Coverage: Free NHTSA decode for all model years; no original-sticker source
What is a BMW vehicle order (FA)?
You can’t count on a modern BMW carrying a complete option-code label you can read at the car lot. On a BMW, a build sheet means one of these:
- The window sticker (Monroney label). For a US car, this lists the model, packages and options with prices, and the total MSRP. It’s the friendliest version, but we don’t have a source for it.
- The vehicle order. BMW’s factory record of how the car was built. It’s a list of option codes, the paint and upholstery, and the model type. The German term is Fahrzeugauftrag (FA), and in English it’s usually called the vehicle order (VO).
- The dealer invoice. This isn’t published by VIN, and we don’t have it.
What you get free for a BMW VIN
We have no original-sticker source for BMW. BMW doesn’t publish stickers by VIN, and we don’t claim to have them.
What you do get, free for every BMW VIN:
- The NHTSA decode: year, make, model, trim or series where reported, body, engine, drivetrain, fuel type and assembly plant where reported. It’s labelled “decoded data, not the original sticker”.
- The number of NHTSA recall campaigns for that make, model and year, with a link to nhtsa.gov to check open recalls for the exact VIN.
The decode is useful for confirming that a car is what the seller says (a 330i versus an M340i, or xDrive versus rear-drive). It can’t list packages or individual options.
How to read BMW option codes
BMW gives each factory option a code, usually three characters. In a vehicle order list, codes often appear with an S in front and a letter after, such as S337A. The middle part is the option itself.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 337 | M Sport Package (on many models) |
| ZMP | US ordering code for the M Sport Package |
| 300 | Alpine White paint |
| 475 | Black Sapphire Metallic paint |
In the US, BMW orders some packages under their own codes, such as ZMP, and a package bundles several individual options. Package contents vary by model and year, and BMW has reused codes over time. Decode against the right model and year rather than a single generic list.
Where BMW stores and prints codes
- Inside the car’s electronics. The vehicle order is stored in the car’s control modules. That’s why a dealer or a shop with BMW diagnostic software can read the original option list from the car itself. BMW service bulletins even cover re-importing it when a module is replaced.
- Paint code label. On many BMWs, look under the hood on a strut tower for a label with the paint code. Newer models also print it on the placard in the driver’s door jamb. More detail is on our BMW paint code page.
- Door-jamb placard. It carries the VIN and, on newer models, the paint code. It doesn’t list the full option set.
Is it a full M car or an M Performance model?
BMW doesn’t use trim names like LX or Limited. The model name tells most of the story:
- The number and letters (330i, M340i, X5 xDrive40i) tell you the model and engine tier.
- xDrive means all-wheel drive. sDrive means rear-wheel drive on many X models.
- An M model (M3, M5, X5 M) is a full M car. A name like M340i is an M Performance model, not a full M car.
Packages like the M Sport Package are separate from the model name. A 330i may or may not have one, so you need the option list to tell. Our trim lookup explains what the VIN decode covers.
How to get a real BMW build sheet
- Ask the seller or selling dealer for the original window sticker or the vehicle order printout.
- Ask any BMW dealer to look up the factory options from the VIN.
- Call BMW Customer Relations at 1-800-831-1117 with the VIN.
- Check the original purchase paperwork, which often includes the sticker.
Shopping other German brands? See the Mercedes build sheet and Porsche build sheet guides.
Sources
- NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder, the free federal database behind our decode
- NHTSA recall lookup, to check open recalls on your exact VIN
Last updated November 5, 2026.
