Run a VIN Searchvehicle history search

What’s a VIN lookup?

In 1954, the US government asked the US car manufacturers to stamp every vehicle with a unique ID and each producer had its own numbering system. This changed in 1981 as the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the United States Department of Transportation created a new, consistent standard called the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) formed of 17 digits organized in different sequences that had separate meanings. The unified system was published in the US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Chapter V, Part 565.

Also known as a VIN check, a VIN lookup is a search method that uses the VIN number to find out more information about a given car, including liens, ownership, year, make, model and more. A VIN lookup:

• Helps second-hand car buyers to avoid purchasing a highly damaged car;
• Helps car shops (when changing car parts);
• Helps law enforcementwith identifying or tracking stolen vehicles;
• Helps insurance companies to combat insurance theft or fraud.

The VIN number appears on the Vehicle title and registration, as well as on the Insurance card/policy or on the car itself (check the driver's side of the dashboard).

How to Decode a VIN number?

The VIN number is unique (no two vehicles can share the same VIN) and it’s divided into several sections. Each sequence refers to a meaningful parameter such as country of origin, year of production, factory, maker, engine, model type, restraint types, transmission, trim, and color.

For instance, Digit 1 indicates the country of origin, with 1, 4 and 5 for the US, 3 for Mexico and 2 for Canada. The Society of Automotive Engineers assigns Digit 2 and 3 based on countries and manufacturers, with Digit 2 indicating the manufacturer, for instance: C (Chrysler), B (BMW), G (General Motors). Digit 3 combined with the first two could identify the type of vehicle: car, SUV, truck, van.

Use the basic information below to learn how a VIN check differentiates vehicles: