Vehicle identity
Identify the manufacturer, model and model year. The model year can differ from the calendar year when the vehicle was built.
17 characters. A closer look.
Free VIN decoder
Start with the vehicle's identity. Decode a VIN to explore manufacturer-reported specifications, then look for its auction history in our archive.
- Free online lookup
- No registration
- Manufacturer-reported data
What can a VIN tell you?
A VIN lookup turns the manufacturer's identification code into readable vehicle details. Available fields depend on the vehicle and the data supplied by its manufacturer.
Technical specifications
Check the reported engine, fuel, body type, drive and transmission where those details are available.
Manufacturing origin
Find the assembly country and plant when they are included in the manufacturer's VIN decoding data.
How a 17-character VIN is structured
The identification system groups a VIN into three sections. Exact meanings within those sections depend on the manufacturer and the rules used for the vehicle's market.
WMI01—03
World manufacturer identifier
Identifies the manufacturer and its assigned region. This is not necessarily the country of final assembly.
VDS04—09
Vehicle descriptor section
Describes vehicle attributes according to the manufacturer's coding system. Position 9 serves as a check digit in markets that require it.
VIS10—17
Vehicle identifier section
Helps identify the individual vehicle. In North American VINs, this section commonly includes model-year and assembly-plant codes.
Factory details are only the starting point
Decoding a VIN does not reveal accidents, actual mileage or previous sale prices. Those facts come from vehicle records. VINRentgen's auction archive brings together available Copart, IAAI and Encar listings so you can examine photos before repair and compare recorded vehicle details.
Explore the auction archiveUnderstand the limits of a VIN lookup
This decoder uses NHTSA vPIC, a manufacturer-data resource focused on vehicles reported for the US market. Some European, Korean and other market vehicles may return partial or no specifications. Availability of an engine, trim or transmission field is not guaranteed. Confirm important details with the manufacturer and the vehicle documents.
NHTSA vPICVIN decoder: common questions
Is this VIN decoder free?
Yes. You can decode a VIN online without registration. Searching the public VINRentgen auction archive is also free; paid vehicle-data removal is a separate service.
Does a VIN decoder show accidents or mileage?
No. Accident records, odometer readings, photos and auction prices are not encoded in the VIN. If auction records exist in our archive, open the vehicle history to review those separate records.
Can I find the full factory equipment list by VIN?
Not reliably with this decoder. Depending on the manufacturer's data, it may identify a trim or series, but a full list of installed options often requires a separate manufacturer database.
Why are some specifications missing?
VIN decoding coverage differs by manufacturer, year and market. The source may not include a particular engine, transmission or body specification. We leave unavailable details empty rather than infer them.
Where can I find my vehicle's VIN?
Common locations are the plate visible through the windshield, a label on the driver's door opening and the registration or title documents. Compare the VIN in the documents with the identifier on the vehicle.