How to Locate and Read Your Vehicle’s VIN

Your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is often referred to as your vehicle’s fingerprint because– similar to fingerprints– no two vehicles have the same VIN. These numbers are used for identification purposes for most road-going motor vehicles, including all cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and scooters, as well as some trailers, recreational vehicles, and more. If you need help decoding your vehicle’s VIN, check out our O’Reilly Auto Parts VIN Lookup and Decoder tool to help you find the right parts and accessories for your vehicle. To learn more about your VIN, where to find it, and how to read and understand it, check out our VIN resources below.

Why is a VIN Important?

A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a vehicle’s serial number assigned by its manufacturer. VINs are assigned to all passenger vehicles on the road, including cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, semi trucks, and towed vehicles like trailers. Since 1981, all vehicles have been assigned a 17-digit standardized VIN, but older vehicle VINs may be shorter depending on the factory or manufacturer. Each digit of your car’s VIN provides a specific and individual detail about your vehicle. This information includes the year, make, and model of your vehicle. The VIN also included details about the vehicle’s engine size, trim codes, country and factory of origin, and more. Modern vehicle VINs also use a check digit for security and verification to ensure that the VIN is legitimate. Knowing where to find your car, truck, or SUV’s VIN can help you understand all of this information and more about your vehicle.
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How to Find Your Vehicle’s VIN

Your VIN includes several important details important in identifying your vehicle and finding the right repair parts, performance upgrades, and more for your vehicle. Knowing how to find and read your VIN is an important part of owning and maintaining your vehicle. VINs may be located in a number of different physical places on the vehicle, and may also be printed in your owners manual or on your insurance cards. When you visit a local O'Reilly Auto Parts location for a free O'Reilly VeriScan Check Engine light report, your VIN will also be displayed at the top of the printed report for your reference.
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Common Places to Find Your Vehicles VIN

Locate vin number on stick on inside of car door

Driver Side Door Jamb

The first and easiest place to look for your vehicle’s VIN is on your driver’s door jamb. Most often it can be found on the jamb attached to the inside of the cabin. In other cases it is located on the door itself, though this is less common as doors may be replaced if the vehicle is involved in an accident and repaired. You will likely find a sticker with your vehicle’s VIN, as well as other information about your vehicle, stuck to the door jamb.
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VIN number on car dashboard

The Vehicle’s Dashboard

Another prevalent location for your VIN is on the dashboard. This VIN location is only visible from the outside of your vehicle, through the lower part of the windshield on the driver’s side.
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Title and insurance for vehicle

The Vehicle’s Title, Insurance Cards, and Owners Manual

If your vehicle is registered, your VIN will also be listed on your vehicle’s title, insurance cards, and often printed inside the manufacturer-supplied owners manual.
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How to Read VIN Numbers

As mentioned above, the VIN was standardized to a 17-character format in 1981. Since then, all vehicles on the road can be identified by their 17-digit VIN. Each of these 17 positions gives a specific piece of information about the vehicle:

• The first character indicates the country where the vehicle was built. This character, along with the second and third characters, is a part of the vehicle’s manufacturer code.

• The second and third characters are the manufacturer code, specifying the vehicle’s make and the vehicle type.

• The fourth through eighth characters provide vehicle specifics, like vehicle model, engine size and type, transmission, and body type or series.

• The ninth character is a security code that is determined by the other characters and authenticates the validity of the VIN.

• The tenth character represents the model year of manufacture or when the vehicle was produced.

• The eleventh character indicates the specific manufacturing plant where the vehicle was assembled.

• The last six characters are the serial number of the vehicle. This is the most unique identifier, as other vehicles built with the same options and at the same time as yours may have the same eleven digits, but these six ensure the VIN should not exactly match any other vehicle.

The manufacturer code is one of the most important details included in the VIN. A manufacturer that produces fewer than 1,000 vehicles each year is assigned a 9 as the third digit. The 12th, 13th, and 14th positions of the VIN are used for the second part of the manufacturer’s identification. A VIN can also give you the details you need to decide on a used car you’re thinking about purchasing—or even tell you more about a vehicle you currently own—by allowing you to acquire a vehicle history report.
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Why do I need my VIN?

There are several reasons you might need to locate a VIN. In some cases, it’s essential in finding the right replacement parts for your vehicle. This is especially true of vehicles with a lot of powertrain or trim code options that may have had alternate part fitment or build differences across factories. You may also need your VIN for manufacturer recalls, registrations, warranty claims, or insurance coverage. If you live in a state where a legal title of ownership is required to transfer or sell your vehicle, the VIN listed on your title must match the vehicle’s registered VIN, as well as the VIN or VINs that are located throughout the vehicle itself. Vehicle Identification Numbers are also used by law enforcement to identify stolen vehicles and by third-party car history report vendors to track the accident or service history of a vehicle. If you want to find parts for your vehicle using your VIN, visit our Vehicle VIN Lookup and Decoder.

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