How to use it
- Type the 17 characters from the registration document or the windscreen plate. Spaces and hyphens do not matter.
- Read Result: green means the length, the characters and the check digit are right.
- Read Manufacturer, Vehicle description and Model year, plant and serial to see the parts of the number.
- Read Model year: position 7 decides which of the two years applies, and the steps show the check digit's working.
How the check digit is worked out
Position 9 is a check digit. Each character gets a value: digits count as they are, and letters have values from 1 to 9 (A = 1, B = 2 and so on, starting again at J = 1 and at S = 2). Each value is multiplied by a weight that depends on its position, the products are added, and the sum is divided by 11. The remainder is the check digit; a remainder of 10 is written X.
sum = Σ (value of character × weight), for positions 1 to 8 and 10 to 17
check digit = sum mod 11 (10 is written X)
weights: 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 10 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2- The check digit is part of the US rule in 49 CFR 565, which applies to the vehicles it covers. For other markets this check may not apply.
- A VIN passes the check digit by chance one time in eleven, so a pass proves little on its own.
The parts of a VIN and the model year
Positions 1 to 3 identify the manufacturer (WMI). Positions 4 to 8 describe the vehicle (VDS), set by the manufacturer. Position 9 is the check digit, and positions 10 to 17 hold the model year, the plant and the serial number (VIS).
Position 10 is the model year code. It means 2010 to 2039 (A = 2010 ... Y = 2030, 1 = 2031 ... 9 = 2039), or 1980 to 2009 when position 7 is a digit. So a code gives two years, and position 7 decides which applies.
What this page does not show
The page reads the number in your browser only; it does not look the vehicle up, so it gives no manufacturer name, no model and no history. The region of the manufacturer, which the first character of the WMI often shows, is not given here because this page could not confirm the official table of regions.
Example: 1M8GDM9AXKP042788
Positions 1 to 3 are 1M8 (manufacturer), 4 to 8 are GDM9A (vehicle description), and 10 to 17 are KP042788. Position 9 is X.
The values times weights add up to 351. 351 ÷ 11 leaves remainder 10, so the check digit is X, as typed. Position 10 is K, which means 2019 if position 7 is a letter, and 1989 if it is a digit; position 7 here is 9, a digit, so the year is in the 1980 to 2009 range.
| Part | Positions | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer (WMI) | 1 to 3 | 1M8 |
| Vehicle description (VDS) | 4 to 8 | GDM9A |
| Check digit | 9 | X (sum 351, remainder 10) |
| Model year, plant, serial (VIS) | 10 to 17 | KP042788 |
Frequently asked questions
Where is the VIN on a car?
It is usually on the windscreen at the driver's side, on the door frame, and on the registration document. The 17 characters should match in each place.
Why is there no manufacturer name?
The page reads the first three characters but does not carry a list of manufacturers, so it does not name the maker. Use a registered vehicle database for that.
Why does a VIN have two possible model years?
The year code repeats every 30 years. Position 7 tells which cycle applies: a letter means 2010 to 2039, a digit means 1980 to 2009.
Why are I, O and Q not allowed in a VIN?
They are easy to confuse with 1 and 0, so they are left out of the characters a VIN uses. The page refuses them for that reason.
What if my VIN fails the check digit?
Look for a typing mistake first. Some vehicles from other markets follow different rules, so a failed check does not always mean the VIN is wrong.
Does the page keep the VIN I type?
No. The number is read in your browser and is not stored or sent to anyone.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.