Certcar
Check VIN

Where to find the VIN.

The VIN is written on the car in several places and in field E of the registration document. See where to look for it, how to read the 17 characters and what to check when you compare them at the viewing.

Enter VIN number (17 characters)

Found the VIN? See which car it is for free.

Where to look on the carIllustrative example
Saloon seen from the front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked
1. Base of the windscreenVisible from outside

On a plate in the lower corner of the windscreen, usually on the driver's side. You can read it from outside without opening the car.

The exact place differs from make to make. The VIN must be the same everywhere.
EU model
Registration certificate
Illustrative example
A
Registration number
B-123-ABC
B
Date of first registration
15.03.2019
C.1
Holder
•••••• ••••••
D.1
Make
BMW
D.3
Commercial name
320d xDrive
E
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
WBA8E5G50KNT12345
J
Category
M1
P.1
Engine capacity
1995 cc
P.3
Fuel
Diesel
The fields are the same on the registration certificate of every EU country: the VIN is always in field E.

On the registration document, field E.

The registration certificate and the vehicle identity papers are the safest documents to copy the VIN from: the 17 characters, exactly as on the car. Pick the document and see the line where you find it.

The VIN also appears in

  • Insurance policy

    The insurer writes the VIN on the policy.

  • Sale contract or invoice

    Check the VIN before you sign. A mistake here complicates registration.

  • Service book and invoices

    The VIN confirms the invoice belongs to the car.

  • Papers of a car from another country

    For an imported car, also ask for the certificate of conformity.

Read the 17 characters.

Paste the VIN you found and see straight away whether it has the right length, which letters don't belong in it and what the first characters say.

17 / 17 characters
WMI · 1–3
ManufacturerWBA

Code used by BMW.

VDS · 4–9
Vehicle description8E5G50

The model, body and engine, coded differently by each manufacturer.

VIS · 10–17
The specific carKNT12345

Position 10 is K. If the manufacturer uses it for the year, it means 2019 (or 1989).

Many European makes don't use position 10 for the year. The exact year is on the registration document and in the car's data. For every character, use the free VIN decoder.

Compare the VIN in four places.

At the viewing, take the papers and check the same VIN in turn. All you need is your phone torch.

  1. 1The papers

    Field E of the registration document, the vehicle identity papers and the contract.

    Warning sign: Corrected digits, copies without the originals, different VINs between documents.

  2. 2The windscreen

    The plate under the windscreen, read from outside.

    Warning sign: A scratched plate, replaced rivets, a sticker over it.

  3. 3Driver's door

    The manufacturer's label on the door pillar.

    Warning sign: A new label on an old car, stuck over another one, or missing.

  4. 4The body

    The VIN stamped in the engine bay or the floor.

    Warning sign: Weld marks, fresh paint or ground metal around it.

The VINs don't match

Stop before paying a deposit.

  1. 1
    Don't pay anything

    No deposit, no "reservation". A VIN that differs between the car and the papers is not a problem to sort out after buying.

  2. 2
    Ask for an explanation and the original papers

    Sometimes it's a typing error in the contract. The original registration and identity papers settle it.

  3. 3
    Ask for an official check

    If doubts remain, a check by the vehicle registration authority or the police confirms the car's identity.

If the VINs match, the history report also shows whether the car is listed as stolen in the databases checked. About the theft check

VIN questions.
Short answers for anyone looking for a VIN for the first time.
In field E, "Vehicle identification number". Field E is the same on the registration certificate of every European Union country.
The easiest place to read it is the base of the windscreen, from outside. It is also on the label on the driver's door pillar and stamped into the body in the engine bay. Some makes also have it in the floor next to the front passenger seat, or in the boot.
17 characters, letters and digits, on cars built since the early 1980s. The letters I, O and Q are not used, so they can't be confused with 1 and 0.
No. The number plate changes when the car is registered in another country or to another owner. The VIN stays the same for the car's whole life, which is why the history is searched by VIN.
Sometimes. On many makes, position 10 shows the model year, but many European makes don't use it that way. The exact year is on the registration document, under the date of first registration, and in the car's data.
Don't pay anything. Ask for an explanation and the original documents. If in doubt, ask the vehicle registration authority or the police to check it before you buy.
No. Nobody can register or sell the car with just the VIN. A genuine seller will send it to you before the viewing without any fuss.
Didn't find the answer?
See all frequently asked questions

Next.

Got the VIN? See what has happened to the car.

The make, model and year are free. You only pay if you want the full report.

Enter VIN number (17 characters)