How to Do a VIN Check

1. World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)

The first three characters identify the country of origin and the manufacturer. For example, '1', '4', or '5' indicates the USA, '2' is Canada, and '3' is Mexico.

2. Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

Characters 4 through 8 describe the vehicle's attributes such as body style, engine type, model, and series.

3. The Check Digit

The 9th character is a security check digit that verifies the previous characters are legitimate using a mathematical formula.

4. Model Year & Plant

The 10th character tells you the model year, and the 11th indicates the specific assembly plant.