Did you know that your car has its own unique number? At the time of manufacture, every motor vehicle has a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that reveals specific details about it.
This 17-character sequence is useful for finding out the vehicle’s history, including its previous owners and any damage or defects that have occurred since it was first built. Read on to learn more about the importance of these numbers and how you can locate a car’s VIN.
What is the VIN Number?
A VIN is a combination of 17 numbers and letters that you can use to identify a car or truck and its history. A VIN provides the following information:
- The factory that manufactured the vehicle
- The country where it was manufactured
- The vehicle series, engine type, and body style
- The vehicle’s make and model
- The year the vehicle was built
While the first 12 digits can be the same for the same type of vehicle made at the same plant on the same day, the last five digits are typically unique to a particular vehicle.
How to Find the VIN in a Car
There are several places where you can find a car’s VIN. Here is the list of the most common locations:
- Near the windshield on the driver’s side dashboard
- Inside of the driver’s side front door
- Under the hood on the engine block
- In the car owner’s manual
- Directly above the tire in the rear wheel well
- Underneath the spare tire
- On your insurance card
If you cannot find the VIN in one of these locations, the vehicle may have been severely damaged in an accident or altered in some way. If you find more than one VIN on a car, it may have been rebuilt or re-assembled by an unlicensed mechanic with random parts.
A missing or duplicate VIN is a problem. You will have trouble registering the car at the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or obtaining insurance for the vehicle, and you may not be able to find out its background.
VIN Model Year Character Codes
Just like your Social Security Number provides unique information about you, a VIN officers details about a specific motor vehicle.
A VIN is a specific code sequence without spaces between the characters. The letters Q (q), I (i), and O (o) are omitted to eliminate confusion with the numbers 0 and 1. VINs typically are printed in a single line, but each part of the sequence reveals information about the vehicle.
How to Read a VIN Number
The characters in a VIN are not randomly assigned. They follow a code that allows you to learn details about a vehicle.
The first group of three characters in a VIN make up the world manufacturer identifier (WMI). The following six digits are the vehicle descriptor section, including details on its model, body type, restraint system, transmission, and engine code. The last group of eight characters comprises the vehicle identifier section.
Why Is the VIN Number Important?
A VIN reveals significant details about the car’s ownership and repair and whether or not it has any outstanding manufacturer recalls. If you are considering the purchase of a used car or need more information about a vehicle you already own, a VIN number can give you the answers you need.
Many dealerships and car-buying websites often provide vehicle history reports. However, if you are purchasing a used car on your own, you can use the VIN to obtain a history report yourself on a variety of online sites.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also offers a free VIN tool to help find out the history of a vehicle using this unique code. The VIN search tool will any unresolved vehicle safety recalls within the past 15 calendar years.
Additionally, if your car is stolen, the VIN number can help law enforcement identify and recover your vehicle or its parts.
Include the VIN Number In a Bill of Sale
The VIN number is a crucial component of the bill of sale for a motor vehicle. The VIN number correctly identifies the specific vehicle in the transaction and enables the buyer to verify the essential characteristics of the motor vehicle.
The vehicle bill of sale is a critical part of how to sell a car. This document officially transfers the car title from seller to buyer. Without a VIN on the bill of sale, the title cannot legally be transferred from seller to buyer. Moreover, the buyer may not be able to register or drive the vehicle legally without the VIN number.
When the VIN is on the bill of sale, it also can help protect the seller. By providing the VIN, the seller can be clear that the vehicle is being sold in “as is” condition. In a typical used car bill of sale between individuals, the buyer accepts the car in its current condition and agrees not to hold the seller responsible for any issues that might arise after the sale is complete.
Unlike your Social Security Number, there is no need to memorize your car’s VIN number. Now you know where you can find this important sequence on your car or on a vehicle you are considering buying. You also understand why a VIN is an essential tool for learning more about a motor vehicle.
