Free VIN Decoder — Factory Specs from Official NHTSA Data
Paste a 17-character VIN to decode make, model, year, engine, assembly plant and more — straight from the official NHTSA vehicle database, queried in your browser. No login, no CAPTCHA, no daily limit.
This decode shows factory-declared data from one federal database. It says nothing about accidents, ownership or mileage — verify the window sticker, build sheet and the physical car before making a decision.
Dedicated Manufacturer Decoders & Spec Indexes
BMW
Every BMW VIN starts with a WMI that tells you where the car was built: WBA for BMW AG Germany, WBS for BMW M GmbH, WBY for BMW…
Ford
Ford VINs begin with 1F for US-built cars and trucks (1FA passenger, 1FT truck, 1FM SUV), 2F for Canada, 3F for Mexico, WF0 for…
Toyota
Toyota VINs start with JT (Japan: JT2 passenger, JT3/JT5 multipurpose), 4T (USA: 4T1 Kentucky/Camry, 4T3/4T4 truck/SUV lines),…
Chevrolet
Chevrolet VINs start with 1G1 (passenger, USA), 1GC (truck, USA), 3GN (Mexico), KL1 (GM Korea) and LSG (Shanghai GM, China).
Harley-Davidson
Harley VINs start with 1HD for US-built bikes and 5HD for US-built export models; overseas assembly uses local WMIs such as 932…
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes VINs start with WDB/WDD/WDF for German-built cars and vans, W1K for Mercedes-Benz AG, 4JG for Vance, Alabama (US plant…
Jeep
Jeep VINs start with 1J4 (SUV), 1J8 (MPV) for US production, with Toledo, Ohio as the historic home of the Wrangler.
Porsche
Porsche VINs start with WP0 (sports cars, Germany) and WP1 (SUVs/limousines built in Leipzig, e.g.
Honda
Honda VINs start with 1HG (USA: Marysville OH, Lincoln AL, Greensboro NC), 2HG (Canada: Alliston ON), JHM (Japan) and SHH (UK:…
Nissan
Nissan VINs start with JN (Japan: JN1 passenger, JN8 SUV/van), 1N4 (US sedans, Smyrna TN), 5N1 (US SUVs), 3N1 (Mexico, Aguascal…
Motorcycle
Motorcycle VINs follow the same 17-digit standard since 1981, but the 30-year year code cycle creates a generation trap: the le…
What a VIN decode tells you — and what it doesn't
A VIN decode reads the factory data behind your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number: what the vehicle is, when and where it was built, and what engine and body it left the line with. That is genuinely useful when you're checking a used car listing or ordering parts.
It does not tell you what happened after the factory. Accidents, title brands, odometer history and service records live in history reports, and unreported incidents never reach any database at all. Our honest guide explains the free vs paid VIN check boundary — and why "no records found" is not the same as "clean car".
Technical Specifications & Regulatory Inquiries
01Is this VIN decoder really free?
Yes. Decoding is free, requires no login, no CAPTCHA and has no usage limit. It runs directly against the public NHTSA vehicle database in your browser.
02What information does a VIN decode give me?
Factory-declared basics: make, model, model year, trim, body style, engine (cylinders, displacement, model), fuel type, drive type and the assembly plant city and country. It does not include accident history, ownership or mileage — those live in paid history reports.
03My VIN is only 13 digits. Can you decode it?
No online tool can — pre-1981 cars use shorter VINs that fall outside the 17-digit standard. See our 13-digit VIN guide for what your classic car VIN does contain and where to get a full build sheet.
04Why does the decoder say "not found" for a valid VIN?
US-market databases cover vehicles intended for the US market. Some Mexico-built, JDM or EU-only cars are valid but missing from US data. The VIN structure check still tells you year, plant code and checksum validity.