A standard Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is always 17 digits long. This 17-character code, which includes both numbers and capital letters, is a unique fingerprint for your car, used globally since the early 1980s. No modern car sold in the United States has a VIN shorter or longer than 17 characters. If you find one that does, it's either from before 1981 or there may be an error.
The VIN is divided into specific sections that tell you different things about the vehicle. The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), which identifies the country and manufacturer. Characters 4 through 9 make up the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS), detailing attributes like the model, body type, and engine. The 10th character is particularly important as it indicates the model year. Finally, characters 11 through 17 form the Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS), which is the unique serial number for that specific vehicle.
Here is a quick breakdown of what each part of the VIN reveals:
| VIN Position | Section | What It Tells You | Example (1HGCM82633A123456) |
|---|
| 1-3 | WMI | Country & Manufacturer | 1HG (USA, Honda) |
| 4-8 | VDS | Vehicle Attributes (Model, Engine) | CM826 |
| 9 | Check Digit | A calculated code for VIN validation | 3 |
| 10 | Model Year | The year the car was made | 3 (2003) |
| 11 | Plant Code | Manufacturing plant location | A |
| 12-17 | Serial Number | Unique production sequence number | 123456 |
You can find your VIN on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), on a sticker on the driver's side doorjamb, or on your vehicle's title and insurance documents. Using a free online VIN decoder can help you unlock all this information about your car's history and specifications.
