[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":24},["ShallowReactive",2],{"content-vin-decoder-en":3},{"about":4,"steps":7,"faq":11},[5,6],"The vehicle identification number (VIN) is the 17-character identifier of every car. It is printed in the registration papers, on the type plate and usually at the bottom of the windscreen. Its structure is standardised in ISO 3779: the first three characters (WMI) name the manufacturer, positions 4 to 9 (VDS) describe the vehicle and positions 10 to 17 (VIS) identify the individual car.","The decoder shows manufacturer and country for known manufacturer codes, the region from the first character, possible model years from position 10, the plant code and the serial number. It also verifies the check digit at position 9. Everything happens in your browser; the VIN is not sent anywhere.",[8,9,10],"Type the 17-character VIN, e.g. from the registration papers. Spaces and hyphens do not matter.","Read manufacturer, country, model year, plant and serial number.","For North American vehicles, check whether the check digit matches – a mismatch points to a typo.",[12,15,18,21],{"q":13,"a":14},"Why is the check digit of my European car invalid?","The check digit at position 9 is mandatory in North America only. Many European manufacturers put another character there, e.g. a Z. An invalid check digit is therefore normal for European cars.",{"q":16,"a":17},"Why are two model years shown?","The code at position 10 repeats every 30 years: A stands for 1980 or 2010. The decoder lists all possible years up to next year; usually the latest fits. European manufacturers do not always encode the model year there.",{"q":19,"a":20},"Does the decoder show model, engine and equipment?","No. Positions 4 to 9 are defined by each manufacturer; reading model, engine or equipment requires the manufacturer’s database. The decoder only knows the standardised parts and a list of common manufacturer codes.",{"q":22,"a":23},"Is the VIN the same as the number plate?","No. The number plate can change when you move or the car changes owner; the VIN stays the same for the car’s whole life. What a car costs in German vehicle tax is calculated by the [[vehicle-tax-calculator]].",1793808252972]