Free Ford VIN Decoder
Enter any 17-character Ford VIN to see the year, model, trim, engine and plant NHTSA has on file for it, free. Ford VINs come from Ford Motor Company plants in the United States (1F prefixes), Canada (2F), Mexico (3F) and several overseas Ford companies, plus two joint-venture WMIs that vPIC assigns to Ford: 1ZV (Auto Alliance International) and 1F6 (Detroit Chassis LLC, which vPIC decodes as a Ford motorhome chassis).
Facts and links on this page were checked on September 15, 2026.
Ford WMI codes (the first three characters)
Every row below was returned by NHTSA vPIC on September 15, 2026. The method: query vPIC's GetWMIsForManufacturer endpoint for the manufacturer names that build Ford vehicles, then confirm each candidate with vPIC's DecodeWMI endpoint and keep it only when DecodeWMI names Ford as a make for that WMI. Nothing was added by hand. "Also decodes as" lists the other makes vPIC returns for the same three characters.
| WMI | Vehicle type | Manufacturer (vPIC) | Country | Also decodes as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1F1 | SUV / MPV | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1F6 | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Detroit Chassis LLC | United States | Ford only |
| 1F7 | Passenger car | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1FA | Passenger car | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1FB | Bus | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1FC | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1FD | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1FM | SUV / MPV | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1FT | Truck | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 1ZV | Passenger car | Auto Alliance International, USA | United States | Ford only |
| 2FA | Passenger car | Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. | Canada | Ford only |
| 2FB | Bus | Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. | United States | Ford only |
| 2FC | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. | Canada | Ford only |
| 2FD | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. | Canada | Ford only |
| 2FM | SUV / MPV | Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. | Canada | Ford only |
| 2FT | Truck | Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. | Canada | Ford only |
| 3FA | Passenger car | Ford Motor Company, Mexico | Mexico | Ford only |
| 3FB | Bus | Ford Motor Company, Mexico | Mexico | Ford only |
| 3FC | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company, Mexico | Mexico | Ford only |
| 3FD | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company, Mexico | Mexico | Ford only |
| 3FE | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company, Mexico | Mexico | Ford only |
| 3FM | SUV / MPV | Ford Motor Company, Mexico | Mexico | Ford only |
| 3FT | Truck | Ford Motor Company, Mexico | Mexico | Ford only |
| 5LD | Incomplete vehicle (chassis) | Ford Motor Company | United States | Ford only |
| 9BF | Truck | Ford Motor Company Brasil Ltda. | Brazil | Ford only |
| KNJ | Passenger car | Kia Motors (Ford Imports) | South Korea | Ford only |
| MAJ | SUV / MPV | Ford India Ltd | India | Ford only |
| NM0 | Truck | Ford Otomotiv Sanayi A.S., Turkey | Turkey | Ford only |
| WF0 | Passenger car | Ford Werke AG | Germany | Ford only |
Where the VIN is on a Ford
On the dashboard at the base of the windshield on the driver side, readable from outside through the glass (49 CFR 565.13(f) requires this for passenger cars, SUVs and trucks up to 10,000 lb GVWR), and on the certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4). The title, registration and insurance card repeat it.
Source: 49 CFR Part 565, Vehicle Identification Number Requirements (eCFR), checked September 15, 2026.
What vPIC returned for a real Ford VIN
To show what to expect, we decoded a 2019 F-250 Super Duty from a public used listing on September 15, 2026 (VIN 1FT7W2BT0KE******). vPIC returned the fields below and left Trim, Engine model, Doors blank; those are attributes Ford did not file for this pattern.
| Field | Value returned |
|---|---|
| Make | FORD |
| Manufacturer | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| Model | F-250 |
| Model year | 2019 |
| Series | Super Duty - Single Rear Wheel |
| Body class | Pickup |
| Vehicle type | TRUCK |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Displacement (L) | 6.7 |
| Horsepower | 440 |
| Fuel | Diesel |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Transmission speeds | 6 |
| Drive | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Plant city | JEFFERSON COUNTY |
| Plant state | KENTUCKY |
| Plant country | UNITED STATES (USA) |
| Plant name | Kentucky Truck |
| GVWR class | Class 2H: 9,001 - 10,000 lb (4,082 - 4,536 kg) |
Ford model year by the 10th character
The 10th character of every FordVIN is the model-year code from 49 CFR 565.15. The letters repeat every 30 years, so a "D" is 1983 or 2013; for cars, SUVs and trucks up to 10,000 lb the 7th character settles it (a digit means the 1980 to 2009 cycle, a letter means 2010 to 2039). The decoder above applies the rule for you. Full chart on the VIN year chart.
| 10th character | Model year (7th character numeric) | Model year (7th character a letter) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2010 | |
| B | 2011 | |
| C | 2012 | |
| D | 2013 | |
| E | 2014 | |
| F | 2015 | |
| G | 2016 | |
| H | 2017 | |
| J | 2018 | |
| K | 2019 | |
| L | 2020 | |
| M | 2021 | |
| N | 2022 | |
| P | 2023 | |
| R | 2024 | |
| S | 2025 | |
| T | 2026 | |
| V | 2027 | |
| W | 2028 | |
| X | 2029 | |
| Y | 2030 | |
| 1 | 2001 | |
| 2 | 2002 | |
| 3 | 2003 | |
| 4 | 2004 | |
| 5 | 2005 | |
| 6 | 2006 | |
| 7 | 2007 | |
| 8 | 2008 | |
| 9 | 2009 |
What a Ford decode does not tell you
The decode is the manufacturer's build record. It says nothing about the vehicle's life since: no accidents, no title brands, no liens, no odometer history, no theft record. Those sit behind NMVTIS providers, NICB VINCheck and state agencies, and the title check, lien check, odometer check and stolen vehicle check pages explain how to use each. CarWorthIt does not sell vehicle history and is not an NMVTIS-approved provider.
