VIN format

Client

VIN format under ISO 3779 splits into WMI (1–3), VDS attributes (4–8), check digit (9), model year (10), plant (11), and sequential (12–17). Paste to validate structure—not full manufacturer decode tables.

Section breakdown

Positions 1–3: World Manufacturer Identifier. 4–8: vehicle attributes. 9: check symbol. 10: model year code. 11: plant. 12–17: production sequence.

Privacy: parsing runs only in your browser. This page does not query DMV, insurance, or manufacturer databases—only the published mod-11 rule for the ninth character.
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After removing spaces and hyphens, the frame must be exactly 17 characters. Letters I, O, and Q are forbidden everywhere. Position 9 (index 8) is the check symbol: decimal 0–9 or X for remainder ten. Each symbol maps to a numeric value, is multiplied by a fixed weight for its position, products are summed, and sum mod 11 must equal the check symbol’s value (X → 10).

Result

Passes check digit — weighted sum mod 11 is 10; expected X.

  • WMI (positions 1–3): 1HG
  • Attributes (4–8): BH41J
  • Check (9): X
  • Model year code (10): M
  • Plant (11): N
  • Sequential (12–17): 109186

Common use cases

  • Document expected layout in fleet onboarding wiki.
  • Spot mis-pasted license plates in VIN columns.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Expecting format validation to reveal trim or engine code

    Deep decode requires OEM-specific tables beyond public checksum rules.

FAQ

What is the VIN format?

17 characters: WMI + attributes + check digit + year code + plant + sequential.

Common search terms

Phrases people search for that match this tool. See the full long-tail keyword index.

  • vin check digit verifier online
  • validate vin number mod 11 free
  • ninth position vin checksum browser
  • iso 3779 vin check digit calculator
  • vehicle identification number check digit locally

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