VIN check
Enter a VIN to see right away whether the chassis number is written correctly, which manufacturer issued it and which country it comes from. The check is free, and the full vehicle history is one carVertical report away, with 20% off.
Coupon for Automania users
carVertical vehicle history report
Discount code
automaniame
Through our link the discount applies by itself. You only need the code if you reach carvertical.com without our link.
What the characters of a VIN mean
A VIN has 17 characters in three parts, as set by the ISO 3779 standard. Each part tells you something different about the vehicle.
WMICharacters 1–3
Manufacturer code
The first three characters identify the manufacturer and the country the code was assigned to. WVW, for example, is Volkswagen from Germany.
VDSCharacters 4–9
Vehicle description
Characters four to nine describe the model, body and engine, each manufacturer in its own way. On vehicles built for North America and China, the ninth is a check digit.
VISCharacters 10–17
Serial number
The last eight characters identify this exact vehicle: the plant and the production number. Some manufacturers put the model year in the tenth place.
Sample report- MileageNo suspicious changesOK
- Damage1 recorded accidentCheck
- TheftNot reportedOK
- Owners2 ownership changesInfo
- UsageNo taxi or rental recordsOK
- PhotosArchived photos from earlier listingsInfo
What the report reveals
carVertical cross-checks records from more than 1,000 databases (registries, insurers, workshops and police) across more than 37 countries. What the seller leaves out, the report usually shows.
Rolled-back mileage
Comparing records from workshops, inspections and earlier listings exposes a jump backwards.
Accidents and damage
Insurance claims and workshop records, often with photos and damage estimates.
Theft records
A check against international stolen-vehicle databases, before any money changes hands.
Where do I find the VIN?
The VIN is recorded both in the documents and on the vehicle itself. Compare them before you buy: if the numbers differ, that is a serious reason for caution.
On the back of the registration certificate, as the chassis number.
On the plate under the windscreen, on the driver's side, visible from outside.
On the driver's door pillar, on a sticker or plate you see when you open the door.
Frequently asked questions
A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), also called the chassis number, is a unique code of 17 letters and digits that a vehicle gets at the factory. It follows the vehicle through registrations, insurance and servicing for its whole life.
The check is free and runs in your browser: we do not send the VIN to our server or store it. carVertical receives it only when you open their link.
The model year is a required part of the VIN only for vehicles built for North America and China. European manufacturers use that position differently, so a year shown here would often be wrong. Find the exact year on the registration certificate or in the carVertical report.
The 17-character standard applies from 1981. Older and some special vehicles have shorter chassis numbers, which this check cannot confirm. That does not mean the number is wrong, only that it is not in VIN format.
Usually it is a copying mistake: a skipped character, a character typed twice, or the letters I, O and Q, which VINs never use. We replace those three letters with 1 and 0 ourselves. If the error stays, compare the number with the one on the vehicle and on the registration certificate.
Once the format is valid, open carVertical through the link below the result and the 20% discount applies on its own. If you reach carvertical.com another way, enter the code automaniame at checkout.
Check your next car before you pay.
Code automaniame is valid on carvertical.com. Use it before you agree on a price: the report is the best argument you can bring to the negotiation.
Discount code automaniame
carVertical and the carVertical logo are trademarks of their owner, used here as part of the partnership. The free VIN format check is run by Automania, not by carVertical.