VIN
Transportation & Travel abbreviation · Automotive
| Stands for | Vehicle identification number |
|---|---|
| Categories | Transportation & Travel |
VIN stands for Vehicle identification number, an automotive abbreviation.
Unique 17-character code assigned to every car, truck, motorcycle and trailer, used to register, insure, recall and trace a vehicle's history. It appears on a plate visible through the lower driver's side of the windshield and on the driver's door jamb.
Example: Run the VIN through a history report before you buy; it will show any salvage title.
Usage notes
The 17-character format was standardized in the US for the 1981 model year and is based on ISO 3779. The first three characters identify the manufacturer and country (1, 4 and 5 for the US, 2 for Canada, 3 for Mexico, J for Japan, W for Germany), the tenth shows the model year, and the ninth is a check digit in North America. The letters I, O and Q are never used, to avoid confusion with 1 and 0. Saying "VIN number" is redundant but extremely common.
Related abbreviations
More automotive abbreviations
- 2WD – Two-wheel drive
- 3PMSF – Three-peak mountain snowflake
- 4WD – Four-wheel drive
- ABS – Anti-lock braking system
- ACC – Adaptive cruise control
- ADAS – Advanced driver-assistance systems
- ADM – Additional dealer markup
- AEB – Automatic emergency braking
- AMG – Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach
- AMT – Automated manual transmission
- AT – Automatic transmission
- ATF – Automatic transmission fluid