Free VIN Number Lookup
Not all used cars are road-worthy and lien-free. Run a Free VIN check now to get an HONEST answer about the vehicle's past and avoid overpaying for it.
What Is a VIN?
A VIN, known in full as Vehicle Identification Number, is to a car what a social security number is to citizens of a country. It may also be likened to a human’s DNA, only unlike the latter, it is illegal to alter. A VIN tells all there is to know about the car and its history, including odometer readings, car specs, sales records, and more.
How to Perform a VIN Number Lookup for Free?
You can check a car's production year, sales or salvage records at zero cost, through our free VIN lookup site, VINNumberLookup. Our site is well optimized to facilitate VIN checking by make, state, and even auto types.
Enter VIN number
- Locate the VIN on the car's body or registration certificate and enter it in the search field.
Scan databases
- Our website scans all public and a few private records for updated information on the car.
Produce vehicle report
- Then, all important details about the car are compiled into a VIN lookup report in a few minutes.
Why Does a VIN Check Matter?
Provide proof of production year or make
- Many insurance companies would need you to provide details like car make and production year before insuring a vehicle. You can get this easily from a VIN number lookup.
Helps you effectively compare prices
- A VIN check can help you know if you are overpaying for the car. Look at the car's mileage and if cars with similar mileage are sold for the same price. This should help you make a buying decision.
Make legal purchases
- What if that car has been reported stolen? A VIN lookup may help you know if the car was stolen and there's been no proper transfer of ownership rights.
What Can a VIN Search Tell?
Now that you know why it matters, let's review all you can find in an extensive report from a VIN decoder;
How to Decode Your VIN?
The numbers and letters making up your car's VIN were not chosen at random. They have a specific meaning. Here's a summarized guide on what each letter or number from a VIN decoder report may mean for cars produced after 1981. We will use the VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 for illustration purposes.
| Position | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 | The first digit hints at where the car was produced. 2, for instance, shows the car was produced in Canada. |
| 2-3 | VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 | Vehicle manufacture designation. GY, for instance, is the recognized code for Cadillac cars. |
| 4-8 | VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 | Represents the vehicle's engine size, type and brand |
| 9 | VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 | Car's security code |
| 10 | VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 | Shows year of production |
| 11 | VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 | Indicates the plant where the car was assembled |
| 12-17 | VIN - 2GYGBZKNDHI278979 | Serial number of the vehicle |
FAQs
How Does a VIN Number Search Work?
Enter the VIN in the number search field on our website. Then, submit. VINNumberLookup will then scan through several databases for the most up-to-date information about the vehicle, and produce a report.
Is My Car VIN Lookup Private?
Yes, it is. Car VIN lookups are private and are done anonymously at VINNumberLookup. All data entered on our site are communicated securely to our servers. Your VIN search won't be logged either.
How Quickly Will I Get My VIN Report If I Use a VIN Finder?
Usually, you can get your VIN report using a VIN finder like VINNumberLookup in under five minutes. We have an efficient search system that runs through several online databases quickly to produce a detailed report.
Is It Safe to Look up a VIN Number?
Yes, it is. It is safe to look up VIN and share VIN on VIN decoders. It is in plain sight after all and anyone can just read it off the driver's door jamb sticker or any of the other places it appears.
Where Can I Look up a Car by VIN for Free?
You can do a VIN number search for free via VIN lookup sites like VINNumberLookup. Just enter your car's VIN within the website's search field, and you can check VIN details like mileage in no time.
How to Find Your Car's VIN Number for VIN Check?
You can find it on the sticker at the driver's door jamb. Alternatively, look at the front of the dashboard on the driver's side, the front of the engine block under the hood or the registration certificate.
Is a VIN Always 17 Digits?
Car VINs have been 17 digits since 1981 when they became standardized by the NHTSA. Therefore, only vintage cars produced prior to 1981 can be seen with VINs between 11 and 17 digits.
Is It Possible to Have the VIN Numbers Changed?
Unlike permissible with registration numbers and codes, VINs cannot be changed. In fact, it's a federal crime to alter or tamper with a car's VIN. Once assigned, they remain with the car.
Run a VIN Number Lookup for Free!
Want to know whether a used vehicle has any recalls, accidents, or theft records before purchasing it? Run a free VIN check here to find out.