What free sources can show
- Year, model, trim or series, body, engine, fuel, drive, plant and GVWR class, as Ford filed them with NHTSA.
- Whether the VIN is valid: length, allowed characters and the position-9 check digit.
- Which of Ford's 29 WMIs it carries, and therefore which company and country registered it.
- The free CarWorthIt report: open recalls, crash-test ratings and running costs.
What they cannot
- Attributes Ford did not file for the pattern (a blank field is a blank filing, not a missing part).
- Options, MSRP or the window sticker (the build record, in the paid report), or the paint code (a label on the car, never the VIN).
- Accidents, title brands, liens, odometer readings or theft (NMVTIS providers, NICB VINCheck, state agencies).
- Mileage, condition or what it is worth (the valuation is the paid product).
Common questions
Where is the VIN on a Ford?
On the dashboard at the base of the windshield on the driver side, readable from outside through the glass (49 CFR 565.13(f) requires this for passenger cars, SUVs and trucks up to 10,000 lb GVWR), and on the certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4). The title, registration and insurance card repeat it.
What do the first three characters of a Ford VIN mean?
They are the World Manufacturer Identifier. NHTSA vPIC lists 29 WMIs that decode to Ford, registered in these countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, India, Turkey, Germany. The US-registered ones are 1F1, 1F6, 1F7, 1FA, 1FB, 1FC, 1FD, 1FM, 1FT, 1ZV, 2FB, 5LD. The full table is on this page and comes straight from vPIC.
Can a Ford VIN start with a WMI that also belongs to another brand?
Not according to vPIC: every Ford WMI in the table decodes to Ford only. The decoder still reads the whole VIN, because positions 4 to 8 carry the model, body and engine.
What does the free Ford VIN decode show?
Whatever Ford filed with NHTSA for that VIN pattern. For a 2019 F-250 Super Duty from a public used listing, vPIC returned 19 fields including model, series, engine, transmission, plant, and left these blank: trim, engine model, doors. A blank means Ford did not file that attribute for the pattern, not that the vehicle lacks it.
How do I read the model year in a Ford VIN?
The 10th character. A is 2010, B 2011, and so on to Y for 2030; the digits 1 to 9 are 2001 to 2009 (and 2031 to 2039). The same letters were used for 1980 to 2000, and for cars, SUVs and light trucks a numeric 7th character means the earlier cycle while a letter means 2010 onward (49 CFR 565.15). The decoder above resolves it for you.
Does decoding a Ford VIN show accidents, title brands or theft?
No. A decode reads the build record: what the vehicle is, not what has happened to it. Title brands, liens, odometer readings and theft records sit with state agencies, NMVTIS providers, insurers (NICB VINCheck) and law enforcement. CarWorthIt is not an NMVTIS provider and does not sell history; the title, lien, odometer and stolen-vehicle checks on this site route you to the right free source.
Is this Ford VIN decoder really free?
Yes. It reads NHTSA's vPIC database, which is public US federal data, with no account and no card. NHTSA's own decoder at vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov gives the same answer. What CarWorthIt charges for is a local-market valuation of the exact VIN at its mileage (from $2.99) and the factory build record (from $6.99).
What the paid reports add, honestly
The decode above is free and always will be. CarWorthIt does not sell vehicle history, and says so on every page. What we do sell is price and factory data for the exact VIN:
- Valuation, $2.99: What it’s worth near you at its mileage, and a verdict on whether the asking price is fair.
- Full Report, $6.99: Everything in the Valuation, plus what it cost new, its factory options and full standard equipment.
- Negotiation Bundle, $9.99: Everything in both reports, plus your opening offer, your walk-away price and the evidence to argue for them.
Run any VIN free first: the free report already includes open recalls, crash-test ratings and running costs. Pricing and a sample report.
Related free tools
Sources checked for this page
- NHTSA vPIC API, DecodeVinValues, checked September 15, 2026
- NHTSA vPIC (Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing), checked September 15, 2026: "vPIC is intended for use on Model Years 1981 and forward. Vehicles prior to 1980's VIN standard are not included in decoding capability for the system." Decoder version 4.07, updated July 18, 2026.
- 49 CFR Part 565, Vehicle Identification Number Requirements (eCFR), checked September 15, 2026: 565.13: 17 characters, check digit in position 9, no I, O or Q, VIN readable through the windshield at the left pillar. 565.15 Table VII (2005 to 2039) and Table XIII (1980 to 2013) give the model-year codes.
CarWorthIt is not an NMVTIS-approved data provider, does not sell vehicle history reports, and is not affiliated with Carfax, AutoCheck, Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds or NADA.
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