What Is a VIN?

Manufacturers assign every car a unique 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN).^[1] A VIN contains important information about the car, including its manufacturer, make, model, previous titling details, and accident history. This can be especially useful when purchasing a new or used vehicle. You can typically find your 17-character VIN embedded on your car’s side dashboard, and it‘s also included on your insurance ID card provided by your insurer.

Here’s what you should know about finding and using VINs when buying a new or used vehicle.

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Where is your car’s VIN?

You can find your car’s VIN in several places on the driver’s side of the vehicle. You’ll typically see something resembling a barcode above a number sequence.

These are some common places where you may find your VIN on your vehicle:^[2]

• Side dashboard

• Windshield

• Doorjamb

• Door latch

• Under the hood

• On the engine block

Your VIN may also appear on your car registration, vehicle title, and insurance cards.

If you have a vehicle manufactured before 1981, your VIN is probably 11 characters long.

Why is a VIN so important?

VINs track a car’s history, which can be very helpful for used-car buyers. Various groups in the automotive industry, law enforcement, and state motor vehicle departments can also use your VIN for identification in theft cases and record-keeping purposes.

Learn more about when VINs matter and how different groups use them below:

• Used-car buyers: Knowing a vehicle’s history is essential when buying a used car — especially from a private seller. Looking up a vehicle’s VIN can give you details on any prior accidents, flood damage, safety issues, faulty airbags, and odometer rollbacks.

• Mechanics: If you take your car to a body shop, the mechanic uses the VIN to order the correct parts, if needed. The VIN not only tells the mechanic your vehicle’s make, model, and year, but it also reveals specifics like your vehicle’s engine, transmission type, and trim level.

• Insurance companies: Insurance companies also require your VIN to gather information about your vehicle, like its features, accident history, and whether it’s stolen.

• Manufacturers: Manufacturers assign your vehicle a VIN for record-keeping purposes. A VIN is essential when the manufacturer places an open recall on a vehicle and must notify the owner. You can use the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) VIN decoder to find out about any open recalls on your vehicle.

• Law enforcement: If you have an accident or the police pull you over, you often need to give them your VIN, which they find on your registration and insurance card. A VIN helps police determine if someone has stolen a vehicle or used it for any crimes.

• State motor vehicle departments: DMVs use VINs to keep track of registered vehicles.

Decoding your VIN

While a VIN looks like a randomly generated string of letters and numbers, each character provides specific information about the vehicle. VIN decoders are tools that can scan your VIN sequence to reveal details about your vehicle beyond its make and model.

• World manufacturer identifier: The first three VIN characters correspond to your car’s country of origin and manufacturer.

• Vehicle description: The next five characters correlate to your car’s model, body type, restraint system, transmission type, and engine. The ninth character in the sequence is a fraud detector code to determine if the VIN is valid or invalid.

• Vehicle identifier: The next two characters tell you the vehicle year and the manufacturing plant’s location.

• Production numbers: The last six digits show a unique sequence of numbers the manufacturer assigns to the vehicle on the assembly line.^[3]

If you’re thinking about buying a used car, you can use a VIN decoder to learn about a vehicle’s history. The NHTSA, J.D. Power, National Insurance Crime Bureau, and private companies like AutoZone all have free VIN decoders you can use.

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Do you need a VIN to get insurance?

Yes. You need to have a VIN to buy car insurance. Insurance companies need all your car’s information to determine your rates. That said, most insurers can give you a policy estimate without your VIN if you’re shopping around and comparing quotes.

If you don’t know your vehicle’s VIN, it’s worth trying to find the number on the windshield, dashboard, driver’s doorjamb, or under the hood. You can also call your vehicle’s manufacturer to see if it knows where to locate your VIN.

Vehicle identification number FAQs