Skip to content
StickerByVIN
Menu

Paint Code
by VIN

The VIN itself doesn't contain the paint code. Enter it anyway: we'll tell you, free, where that brand puts the paint-code label. If we have the original sticker, its factory color and paint code come in the $9.99 Full Report.

 

Or try an example:

2025 Ford F-150 2021 Jeep Wrangler
Where do I find my VIN?

Copy the 17 characters from the windshield or from the door-jamb label that often carries the paint code too.

Scan the VIN barcode

Point the camera at the barcode on the driver door jamb.

Paint codes come from the original sticker's color name, matched only when confident, and the label location is free for every VIN. Brand by brand

At a glance

Is the paint code in the VIN?
No. The 17 characters don't encode color
Most common spot
The driver's door edge or the pillar it closes against
Field names to look for
EXT PNT (Ford), C/TR (Toyota), PAINT (Mopar)
In the trunk instead
Volkswagen and Audi, by the spare-tire well (VW guide)
In the glove box
GM vehicles before 2018 (GM guide)
Sticker source
Ford's system for Ford and Lincoln; a licensed partner for many other brands

Coverage: Color from the sticker in the Full Report where we have one; free label locations for most modern vehicles

Where is the paint code? Label location by brand

Brand Where the label is What to read
Ford, Lincoln Safety Compliance Certification label, on the driver’s door edge or B-pillar The code after EXT PNT, usually two characters (YZ). Not the “WB” wheelbase figure.
Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac Before 2018: SPID label, usually in the glove box. From 2018: certification label on the driver-side B-pillar (Corvette: driver’s door) A WA or U number (WA8624) on older labels, or a G code (GAZ) printed by the QR code on newer ones
Toyota, Lexus Label in the driver’s door jamb The first three characters after C/TR (1G3)
Honda, Acura Label in the driver’s door jamb Letters and digits, sometimes with a dash (NH731P, R513)
Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler Label in the driver’s door jamb on most modern models. Older models often under the hood. Three characters next to PAINT, usually starting with P (PW7)
Subaru VIN plate on a front strut tower on older models. Door jamb or door edge on many 2007-and-newer. Three characters (K1X)
Volkswagen Paper vehicle data sticker in the trunk, usually by the spare-tire well An L-code and a short code (LC9X/2T)
Audi Paper vehicle data sticker in the trunk, near the spare-wheel well An L-code and a short code (LY9B/A2)
BMW Driver’s door jamb label on modern BMWs. Driver-side strut-tower plate on classics. Usually three characters (475, A96)
Mercedes-Benz Driver’s door jamb or B-pillar on most modern models. Under the hood on older cars. A code such as 197 (Obsidian Black Metallic)

Most other makers also use a label on the door jamb or pillar. Some put it under the hood or in the trunk, and it varies by model.

A few notes:

  • Ford says current exterior codes are two characters, while older vehicles may have more.
  • GM added the QR code to Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC certification labels from the 2018 model year. GM’s technician publication says the paint code is printed in the lower left of the QR code. On newer GM vehicles with no glove-box label, check the driver-side door jamb and pillar.
  • Toyota: on a label reading “C/TR 1G3/FB22”, the paint code is 1G3. The part after the slash is the interior trim code.
  • Honda: we don’t have an original-sticker source for Honda, so the label is the best route.

Why the VIN doesn’t contain the paint code

A VIN is 17 characters. It encodes the manufacturer, model line, body and engine details, model year, assembly plant and a serial number. Exterior color is not one of the things it encodes. You can’t decode “red” or “silver” out of the VIN, whatever a website promises.

What you can do is use the VIN to find a record that does include the color:

  • The original window sticker. Every Monroney label lists the exterior color by name, and premium paints are often shown as a priced option.
  • The manufacturer’s build record, which a dealer can usually pull up from the VIN.
  • The paint label on the car itself, which is the most reliable source of the actual code.

What our paint code lookup does

When you enter a VIN:

  1. We decode it through NHTSA’s free vPIC database to identify the year, make, model and trim.
  2. If an original sticker is on file, we read the exterior color name from it for the $9.99 Full Report. Ford and Lincoln stickers come from Ford’s own system when Ford has released one. Many other brands come through a licensed data partner.
  3. We match that color to the factory paint code only when our dataset has a confident match. If not, we show the color name and tell you where the label is on that brand’s vehicles. The label location is free for every VIN.

We’d rather show a color name and point you to the label than give you a guessed code that leads to the wrong touch-up bottle.

How to find your car paint code step by step

  1. Open the driver’s door and check the door edge and the pillar it closes against. This is the most common spot.
  2. Check the glove box if it’s a GM vehicle built before the QR-code labels.
  3. Look in the trunk by the spare-tire well on a Volkswagen or Audi.
  4. Look under the hood on the radiator support or strut towers if the door jamb label has no color field.
  5. Read the code next to the color field, such as “EXT PNT”, “C/TR” or “PAINT”. Ignore the VIN, tire pressures and weights on the same label.
  6. Write down the color name too if you have the sticker. The name and code together help a paint supplier confirm the match.
  7. Call a dealer with the VIN if the label is missing, faded or was painted over.

Paint code vs color name

The color name on the window sticker, such as “Granite Crystal Metallic Clear-Coat” on one 2020 Jeep Wrangler, is the marketing name. The paint code is the factory’s identifier for the paint formula. Manufacturers sometimes reuse a name for different formulas, or change a code between years, so the code is what you should use for touch-up paint or a body shop.

If you’re checking a used car, comparing the sticker color with the car in front of you is also a quick way to spot a respray. A car sold new in one color and now wearing another isn’t always a problem, but you should ask why.

Sources

Last updated November 5, 2026.

A stamped body plate on a 1975 AMC Matador showing the body number, model, trim and paint code E6
Old cars stamped the paint code on a plate: here PAINT E6 on a 1975 AMC.
Rows of cars on a dealership lot in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Other brands

Original window sticker
Build details

Frequently asked questions

Can you get a paint code from the VIN?

Not from the VIN characters themselves. The paint code comes from the window sticker or factory build record linked to that VIN, or from the paint label on the car.

Where is the paint code on my car?

Most often on a label in the driver's door jamb. GM vehicles have long used a Service Parts Identification label, usually in the glove box, and 2018-and-later GM models print it by the QR code on the driver-side certification label.

Is the color name enough to buy touch-up paint?

Not always. One color name can cover more than one code across model years, so match the code on the car's label before you buy paint.

Why does the result show a color name but no code?

We only match a factory code when our dataset has a confident match for that color name, model and year. Otherwise we show the name and where to find the label, rather than guess.

Does a dealer have my paint code?

A dealer for your brand can usually look it up from the VIN in the manufacturer's system. Have the VIN ready when you call.