Understanding VINs

A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code that identifies a specific vehicle. Based on ISO standards 3779 and 3780, VINs are crucial for accurate vehicle identification and tracking.

VIN Standards

VINs follow standards established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO):

• ISO 3779: Defines the VIN structure
• ISO 3780: Establishes the World Manufacturer Identifier system

Different regions have compatible but distinct implementations:

VIN Structure Overview

1HD1KB4157Y123456
│││││││││││└──────┘
│││││││││││ Serial number (12-17)
│││││││││││
││││││││││└─ Plant code (11)
│││││││││└── Model year (10)
│││││││└──── Check digit (9)
││││││└───── Engine type (8)
│││││└────── Body type (7)
││││└─────── Series (6)
│││└──────── Restraint system (5)
││└───────── Platform (4)
│└────────── Make (2-3)
└─────────── Region (1)

World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)

The first three characters identify the manufacturer and region. For manufacturers producing fewer than 1,000 vehicles per year, the third digit is '9', with additional identification in positions 12-14.

Region Codes (First Character)

Common examples:

• 1, 4, 5, 7: United States
• 2: Canada
• 3A-3W: Mexico
• J: Japan
• K: Korea
• L: China
• W: Germany
• VF-VR: France
• SA-SM: United Kingdom

Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

Characters 4-9 describe the vehicle's attributes and include a check digit. The VDS format varies by manufacturer but typically includes:

Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS)

The final eight characters (10-17) uniquely identify the specific vehicle:

Model Year Encoding

The 10th position encodes the model year using a specific pattern:

Code Year  Code Year  Code Year
A    2010  L    2020  Y    2030
B    2011  M    2021  1    2031
C    2012  N    2022  2    2032
D    2013  P    2023  3    2033
E    2014  R    2024  4    2034
F    2015  S    2025  5    2035
G    2016  T    2026  6    2036
H    2017  V    2027  7    2037
J    2018  W    2028  8    2038
K    2019  X    2029  9    2039

Check Digit Calculation

The 9th position contains a check digit that validates the VIN's authenticity. Here's how it's calculated:

1. Transliterate Letters: Convert letters to numbers using this system:

A=1 B=2 C=3 D=4 E=5 F=6 G=7 H=8 J=1
K=2 L=3 M=4 N=5 P=7 R=9 S=2 T=3 U=4
V=5 W=6 X=7 Y=8 Z=9

2. Apply Weights: Multiply each digit by its weight factor:

Position: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Weight:   8  7  6  5  4  3  2  10 0  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2

3. Calculate: Sum products and divide by 11. The remainder is the check digit (X if 10).

Note: The letters I, O, and Q are never used in VINs to avoid confusion with numbers.

Using VINs with the API

// Decode a VIN using our API
const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.cardog.app/v1/vin/corgi/1HD1KB4157Y123456',
  {
    headers: {
      'x-api-key': 'your-api-key'
    }
  }
)

const result = await response.json()
console.log('Vehicle:', result.components.vehicle)

Response:

VIN Physical Locations

VINs are typically found in several locations on a vehicle:

• Lower corner of the windshield (driver's side)
• Under the hood near the latch
• Front end of the vehicle frame
• Driver's side door pillar

The Cardog API can help identify the exact VIN locations for specific makes and models.

Next Steps

• Try VIN decoding with our API endpoints
• Learn about market analysis using VINs
• Explore vehicle research capabilities