up the VIS. This part focuses on identifying the vehicle as an individual unit rather than simply describing the model line.

What Characters 10 to 17 Indicate

10th character: model year
11th character: assembly plant or factory code
Characters 12 to 17: sequence or serial number for that exact vehicle

Together, these characters help separate one vehicle from another, even when thousands of identical models roll off the same production line.

VIN Anatomy Explained With an Example

Take a look at the breakdown of this VIN: 1G1JA5SH4E4153457

Character	VIN	What It Reveals
1st	1	Manufacturing country — United States
2nd–3rd	G1	Vehicle manufacturer — General Motors (Chevrolet)
4th–8th	JA5SH	Model details including the engine, body type, restraint system, etc.
9th	4	Security check digit used to verify VIN validity
10th	E	Model year — 2014
11th	4	Assembly plant
12th–17th	153457	Unique serial number identifying the specific vehicle

Year Chart Code from VIN Number

Wondering how to quickly find your vehicle’s model year using its VIN number? Simply match the 10th digit of your VIN to the code below to find out your car’s exact model year.

10th Digit	Model Year	10th Digit	Model Year	10th Digit	Model Year	10th Digit	Model Year
A	1980	M	1991	2	2002	D	2013
B	1981	N	1992	3	2003	E	2014
C	1982	P	1993	4	2004	F	2015
D	1983	R	1994	5	2005	G	2016
E	1984	S	1995	6	2006	H	2017
F	1985	T	1996	7	2007	J	2018
G	1986	V	1997	8	2008	K	2019
H	1987	W	1998	9	2009	L	2020
J	1988	X	1999	A	2010	M	2021
K	1989	Y	2000	B	2011	N	2022
L	1990	1	2001	C	2012	P	2023

Where Do I Find the VIN in My Car?

The VIN is usually printed or engraved on parts of the car that are easy to identify. Some common locations you can check, include:

On the dashboard of the vehicle.
Inside the driver’s side door.
On the engine block.
On the frame of the car.
On vehicle documents like the title, registration, or insurance papers.

VIN Locations on Motorcycles, ATVs, and Similar Vehicles

Motorcycles and off-road vehicles follow slightly different placement rules, although the idea is still the same. The VIN is placed somewhere permanent on the frame so it stays readable for the lifetime of the machine.

If you are checking one of these vehicles, here are the most common spots to look at:

On the steering head or neck of the motorcycle
Stamped on the frame near the handlebars
Near the engine casing or on the lower frame rail for dirt bikes
On the front or rear frame for ATVs and UTVs
On metal plates riveted to the frame for certain scooters and smaller bikes
On the manufacturer’s label under the seat
On registration or insurance documents if the physical plate is hard to reach

How to Use The Free VIN Decoder

Do you know you can view vehicle specifications and features for free using our instant VIN decoder? Here are simple steps to follow to decode any VIN:

Locate the VIN

First, you need to find the VIN on the vehicle or on documents. If the VIN is unavailable, you can also use the license plate number.

Fill out the Form

Next, enter the 17-character VIN into the form and submit it. For older or classic cars, the VIN could be a bit shorter, usually 5 to 14 characters long.

Submit the Form

Now click on “Search VIN” to submit the form and decode the VIN.

Free VIN Decoder vs Full Vehicle History Report

A VIN decoder shows you vehicle specifications and features for free. However, to make informed decisions about a used vehicle, you need a full vehicle history report showing theft records, accident records, damages, liens and loans, and more.

Here’s what you can get with a free VIN decoder vs. a full vehicle history report.

Data Included	Free VIN Decoder	Vehicle History Report
Basic VIN decoding (all vehicle types)
Vehicle year, make, model & trim
Detailed specifications (engine, body, etc.)
Market value estimate
Current sales listings
Auction results / history
Recorded mileage at sales/auctions
Complete ownership & usage history
Theft / stolen vehicle records
Previous owners
Salvage / junk status
Title branding (e.g., rebuilt, flood)
Odometer rollback check
Loan or lien status
Vehicle usage type (personal, fleet, etc.)
Service and maintenance records
Open recalls from manufacturer

Decode VIN Numbers Across All Brands

Whether it’s Toyota, Ford, BMW, or Tesla, VIN decoders can work for all car brands and models. Some popular brands are:

Acura

Alfa romeo

AM general

Aston Martin

Audi

Austin Healey

Avanti Motors

Bentley

BMW

Bricklin

Bugatti

Buick

Cadillac

Chevrolet

Chrysler

Daewoo

Daihatsu

Datsun

Dodge

Eagle

Ferrari

Fiat

Fisker

Ford

Freightliner

Genesis

Geo

GMC

Harley Davidson

Hino

Honda

Hummer

Hyundai

Infiniti

Isuzu

Jaguar

Jeep

Kawasaki

Kenworth

Kia

Koenigsegg

Lamborghini

Land Rover

Lexus

Lincoln

Lotus

Maserati

Maybach

Mazda

McLaren

Mercedes Benz

Mercury

MINI

Mitsubishi

Morgan

Nissan

Oldsmobile

Panoz

Peterbilt

Plymouth

Polestar

Pontiac

Porsche

Rolls-Royce

Ram

Saab

Saleen

Saturn

Scion

Shelby

Smart

Subaru

Suzuki

Tesla

Toyota

Triumph

Volkswagen

Volvo

Yamaha

Frequently Asked Questions About VIN Decoder

What is a VIN?

A VIN is a unique identifier assigned to every vehicle during manufacture. The VIN holds information about the vehicle’s year, make, model, engine specs, transmission, drive type, and more. The VIN can also be decoded to view past records including theft records, accidents, service records, title brand records, and more.

How can I decode my vehicle's VIN?

To decode your vehicle’s VIN, just find your VIN number and put it in the VIN decoder form on this page. After you submit it, it will show car specifications and history records.

Is the VIN check really free?

Yes, a basic VIN decoding is free. You’ll get specs like year, make, model, trim, and engine details at no cost. But if you need the full history including accidents, title records, theft checks, liens, service history, and more, you’ll need a paid vehicle history report.

Is using a free online VIN decoder safe and legal?

Yes, using a free online VIN decoder is safe and 100% legal. The data we provide with VIN checks are public data and not personal data.

Can I use this tool to decode chassis numbers?

Yes, you can use this tool to decode chassis numbers. A chassis number is the same as the VIN number, and so it can be easily decoded with a VIN decoder. Simply fill out the form on this page to decode yours.

How do I use a free VIN decoder?

To use a free VIN decoder, you need to find the VIN and enter it into the form on this page. Next, submit the form, and the VIN will be decoded to show all specs, features, and history records.

Does a VIN decoder show theft or fraud records?

Yes, many VIN decoders include theft information when it has been reported through official channels. You can see if the vehicle was ever marked as stolen, whether it was recovered, and if there are any records that suggest fraud, such as mileage inconsistencies or suspicious title changes.

What if my VIN has fewer than 17 characters?

If your VIN has fewer than 17 characters, the vehicle is usually older or considered a classic. Cars built before 1981 used shorter VIN formats, and those numbers can still be decoded with our classic VIN decoder.

Is it safe to share my VIN publicly when selling a car?

Yes, sharing your VIN is generally safe and is a normal part of selling a vehicle. Buyers often ask for the VIN so they can check the specifications and history before making a decision. The VIN does not reveal personal information about you. It only identifies the vehicle and its records, which helps create transparency and trust during the sale.