Ever wonder what a VIN is?

A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique code, including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. Each vehicle has one and it’s made up of 17 characters, using numbers and capital letters. The VIN acts like your car’s fingerprint in that it is a unique number that is used to identify your vehicle.

What does each number in a vehicle’s VIN represent?

• The 1st number defines the country of origin
• The 2nd number indicates the manufacturer where your vehicle was produced.
• The 3rd number together with the first two digits, indicates your vehicle’s type / manufacturing division.
• Numbers 4-8 describe your vehicle’s model, body type, restraint system, transmission type, and engine code.
• The 9th number is the security digit, which is used to detect fraudulent VINs.
• The 10th number indicates the year
• The 11th number indicates which manufacturing plant your vehicle was assembled at.
• Numbers 12-17 are the unique production serial number your vehicle receives on the assembly line.

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