Free VIN Decoder
Official NHTSA vPIC
150+ Vehicle Fields

The same API that powers vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder — but faster, with recalls, complaints, and a clean interface. Decode any VIN in the USA instantly. No sign-up. No cost.

NHTSA DecodeVinValuesExtended API 150+ Data Fields Per VIN Safety Recalls + Consumer Complaints 100% Free — No Account Needed

VIN Decoder — vPIC

NHTSA Official

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) 0/17

If entered, overrides the year encoded in the VIN. Recommended for pre-1980 vehicles.

Free forever No account Partial VINs accepted

Don't have a VIN? Try a sample VIN →

Fields Decoded Per VIN

NHTSA Recall Campaigns

US Vehicles in Database

Free Always

How It Works

Decode any VIN in 3 steps

We query NHTSA's official vPIC database in real time — the exact same endpoint as vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder — and return a full 150+ field report.

Step 01

🔍

Enter Your VIN

Find the 17-character VIN on your dashboard (lower-left, visible through the windshield), driver's door jamb sticker, vehicle title, or registration card. Partial VINs are also accepted.

Step 02

⚡

Live vPIC Query

We call NHTSA's DecodeVinValuesExtended endpoint — the flat format that returns all 150+ fields in one request — plus recalls and complaints APIs in parallel.

Step 03

📋

Full Tabbed Report

Review specs, safety recalls (with remedies), consumer complaints (flagged by crash/injury/fire), a VIN position decoder, and a complete all-fields table. No email. No credit card.

Data Returned

6 Report Tabs — All From Official NHTSA Data

Three parallel API calls. One comprehensive report. Everything the official NHTSA decoder shows, plus recalls and complaint data.

🚗

Vehicle Specs (150+ Fields)

Make, model, year, trim, body style, engine displacement, cylinders, horsepower, fuel type, transmission, drive type, doors, seats, GVWR, wheel base, curb weight, and more — all from NHTSA 565 submittals.

⚠️

NHTSA Safety Recalls

All open recall campaigns for your make/model/year. Component, defect summary, safety consequence, affected unit count, manufacturer remedy, and NHTSA campaign number.

📣

Consumer Complaints (ODI)

Complaints filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation — flagged by crash, fire, injury, and death. Individual narratives shown with odometer and incident date.

🛡️

Safety Status Dashboard

ABS, ESC, traction control, forward collision warning, lane departure, backup camera, TPMS, adaptive cruise, airbag locations — all from manufacturer filings.

🔢

VIN Position Decoder

Color-coded breakdown of all 17 VIN characters — WMI (positions 1–3), VDS (4–9), VIS (10–17) — with decoded values for each position including check digit validation.

📊

All 150+ Fields Table

The complete flat table of all variables returned by DecodeVinValuesExtended — identical to what the official NHTSA decoder page displays.

VIN Structure

What Each Position Encodes

Every character in a 17-digit VIN is a code. The NHTSA vPIC database decodes all 17 positions back to their original manufacturer specifications.

Positions 1–3: World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)

Positions 4–9: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

Positions 10–17: Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS)

Position 1	Country of Assembly	1 = USA, 2 = Canada, 3 = Mexico, J = Japan, W = Germany, K = Korea
Position 2	Manufacturer (1st letter)	Identifies the automaker within that country
Position 3	Vehicle Type / Division	Combined with pos 1–2 forms the WMI
Position 4–8	Vehicle Descriptor Section	Body style, engine type, restraint systems, series/trim
Position 9	Check Digit	Mathematically computed from all other 16 characters to verify VIN authenticity
Position 10	Model Year	A=1980, B=1981… K=2019, L=2020, M=2021, N=2022, P=2023, R=2024, S=2025
Position 11	Assembly Plant	Specific manufacturing plant within the manufacturer's network
Position 12–17	Serial Number	The sequential production number unique to this vehicle

By Make

VIN Decoders by Brand

Dedicated decoder pages for every major brand — with brand-specific VIN structure guides, common recalls, and model history.

