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Free VIN decoder: year, make and model in seconds

Paste a 17-character VIN below to decode it for free. The result comes from the official NHTSA vPIC database.

How the free decoder works

We check that the VIN is 17 characters with no I, O or Q and that its check digit is valid. Then we ask NHTSA's public vPIC decoder what it knows about that VIN and show you the year, make and model. Nothing is stored.

A worked example

Take the sample VIN 1HGCM82633A004352. The prefix 1HG is American Honda. The tenth character 3 is the model-year code for 2003, and the eleventh character A is the assembly plant. The ninth character, 3, is the check digit. Paste it above to see the decoded result.

What is free, and what costs a little

Decoding a VIN to see the year, make and model is free. The optional report adds factory specifications, NHTSA recall campaigns, owner complaints, crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for that model and year. It is compiled from free public sources, and there is no charge if we can't find your car's details.

On this site you can decode a VIN for free to see the year, make and model. A full report costs a small one-time fee and adds factory specifications, NHTSA safety recalls, owner complaints, crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for that model and year. If we can't find your car's details, there's no charge. The report is compiled from free public U.S. government sources – the same sources you can use yourself for free – and it is not an accident, title or ownership history report.

Limits of any VIN decoder

Decoders read factory data. Coverage varies by manufacturer, older and rare vehicles may decode only partially, and nothing in a decode tells you about accidents or owners. To check open recalls on your exact VIN, use nhtsa.gov/recalls. More: what a VIN tells you and how to read a VIN.

Frequently asked questions

Is this VIN decoder really free?

Yes. Decoding a VIN to see the year, make and model is free. The full report is an optional paid add-on.

Where does the decoder data come from?

From NHTSA's public vPIC database, a free U.S. government source.

Why does my VIN show little or no data?

Some older, imported or rare vehicles are only partly covered by the public database, or the VIN may contain a typo. Check the VIN against your paperwork.

Do you store the VINs I enter?

No. Nothing about the VIN is stored; we keep only anonymous visit statistics.