Coverage: Any 17-character VIN, model year 1981 and later; detail depends on what the manufacturer reported to NHTSA
What a VIN decoder tells you
Every car and truck built for the US since the 1981 model year has a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. A VIN decoder reads it and tells you what the vehicle is:
- Year, make and model, such as a 2025 Ford F-150
- Trim and series, where the manufacturer reported them
- Body style, engine, fuel type and drivetrain
- Where it was built: the assembly plant and country
- Recalls: how many NHTSA recall campaigns cover that make, model and year
Our decoder uses NHTSA’s free vPIC database, the same data the US government publishes. To check whether a recall is still open on your exact vehicle, use NHTSA’s recall lookup.
What each part of the VIN means
Take our sample VIN, 1FTFW3L5XSKD97239, a 2025 Ford F-150 XLT:
| Characters | Example | What they mean |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 1FT | The maker: 1 means built in the USA, FT means a Ford truck |
| 4 to 8 | FW3L5 | The model, body and engine, in the maker’s own code |
| 9 | X | The check digit, which catches typos |
| 10 | S | The model year: 2025 |
| 11 | K | The assembly plant: Kansas City |
| 12 to 17 | D97239 | The serial number of this exact truck |
How to read the model year
The 10th character is the model year. It skips I, O, Q, U, Z and 0, and the cycle repeats every 30 years:
| Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2010 | J | 2018 | S | 2025 |
| B | 2011 | K | 2019 | T | 2026 |
| C | 2012 | L | 2020 | V | 2027 |
| D | 2013 | M | 2021 | 1 | 2001 |
| E | 2014 | N | 2022 | 5 | 2005 |
| F | 2015 | P | 2023 | 9 | 2009 |
| G | 2016 | R | 2024 | Y | 2000 |
| H | 2017 |
Because the letters repeat, S can mean 1995 or 2025. On cars, light trucks and SUVs the 7th character settles it: a letter there means 2010 or later, a number means 2009 or earlier.
What a VIN decoder can’t tell you
The VIN describes the model, not the exact car on the lot. It usually doesn’t show:
- Options and packages, like a tow package or a technology group
- The factory paint color, which is on a label on the car instead (see paint code by VIN)
- The original price of the car and each option
- Accidents, title brands or mileage, which are in a vehicle history report
The options, paint and prices are all on the car’s original window sticker. Our free check tells you whether that sticker is on file for your VIN, and the $9.99 Full Report includes it.
Where to find the VIN
- Dashboard: at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, readable from outside
- Driver door jamb: on the label on the door edge or the pillar
- Paperwork: the title, registration and insurance card
If the VIN on the dashboard doesn’t match the door jamb or the paperwork, ask why before you buy.
Last updated November 5, 2026.
