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Free VIN check in 5 seconds: enter the 17-character VIN code and find out the car manufacturer, model, engine, safety systems and country of origin.
Want to check a car's history, mileage and accidents by VIN code? Read our full VIN check guide — carVertical vs autoDNA comparison, free and paid checks, what to verify before buying a used car.
Read the VIN check guideVIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a 17-character code, unique to every car in the world. Like a personal ID, but for a vehicle.
A VIN check reveals the real car specs. If the seller claims the car has 200 HP but the VIN shows 150 HP — something's off.
Find out which country and factory your car was built in. A BMW from Germany and a BMW from South Africa are not the same.
The VIN reveals which safety systems were installed at the factory — airbags, ABS, ESC, emergency braking and more.
Each part of the VIN has its own meaning. Here's how to read the 17-character code:
The first 3 characters identify the manufacturer and country. E.g.: WBA = BMW (Germany), WF0 = Ford (Germany), WVW = Volkswagen, JTD = Toyota (Japan), SAL = Land Rover (UK).
These characters describe the car: model, body type, engine type and displacement, transmission and drivetrain. Each manufacturer encodes this differently.
The 9th character is the check digit — calculated by a specific formula, it lets you verify the VIN has not been tampered with. If even one character is changed, the check digit will no longer match.
The 10th character indicates the model year (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025), the 11th the factory, and 12-17 is the serial number. This section pinpoints the specific vehicle.
Lower left corner (driver side), visible from outside
On a sticker, visible when the driver's door is open
On or near the engine block — often stamped into the metal
In the vehicle registration document, field marked with letter E
The VIN is usually printed on your KASKO or third-party policy
Vehicle purchase paperwork always lists the VIN
If the VIN differs across places on the car, it's a serious sign the vehicle may have been rebuilt or the VIN forged. In that case, walk away from the deal.
A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a car's "fingerprint" made up of 17 characters — no two are ever alike. With WHEELSTREET, a VIN check and VIN decode are done for free in 5 seconds: you get the manufacturer name, model, engine specifications, country of origin and the fitted safety systems.
How to check a VIN for free:
Why does a VIN check matter before buying a used car? On the Lithuanian market, a portion of used cars have hidden problems — wound-back mileage, undisclosed collisions, forgeries. A free basic car history by VINhelps you check whether the VIN matches the seller's information, and for the full history an investment in carVertical (15 €) can save you thousands.
A VIN number check and VIN decode are also useful after buying — when ordering spare parts, resolving insurance matters or dealing with Regitra. The WHEELSTREET tool works with every make: BMW, Audi, Toyota, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Volvo, Hyundai, Kia, Škoda, Tesla, BYD and others.
A VIN is made up of 17 characters (letters and digits). Each character has a specific meaning under the international standard ISO 3779. The letters I, O, Q, U, Z are never used — they are confused with the digits 1 and 0. Here is a detailed map of all 17 characters:
| Character no. | Section | What it indicates | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WMI | Region of the country of origin | W = Germany, J = Japan, 1/4/5 = USA, S = England |
| 2–3 | WMI | Manufacturer (make) | WBA = BMW, WVW = Volkswagen, WAU = Audi, JTD = Toyota |
| 4–8 | VDS | Model, body type, engine, gearbox, drivetrain type | 3CZ = VW Passat estate with 2.0 TDI |
| 9 | Check digit | Calculated using the ISO 3779 formula — lets you verify whether the VIN has been forged | 0–9 or X |
| 10 | VIS | Model year (see the year-code table below) | T = 2026, S = 2025, R = 2024 |
| 11 | VIS | Plant (the specific assembly facility) | E = Emden (VW), W = Wolfsburg, M = Mladá Boleslav (Škoda) |
| 12–17 | VIS | Serial number — unique to the specific car | 123456 |
A practical check: if the VIN on the windscreen, the door pillar and the engine block do not match, the car has either been forged or assembled from several parts. Always compare the VIN in at least 3 places before buying. More on the full physical inspection — the WHEELSTREET 120-point inspection.
The 10th character of the VIN indicates the model year. For example, if a VIN ends in ...T123456 — the car was built in 2026. The WHEELSTREET VIN decoder automatically converts the letter into a specific year, so there is no need to work it out by hand. The full table for the 2020s:
| Character | Model year | Character | Model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | 2020 | S | 2025 |
| M | 2021 | T | 2026 (current) |
| N | 2022 | V | 2027 |
| P | 2023 | W | 2028 |
| R | 2024 | X | 2029 |
| S | 2025 | Y | 2030 |
Important: the letters I, O, Q, U, Z are never used in a VIN — they look like the digits 1 and 0. If you come across these letters in a VIN, it has been forged. The letter S also repeats on a 25-year cycle (1995 and 2025), so the model year needs to be cross-checked against other VIN data (the model generation, the technology).
In a full VIN report (carVertical, autoDNA, CARFAX) check these 10 points in order. Even one red flag — negotiate on price or do not buy:
Want WHEELSTREET experts to review the VIN report for you? Order the 120-point inspection — we combine the VIN history, a physical inspection and diagnostics into a single verdict. Every car WHEELSTREET delivers passes this inspection and comes with a 24-month warranty.
WHEELSTREET — every car inspected, with warranty up to 24 months. Free consultation.