Free · No sign-up · Official NHTSA data
Free VIN check & decoder
Enter a 17-character VIN to see what the car really is — year, make, model, engine and where it was built — plus every safety recall on the model and what it costs to fuel.
- Specs & engine
- Safety recalls
- Fuel cost
- Check-digit validation
What a free VIN check shows — and what needs a history report
A VIN records how a car was built, not what has happened to it since. The decode above is free because that build data is public. Accidents, mileage readings and theft records are held by insurers and registries, and a history report is how you search them.
| Free VIN check | History report | |
|---|---|---|
| Year, make, model, trim and engine | Yes | Yes |
| Where and by whom it was built | Yes | Yes |
| Safety recalls issued for the model | Yes | Yes |
| Fuel economy and running cost | Yes | No |
| Accident and damage records | No | Yes |
| Mileage history and rollback checks | No | Yes |
| Theft and stolen-vehicle records | No | Yes |
| Title brands (salvage, flood, rebuilt) | No | Yes |
| Previous owners and registrations | No | Yes |
Buying used? FuelWide readers get 20% off a carVertical history report with the code fuel20— the offer sits right under the VIN box, and fills in your VIN once you’ve checked it.
How to read a VIN
Every VIN since 1981 has 17 characters, and never uses the letters I, O or Q, so none can be mistaken for 1 or 0. Here is the example VIN, 1HGCM82633A004352, taken apart:
| Position | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | 1HG | World Manufacturer Identifier: 1 = built in the USA, HG = Honda. |
| 4–8 | CM826 | Vehicle descriptor: the maker's own code for model, body and engine — here an Accord EX coupe with the 3.0-litre V6. |
| 9 | 3 | Check digit, calculated from the other 16 characters to catch typos. |
| 10 | 3 | Model year: 3 = 2003. |
| 11 | A | Assembly plant: A = Marysville, Ohio. |
| 12–17 | 004352 | Serial number of the car off that line. |
VIN model year codes
The tenth character gives the model year. Codes repeat every 30 years, so a letter can mean two years — on North American cars, a letter in position 7 means the newer one.
After the VIN: what the car will cost you
The purchase price is only the start. Running costs for 488models, worked out at this week’s fuel prices, are one click away.
Common questions
Is this VIN check really free?
Yes. Decoding the VIN, the model's safety recalls and the fuel-cost estimate are free with no sign-up and no limit beyond a per-minute cap against abuse. They come from NHTSA, the US road-safety agency, which publishes its decoder and recall database for public use. What costs money is a vehicle history report — accidents, mileage records, theft and title checks — because that data is collected from registries and insurers who charge for it.
How do I decode a VIN?
Positions 1–3 identify the manufacturer and country, 4–8 describe the model, body and engine, 9 is a check digit, 10 is the model year, 11 the assembly plant and 12–17 the serial number. The manufacturer-specific middle section is why a decoder is needed: '1HGCM826' only means 'Honda Accord coupe, 3.0 V6' because Honda filed that meaning with NHTSA. Enter the VIN above and the decoder reads it for you.
Where do I find my VIN?
On the driver's side of the dashboard, visible through the bottom of the windshield; on a sticker in the driver's door jamb; and on the title, registration card and insurance documents. Checking that the dashboard VIN, the door-jamb VIN and the paperwork all match is one of the simplest ways to spot a cloned or rebuilt car.
Can I check recalls by VIN?
This check lists every recall NHTSA has issued for the model and year the VIN decodes to. Whether a particular car's recall has already been repaired is tracked per VIN by the manufacturer — enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or ask a franchised dealer, and any open recall is repaired free of charge.
Does a VIN check show accident history?
Not a free decode — the VIN itself only encodes how the car was built. Accident, damage, mileage and theft records live in insurer, police and registry databases, which is what a paid vehicle history report searches. FuelWide readers get 20% off carVertical reports with the code fuel20.
Why does my VIN's check digit not match?
The ninth character is calculated from the other sixteen, so a single mistyped character changes it. It is mandatory on cars built for North America: a mismatch there almost always means a typo — usually a 0 read as a D, a 5 as an S or an 8 as a B. European and many Asian manufacturers don't use the check digit, so on those VINs a mismatch is normal.
What year is my car from its VIN?
The tenth character is the model year. The code repeats every 30 years, so 'A' is both 1980 and 2010; on North American vehicles a letter in position 7 means 2010 or later and a digit means 2009 or earlier. The table on this page lists every code since 2001.
Vehicle data: NHTSA vPIC and NHTSA recalls (US Department of Transportation), decoded live. Fuel costs: FuelWide, at the latest US average prices.