Master every character of a 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number. Learn WMI country codes, VDS engine specs, plant codes, and check digits.
Understanding the 17-Digit Global Standard
Since 1981, all on-road motor vehicles sold in North America conform to standard ISO 3779 and federal regulation 49 CFR Part 565. Every character in this 17-character sequence serves an exact regulatory and mechanical purpose.
Section 1: World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) — Characters 1 to 3
The first three characters identify the vehicle's geographic origin, country, and manufacturing corporation:
- Character 1 (Country/Region): "1", "4", or "5" = United States; "2" = Canada; "3" = Mexico; "J" = Japan; "K" = South Korea; "W" = Germany; "S" = United Kingdom.
- Character 2 (Manufacturer): Designates the automaker (e.g., "H" for Honda, "F" for Ford, "G" for General Motors).
- Character 3 (Vehicle Division): Identifies the vehicle type or operating division (e.g., passenger car, pickup truck, SUV).
Section 2: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) — Characters 4 to 8
Characters 4 through 8 encode detailed engineering and trim specifications:
- Body Style: Identifies whether the vehicle is a 2-door coupe, 4-door sedan, crew cab truck, or hatchback.
- Engine Size & Type: Designates cylinder count, displacement (liters/cc), and fuel delivery (hybrid, turbo, diesel, EV).
- Restraint System: Encodes active and passive safety features (airbag positions, seatbelt pretensioners).
Section 3: Security Check Digit — Character 9
Position 9 is a mathematical security checksum calculated using a weighted modulo-11 formula. If someone modifies a single character or transposes adjacent numbers, the checksum fails immediately.
Section 4: Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS) — Characters 10 to 17
- Character 10 (Model Year): Uses a 30-year rotating cycle of letters and numbers (excluding I, O, Q, U, Z, and 0).
- Character 11 (Assembly Plant): Automaker's internal factory code (e.g., Fremont, California or Georgetown, Kentucky).
- Characters 12 to 17 (Sequential Serial Number): The numerical sequence indicating when the chassis rolled off the line.