Coverage: SPID label (glove box) on most models before 2018; driver-side B-pillar certification label from 2018
Where the GM paint code is, by era
GM moved the paint code in 2018, so start with the model year.
Before 2018: the SPID label
Older Chevrolets and GMCs carry a Service Parts Identification (SPID) label, a sticker crowded with three-character RPO option codes. The paint code sits near the bottom of that block.
Where to find the SPID label:
- Glove box. This is the usual spot, including GMC Sierra, Yukon, Canyon and Acadia and most Chevrolet models.
- Trunk lid or console lid on some cars.
- Under the driver’s seat or on the B-pillar on some full-size vans.
2018 and newer: the certification label
From the 2018 model year GM added a QR code to the certification label on the driver-side B-pillar for Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC. GM’s TechLink service publication says the paint code appears in the lower left of that QR code, and the QR code itself holds the VIN and RPO codes. On a Corvette the label is on the driver’s door instead.
How to read a GM paint code
GM codes come in a few forms, and the same color can appear in more than one of them.
- BC/CC with a U code (older SPID labels). BC/CC means basecoat/clearcoat. After it you’ll see a code like U8624. The U marks the upper or main body color. Two-tone trucks also show an L code for the lower color.
- WA numbers. Paint suppliers usually list GM colors as WA followed by digits, such as WA8624. This is the same color number with a different prefix.
- G-prefixed codes (newer vehicles). Recent GM labels and order guides use three-character option-style codes that start with G, such as GAZ.
Real examples, as listed by touch-up paint suppliers:
| Color name | Newer code | WA number |
|---|---|---|
| Summit White | GAZ | WA8624 |
| Black | GBA | WA8555 |
| Victory Red | GCN | WA9260 |
So an older SPID label that reads U8624 and a newer label that reads GAZ point to the same Summit White, according to these supplier listings. Confirm against your own label before you order.
Why is Summit White sold as Olympic White?
- Names get reused. GM brings back names like “Black” or “Red” across generations, and a reformulated color gets a new number.
- The paint brand renames it. Some aftermarket touch-up brands sell Summit White as Olympic White under the same code. The name on the bottle doesn’t have to match the name on your sticker.
- Similar names, different paints. GM has sold several whites and several silvers at once. “White” on a bill of sale could be Summit White or a pearl or tricoat white, and each has its own code.
- Two-tone and lower colors. A truck with a contrasting lower body has two codes. Make sure you’re ordering the U (body) code, not the L (lower) code, for a door ding.
Is the paint code in a Chevy or GMC VIN?
No, it comes from the SPID or certification label, the original sticker or GM’s build data through a dealer (why the VIN doesn’t contain the paint code).
How StickerByVIN helps with a GM paint code
For Chevrolet and GMC we get original window stickers through a licensed window-sticker data partner, as part of the $9.99 Full Report. Before you pay, a free check tells you whether a sticker is on file for that exact VIN. No sticker on file? We tell you first. The report then covers full recall details, owner complaint counts and the decoded build data in one PDF with a permanent link, but not option prices or a matched paint code. The label guide on this page stays free.
When we have the sticker, the Full Report does this (the label locations on this page stay free):
- We read the exterior color name exactly as printed.
- We match it to a paint code only on a confident match in our dataset for that model and year.
- If the match isn’t confident, we show the color name and point you to the label described above.
Every VIN also gets the free NHTSA decode and recall count, but that decode never includes color. For option codes on the sticker, see the GM build sheet page. For the sticker itself, see Chevy window sticker or GMC window sticker.
How do I touch up Summit White or a tricoat white on a Chevy or GMC?
- Match the code, not the name. Give the supplier your U code, WA number or G code. Most suppliers accept any of the three.
- Check for tricoat whites. Some GM pearl whites, such as White Diamond Tricoat, are three-stage paints. A single bottle won’t match them.
- Test on a hidden spot, like the inside of the fuel door or a lower door edge, and let it dry fully before judging.
- Watch for repaints. The label shows the factory color, not a later respray.
For other brands, see the general paint code lookup.
Sources
- GM TechLink: QR Code on Certification Label Offers More RPO Codes, GM’s technician publication on the 2018 label change
- Chevrolet owner support and GMC owner support
- NHTSA recall lookup, to check open recalls on your exact VIN
Last updated November 5, 2026.
