Alani es una escritora independiente especializada en finanzas personales. Su objetivo es hacer que los temas complejos sean más accesibles a través de contenidos divertidos y digestibles.
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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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 on a sticker or decal on your car’s windshield or door.
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 decal or sticker with a barcode above a number sequence.
These are some common places where you may find your VIN on your vehicle:[2]
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.
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 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 yourregistration and insurance card. A VIN helps police determine if someone has stolen a vehicle or used it for any crimes.
State motor vehicle departments: These state departments 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
If you still have questions about vehicle identification numbers, check out the additional information below.
What does a VIN tell you?
A VIN can identify stolen and recalled vehicles. It can also help you determine a vehicle’s insurance and registration status. You can also learn about a vehicle’s accident and claim histories.
What do the numbers and letters in a VIN mean?
The sequence of numbers and letters in a VIN reveals your vehicle’s manufacturer, manufacturing plant, and country of origin. A VIN also includes a comprehensive description of its features, from the make and model to the transmission and engine type. The last six digits of the VIN are a unique sequence of numbers specific to your vehicle.
Is it safe to give someone the VIN of your car?
Yes. It’s generally safe to share your VIN with other people.
What happens if a VIN doesn’t match?
If you bought a used or new car from the dealership and realized your car’s VIN doesn’t match the title, contact your dealership immediately to resolve the issue. If you purchased the vehicle from a private seller, contact the seller right away to see if they can fix the problem. If they’re uncooperative, visit your local DMV or work with law enforcement to determine if you purchased a stolen vehicle.
Should you check a car’s VIN before buying?
Yes. Whether you purchase a vehicle from a private seller or the dealership, you should ensure the VIN is the same on your title and vehicle.
How can you find your VIN?
Your VIN should appear on your car registration, vehicle title, and insurance cards, but it’s typically also somewhere on your vehicle. Manufacturers commonly put VINs on the driver’s side dashboard, windshield, doorjamb, or latch, but it can also be under the hood or on the engine block.
Can you get personal information from a VIN?
No. A VIN can tell you about a vehicle’s history, including manufacturing details, accident history, and some previous titling details. A VIN decoder may provide the number of previous title holders, but it shouldn’t provide names or other personal information.
Can you check a VIN online?
Yes. You can use an online VIN decoder tool to check a VIN. You have a number of free VIN decoders to choose from, with options from the NHTSA, J.D. Power, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, and private companies.
Alani Asis is a personal finance freelance writer with nearly three years of experience in content creation. She has landed bylines with leading publications and brands like Insider, Fortune, LendingTree, and more. Alani aims to make personal finance approachable through fun, relatable, and digestible content.
Alani has been a contributor at Insurify since January 2023.
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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