Free VIN Decoder

Enter any 17-character Vehicle Identification Number to decode it into its ISO 3779 structural parts — manufacturer, country of origin, model year, plant code and check-digit verification. We’ll also tell you if there’s an auction record for the VIN on file.

Decoded: 1FADP5CU6EL502693

Manufacturer
Ford
WMI (positions 1-3)
1FA
Country of origin
United States
Region
North America
Model year
2014 (code: E)
Plant code
L
Vehicle Descriptor (4-9)
DP5CU6
Production serial (12-17)
502693
Check digit (position 9)
6 Valid — matches the SAE J272 calculation.
View auction history for this VIN

What does each part of a VIN mean?

A 17-character VIN follows the ISO 3779 standard, which divides the string into three sections.

Positions 1-3 — World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
Identifies the manufacturer. The first character also indicates the geographic region of origin: 1, 4, 5 = United States, 2 = Canada, 3 = Mexico, J = Japan, K = South Korea, W = Germany, Z = Italy.
Positions 4-9 — Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
Manufacturer-specific encoding of the model, body style, engine and restraint system. Position 9 is the check digit on US- and China-spec VINs — a calculated value used to verify the VIN hasn’t been tampered with or mistyped.
Position 10 — Model year
A single character that cycles every 30 years: A=1980 or 2010, B=1981 or 2011, and so on. The newer interpretation applies if position 7 is alphabetic; the older if position 7 is numeric. The letters I, O, Q, U and Z are skipped.
Position 11 — Plant code
A manufacturer-assigned single character identifying the assembly plant. Each manufacturer maintains its own plant code table.
Positions 12-17 — Production sequence number
The unique production serial number for that vehicle within its model year. Sequential within plant.

Looking for auction history?

The decoder above tells you what the VIN encodes structurally. To see if the same VIN was sold at a Copart, IAA, Manheim or other auction — with photos, sale price, condition and damage details — use our auction history search.

Search VIN auction history