GUIDE
How to decode a VIN.
A VIN tells you exactly what a car is, no seller spin. Here are both ways to read one, and how to spot a bad VIN.
The fastest way: scan it.
In the VINly app, point your camera at the VIN, on the door jamb, dashboard, or paperwork, and it reads the number for you. No app yet? Paste the 17-character VIN into the free decoder below and get the year, make, model, engine, and full specs from NHTSA, plus the open recalls and owner complaints on that exact vehicle. No account, no charge.
The by-hand way: three blocks.
Left to right, a VIN is who made it (characters 1 to 3), what it is: model, body, engine (4 to 8, with a check digit at 9), and the unique unit: year, plant, serial (10 to 17). Our full breakdown maps every position.
Check it is a valid VIN first.
A valid VIN is exactly 17 characters and never uses the letters I, O, or Q. Character 9 is a check digit computed from the rest; if it does not validate, the VIN was mistyped or altered. A good decoder refuses to guess on a bad one.
Know what a decode can and cannot show.
A decode reads the manufacturer and federal records: specs, recalls, complaints, crash ratings, fuel cost. It cannot see ownership, accident, title, or mileage history. That comes from a paid report like Carfax.
DECODE IT IN THREE STEPS
From VIN to a clear answer.
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Find the 17-character VIN: the windshield corner, the driver door jamb, or the title.
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Paste it into the free decoder to confirm the year, make, model, and engine.
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Read its open safety recalls and owner complaints, then match the VIN on the car to the paperwork.
Source: NHTSA's free vPIC database for the decode, plus the NHTSA recalls and complaints databases. VINly reads them directly, no account, no charge.
Decode your VIN now.
FREE ON iOS
Take this research with you.
Scan any VIN with your camera, save cars you’re comparing, and browse listings near you. All free. Same NHTSA and EPA data you see here, plus a camera-first VIN scanner.