🔵

Ford VIN Decoder

F-150, Mustang, Explorer

⚡

Tesla VIN Decoder

Model 3, Y, S, X

🍀

Chevrolet VIN Decoder

Silverado, Equinox, Malibu

🌸

Honda VIN Decoder

Civic, Accord, CR-V, Pilot

🌊

Toyota VIN Decoder

Camry, RAV4, Tacoma

🔷

BMW VIN Decoder

3 Series, X3, X5, 5 Series

⭐

Mercedes VIN Decoder

C-Class, GLE, E-Class

🔵

Audi VIN Decoder

A4, Q5, Q7, A6

🔶

Jeep VIN Decoder

Wrangler, Grand Cherokee

🌊

Hyundai VIN Decoder

Tucson, Santa Fe, Elantra

🟠

Kia VIN Decoder

Sportage, Sorento, Telluride

🔴

Dodge VIN Decoder

Charger, Challenger, Durango

🌿

Subaru VIN Decoder

Outback, Forester, Crosstrek

🟡

GMC VIN Decoder

Sierra, Terrain, Yukon

⚙️

Nissan VIN Decoder

Altima, Rogue, Sentra

🔵

Volkswagen VIN Decoder

Jetta, Tiguan, Atlas

🍎

Cadillac VIN Decoder

Escalade, CT5, XT5, XT6

🔴

Ram VIN Decoder

1500, 2500, ProMaster

🌙

Mazda VIN Decoder

CX-5, CX-50, Mazda3

🔷

Lexus VIN Decoder

RX, ES, NX, GX

🔵Ford

⚡Tesla

🌸Honda

🌊Toyota

🍀Chevrolet

🔷BMW

⭐Mercedes-Benz

🔵Audi

🔶Jeep

🌊Hyundai

🟠Kia

🔴Dodge

🌿Subaru

🟡GMC

⚙️Nissan

🔵Volkswagen

🍎Cadillac

🔴Ram

🌙Mazda

🔷Lexus

🟣Infiniti

🔵Acura

⚡Rivian

The API

Same API as
NHTSA vPIC

We use the exact same endpoint that powers vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder — the official NHTSA VIN decoder:

https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/vehicles/DecodeVinValuesExtended/{VIN}?format=json

The DecodeVinValuesExtended endpoint returns a flat single-object JSON response with all 150+ variable fields — the same data that NHTSA's own interface displays. No API key. No cost. We also call the NHTSA recalls and complaints endpoints in parallel for a complete picture.

// Three simultaneous API calls:

1. DecodeVinValuesExtended

vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api → 150+ fields

2. recallsByVehicle

api.nhtsa.gov → open recalls

3. complaintsByVehicle

api.nhtsa.gov → ODI complaints

// All free · No API key · No proxy

FAQ

Common Questions

What API does this VIN decoder use?

We use NHTSA's DecodeVinValuesExtended endpoint (vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/vehicles/DecodeVinValuesExtended) — the flat-format version of the same API that powers the official NHTSA VIN decoder at vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder. It returns all 150+ variables in a single JSON object. We also call api.nhtsa.gov/recalls/recallsByVehicle and api.nhtsa.gov/complaints/complaintsByVehicle in parallel.

Is this the same as vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder?

Yes — we use identical API endpoints. The difference is presentation: we display results in a tabbed interface with a safety score, color-coded VIN breakdown, and individual complaint narratives with crash/injury/fire flags. The underlying data is identical.

What does the VIN check show?

The Specs tab shows 25+ key vehicle fields. The All Fields tab shows all 150+ variables from the NHTSA database. The Recalls tab shows every open NHTSA safety recall with remedy info. The Complaints tab shows NHTSA ODI consumer complaints flagged by crash, fire, injury, and fatality. The Safety tab summarizes safety features. The VIN Decode tab shows a position-by-position breakdown of all 17 characters.

Is partial VIN decoding supported?

Yes. The NHTSA vPIC API supports partial VINs (fewer than 17 characters). Use * to represent unknown characters — for example, 1HGCM826*3A004352. Results will be partial but useful for identifying make, model, and body type.

Does the VIN check show accident history?

Accident and title history are not available through NHTSA's free public APIs. Our tool shows NHTSA ODI consumer complaints that include crash flags — but these are reported incidents, not a title or accident report. For full accident history, Carfax or AutoCheck (paid services) are required.

Where do I find my VIN?

Four reliable locations: (1) Lower-left dashboard corner, visible through the windshield. (2) Driver's door jamb sticker. (3) Vehicle title, registration, or insurance card. (4) Engine block or firewall. For most cars the dashboard location is easiest — look from outside through the windshield.

Is this completely free?

Yes. The NHTSA vPIC, recalls, and complaints APIs are all free U.S. government public services with no API key required. We do not charge for lookups, require sign-up, or limit the number of decodes.

Is the NHTSA data reliable?

NHTSA vPIC data is sourced directly from manufacturer 565 submittals — the regulatory filings that automakers must submit before selling vehicles in the U.S. This makes it the most authoritative vehicle specification database available anywhere. Recall data is updated by NHTSA as new campaigns are issued. Complaint data reflects owner-filed reports.

Check Any VIN — Free

Same NHTSA vPIC data. 150+ fields. Recalls. Complaints. Instant.

Free VIN Decoder Official NHTSA vPIC 150+ Vehicle Fields