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Free Honda VIN Decoder

Enter any 17-character Honda VIN to see the year, model, trim, engine and plant NHTSA has on file for it, free. Honda uses separate WMIs for cars, SUVs, trucks and motorcycles, and vPIC lists 34 of them under the Honda make, from 1HG (US-built cars) and 2HG (Canada) to JH2 and 1HF (motorcycles). Acura shares one Mexico WMI, 3HD, with Honda in vPIC.

Facts and links on this page were checked on September 15, 2026.

Free, no account, no card. Data from the NHTSA vPIC database.

Honda 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 Honda vehicles, then confirm each candidate with vPIC's DecodeWMI endpoint and keep it only when DecodeWMI names Honda 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.

WMIVehicle typeManufacturer (vPIC)CountryAlso decodes as
19XPassenger carAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
1HFMotorcycleAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
1HGPassenger carAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
2HGPassenger carHonda of Canada Mfg., a Division of Honda Canada Inc.CanadaHonda only
2HJTruckHonda of Canada Mfg., a Division of Honda Canada Inc.CanadaHonda only
2HKSUV / MPVHonda of Canada Mfg., a Division of Honda Canada Inc.CanadaHonda only
3CZSUV / MPVHonda de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.MexicoHonda only
3DHSUV / MPVHonda de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.MexicoHonda only
3H1MotorcycleHonda de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.MexicoHonda only
3HDSUV / MPVHonda de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.MexicoAcura
3HGPassenger carHonda de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.MexicoHonda only
478MotorcycleAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
5FNSUV / MPVAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
5FPTruckAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
5J6SUV / MPVAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
5J7TruckAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
5KBPassenger carAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
7FASUV / MPVAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.United StatesHonda only
9C2MotorcycleMoto Honda da Amazonia Ltda.BrazilHonda only
JH1TruckHonda Motor Co., Ltd.not listedHonda only
JH2MotorcycleHonda Motor Co., Ltd.JapanHonda only
JH3MotorcycleHonda Motor Co., Ltd.JapanHonda only
JHLSUV / MPVHonda Motor Co., Ltd.not listedHonda only
JHMPassenger carHonda Motor Co., Ltd.not listedHonda only
LALMotorcycleSundiro Honda Motorcycle Co., Ltd.ChinaHonda only
LWBMotorcycleAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.ChinaHonda only
MLHMotorcycleThai Honda Co., Ltd.ThailandHonda only
RLHMotorcycleHonda Vietnam Co., Ltd.VietnamHonda only
SHHPassenger carHonda of The U.K. Mfg., Ltd.United KingdomHonda only
SHSSUV / MPVHonda of The U.K. Mfg., Ltd.United KingdomHonda only
VTDMotorcycleMontesa Honda SASpainHonda only
VTMMotorcycleMontesa Honda SASpainHonda only
YC1MotorcycleAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.BelgiumHonda only
ZDCMotorcycleAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.ItalyHonda only

Where the VIN is on a Honda

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 Honda VIN

To show what to expect, we decoded a 2023 Civic Sport from a public used listing on September 15, 2026 (VIN 2HGFE2F53PH******). vPIC returned the fields below and left Series, Transmission speeds, Plant name blank; those are attributes Honda did not file for this pattern.

FieldValue returned
MakeHONDA
ManufacturerHONDA OF CANADA MFG., A DIVISION OF HONDA CANADA INC.
ModelCivic
Model year2023
TrimSport
Body classSedan/Saloon
Vehicle typePASSENGER CAR
Engine modelK20C2
Cylinders4
Displacement (L)2.0
Horsepower158
FuelGasoline
TransmissionContinuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Drive4x2
Doors4
Plant cityALLISTON
Plant stateONTARIO
Plant countryCANADA
GVWR classClass 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg)

Honda model year by the 10th character

The 10th character of every HondaVIN 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 characterModel year (7th character numeric)Model year (7th character a letter)
A2010
B2011
C2012
D2013
E2014
F2015
G2016
H2017
J2018
K2019
L2020
M2021
N2022
P2023
R2024
S2025
T2026
V2027
W2028
X2029
Y2030
12001
22002
32003
42004
52005
62006
72007
82008
92009

What a Honda 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 Honda filed them with NHTSA.
  • Whether the VIN is valid: length, allowed characters and the position-9 check digit.
  • Which of Honda's 34 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 Honda 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 Honda?

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 Honda VIN mean?

They are the World Manufacturer Identifier. NHTSA vPIC lists 34 WMIs that decode to Honda, registered in these countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Italy. The US-registered ones are 19X, 1HF, 1HG, 478, 5FN, 5FP, 5J6, 5J7, 5KB, 7FA. The full table is on this page and comes straight from vPIC.

Can a Honda VIN start with a WMI that also belongs to another brand?

Yes. vPIC lists 1 of Honda's 34 WMIs as shared with another make (for example 3HD with Acura). That is why the decoder reads positions 4 to 8 and the model year rather than trusting the first three characters alone.

What does the free Honda VIN decode show?

Whatever Honda filed with NHTSA for that VIN pattern. For a 2023 Civic Sport from a public used listing, vPIC returned 19 fields including model, trim, engine, transmission, plant, and left these blank: series, transmission speeds, plant name. A blank means Honda did not file that attribute for the pattern, not that the vehicle lacks it.

How do I read the model year in a Honda 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 Honda 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 Honda 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

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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