how to find vin number

How To Run a Free VIN Number Search

A Free VIN Number search can reveal a lot of important information about a vehicle. You can find out manufacturer detail about a vehicle from the make and model to trim and interior options. A Free VIN Number search can also show you vehicle history, license plate information, recall and safety information. The more you know about your vehicle can make driving a little bit safer.

What Is In a Free VIN Number Search

By requiring the use of a 17 character VIN for all vehicles, it became possible to identify the manufacturer, model, and specific vehicle details. The first three characters identify the division, the manufacturer, and type of vehicle. An example is a "1" indicates the General Motors Division. The second character "G" is in the United States, and the third character "1" means a passenger car. If the third character is a "2", it is a Pontiac passenger car, and a 1GC indicates a Chevrolet truck.

Free Nationwide DMV Finder

Positions 4 through 8 provide additional information such as vehicle type, platform, body style and the model. As of the 1980s, most manufacturers started using the 8th digit to identify the type of engine. When that model offers a choice. An example is a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette would have a "U" for 6.0L and "E" for a 7.0OL V8 engine. The 9ths position is a check digit.

Digits 10 through 17 provide the 'vehicle identifier section' (VIS). In North America, the last 5 digits must be numeric. However, the 10th digit is required worldwide to identify the model year. This is either a letter or a number. The 11th position identifies the manufacturing assembly plant.

As global markets change, new regulations apply to the VIN numbers. Currently the 17 VIN number is sufficient for current global demand. Older vehicles might have fewer than 17 digits.

VIN Number Digits Decoded

History of VIN Numbers

During the years that followed World War II, the automobile industry experienced record sales as the mass production of automobiles increased exponentially. Previously, there were only a few car manufacturers who used any method of identifying one vehicle from the next. In 1954, the vehicle identification number became popular and by 1981, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States established a standardized format that included both numbers and alphabet characters.

Free VIN Number Search Online

An easy place to find the VIN number is on the Vehicle itself or Vehicle Title. Try our Free VIN Decoder. The results for this VIN number search will be instantly available. Give it a try and see how fast you can find everything to know about your automobile. All searches are anonymous so you can even lookup someone else's VIN without them knowing

Free VIN Number Search

License Plate Disclaimer

Can I find out who owns a car by the VIN number?

Since the VIN number is unique to each vehicle it is possible to find out the owner and the license plate number with a VIN number search. You will need the exact 17 digit VIN on the vehicle to run this search.