Helpful Resources:
How to Find the VIN - Texas DMV
VIN Number - NHTSA
Did you know that your car has its own unique number? At the time of manufacture, every motor vehicle has a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that reveals specific details about it.
This 17-character sequence is useful for finding out the vehicle’s history, including its previous owners and any damage or defects that have occurred since it was first built. Read on to learn more about the importance of these numbers and how you can locate a car’s VIN.
What is the VIN Number?
A VIN is a combination of 17 numbers and letters that you can use to identify a car or truck and its history. A VIN provides the following information:
- The factory that manufactured the vehicle
- The country where it was manufactured
- The vehicle series, engine type, and body style
- The vehicle’s make and model
- The year the vehicle was built
While the first 12 digits can be the same for the same type of vehicle made at the same plant on the same day, the last five digits are typically unique to a particular vehicle.
How to Find the VIN in a Car
There are several places where you can find a car’s VIN. Here is the list of the most common locations:
- Near the windshield on the driver’s side dashboard
- Inside of the driver’s side front door
- Under the hood on the engine block
- In the car owner’s manual
- Directly above the tire in the rear wheel well
- Underneath the spare tire
- On your insurance card
If you cannot find the VIN in one of these locations, the vehicle may have been severely damaged in an accident or altered in some way. If you find more than one VIN on a car, it may have been rebuilt or re-assembled by an unlicensed mechanic with random parts.
A missing or duplicate VIN is a problem. You will have trouble registering the car at the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or obtaining insurance for the vehicle, and you may not be able to find out its background.
VIN Model Year Character Codes
Just like your Social Security Number provides unique information about you, a VIN officers details about a specific motor vehicle.
A VIN is a specific code sequence without spaces between the characters. The letters Q (q), I (i), and O (o) are omitted to eliminate confusion with the numbers 0 and 1. VINs typically are printed in a single line, but each part of the sequence reveals information about the vehicle.
How to Read a VIN Number
The characters in a VIN are not randomly assigned. They follow a code that allows you to learn details about a vehicle.
The first group of three characters in a VIN make up the world manufacturer identifier (WMI). The following six digits are the vehicle descriptor section, including details on its model, body type, restraint system, transmission, and engine code. The last group of eight characters comprises the vehicle identifier section.
Why Is the VIN Number Important?
A VIN reveals significant details about the car’s ownership and repair and whether or not it has any outstanding manufacturer recalls. If you are considering the purchase of a used car or need more information about a vehicle you already own, a VIN number can give you the answers you need.
Many dealerships and car-buying websites often provide vehicle history reports. However, if you are purchasing a used car on your own, you can use the VIN to obtain a history report yourself on a variety of online sites.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also offers a free VIN tool to help find out the history of a vehicle using this unique code. The VIN search tool will any unresolved vehicle safety recalls within the past 15 calendar years.
Additionally, if your car is stolen, the VIN number can help law enforcement identify and recover your vehicle or its parts.
Include the VIN Number In a Bill of Sale
The VIN number is a crucial component of the bill of sale for a motor vehicle. The VIN number correctly identifies the specific vehicle in the transaction and enables the buyer to verify the essential characteristics of the motor vehicle.
The vehicle bill of sale is a critical part of how to sell a car. This document officially transfers the car title from seller to buyer. Without a VIN on the bill of sale, the title cannot legally be transferred from seller to buyer. Moreover, the buyer may not be able to register or drive the vehicle legally without the VIN number.
When the VIN is on the bill of sale, it also can help protect the seller. By providing the VIN, the seller can be clear that the vehicle is being sold in “as is” condition. In a typical used car bill of sale between individuals, the buyer accepts the car in its current condition and agrees not to hold the seller responsible for any issues that might arise after the sale is complete.
Unlike your Social Security Number, there is no need to memorize your car’s VIN number. Now you know where you can find this important sequence on your car or on a vehicle you are considering buying. You also understand why a VIN is an essential tool for learning more about a motor vehicle.
Helpful Resources:
How to Find the VIN - Texas DMV
VIN Number - NHTSA
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