VIN Year Chart: the 10th Character, 1980 to 2030
The 10th character of a VIN is the model year: A is 1980 or 2010, B is 1981 or 2011, through Y for 2000 or 2030, with 1 to 9 covering 2001 to 2009 and 2031 to 2039. The codes come from 49 CFR 565.15 (Table XIII for 1980 to 2013, Table VII for 2005 to 2039), read on the eCFR on September 15, 2026. For cars, SUVs and light trucks a numeric 7th character means the earlier cycle and a letter means 2010 onward. Paste a VIN below and the decoder resolves it; the full chart follows.
Facts and links on this page were checked on September 15, 2026.
The full chart, 1980 to 2039
Both columns use the same code. The left column is the 1980 cycle (Table XIII), the right column the 2010 cycle (Table VII). For passenger cars, SUVs and trucks up to 10,000 lb GVWR, read the left column when the 7th character of the VIN is a digit and the right column when it is a letter.
| 10th character | Model year (7th character numeric) | Model year (7th character a letter) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1980 | 2010 |
| B | 1981 | 2011 |
| C | 1982 | 2012 |
| D | 1983 | 2013 |
| E | 1984 | 2014 |
| F | 1985 | 2015 |
| G | 1986 | 2016 |
| H | 1987 | 2017 |
| J | 1988 | 2018 |
| K | 1989 | 2019 |
| L | 1990 | 2020 |
| M | 1991 | 2021 |
| N | 1992 | 2022 |
| P | 1993 | 2023 |
| R | 1994 | 2024 |
| S | 1995 | 2025 |
| T | 1996 | 2026 |
| V | 1997 | 2027 |
| W | 1998 | 2028 |
| X | 1999 | 2029 |
| Y | 2000 | 2030 |
| 1 | 2001 | 2031 |
| 2 | 2002 | 2032 |
| 3 | 2003 | 2033 |
| 4 | 2004 | 2034 |
| 5 | 2005 | 2035 |
| 6 | 2006 | 2036 |
| 7 | 2007 | 2037 |
| 8 | 2008 | 2038 |
| 9 | 2009 | 2039 |
The 7th-character rule, exactly as written
Note to Table VII, 49 CFR 565.15: "For passenger cars, and for multipurpose passenger vehicles and trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4536 kg (10,000 lb) or less, if position 7 is numeric, the Model Year in position 10 of the VIN refers to a year in the range 1980-2009. If position 7 is alphabetic, the Model Year in Position 10 of the VIN refers to a year in the range 2010-2039." The same regulation requires that VINs of any two vehicles built within a 30-year period are never identical, which is what makes the shared codes safe.
Where the VIN is, by make
The placement is federal, not brand-specific: 49 CFR 565.13(f) puts the VIN of every passenger car, SUV and light truck inside the passenger compartment where it can be read through the glass from the driver-side windshield pillar, and 49 CFR 567.4 puts the certification label (which repeats the VIN) at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge. Trailers carry the label on the forward half of the left side (567.4(d)); motorcycles near the steering head (567.4(e)). The per-make decoders below list each make's WMI codes.
| Make | Where to find the VIN |
|---|---|
| Ford | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Toyota | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Honda | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Chevrolet | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Nissan | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| BMW | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Audi | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Jeep | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Subaru | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Hyundai | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Kia | Dashboard plate at the base of the windshield, driver side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13(f)); certification label at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge (49 CFR 567.4(c)); title, registration and insurance card. |
| Harley-Davidson | Stamped on the steering head, and on a label on the right front down tube (Harley-Davidson). The certification label for any motorcycle sits as close as practicable to where the steering post meets the handlebars (49 CFR 567.4(e)). |
Worked examples from real decodes
- 1HGCM82633A004352: 10th character 3, 7th character 2 (numeric), so 2003. NHTSA agrees: a 2003 Honda Accord.
- 1FTEW1EG1JFE44843: 10th character J, 7th character E (alphabetic), so 2018. NHTSA: 2018 Ford F-150.
- 2HGFE2F53PH521585: 10th character P, 7th character F, so 2023. NHTSA: 2023 Honda Civic.
- 1HD1KB4157Y675236(a motorcycle): 10th character 7, so 2007; the 7th-character rule does not apply to motorcycles, and NHTSA resolves 2007 from Harley-Davidson's pattern.
What free sources can show
- The model year, from the 10th character and the 7th-character rule, for any 1981-or-later VIN.
- NHTSA's own model year for the VIN, which applies the manufacturer's pattern (the decoder shows both).
- The month and year of manufacture: on the certification label in the door jamb, not in the VIN.
- Where the VIN is on the vehicle, by make, from the federal placement rules.
What they cannot
- A year for a pre-1981 serial number: there is no standard position.
- The build date from the VIN alone: the 10th character is the model year.
- Resolve the 1980-to-2009 versus 2010-to-2039 cycle by rule for heavy trucks, trailers or motorcycles: NHTSA uses the manufacturer's pattern instead.
- Anything about the vehicle's history: a decode is the build record only.
Common questions
Which character of the VIN is the year?
The 10th. Under 49 CFR 565.15 it is a single letter or digit: A for 1980, B for 1981 and so on to Y for 2000, then 1 to 9 for 2001 to 2009, then the cycle repeats with A for 2010 through Y for 2030 and 1 to 9 for 2031 to 2039. The letters I, O, Q, U and Z and the digit 0 are never used.
How do I tell a 1985 VIN from a 2015 VIN if both use F?
By the 7th character. The note to Table VII in 49 CFR 565.15 says that for passenger cars, and for SUVs and trucks of 10,000 lb GVWR or less, a numeric 7th character means the 10th character refers to 1980 to 2009, and an alphabetic 7th character means 2010 to 2039. The decoder on this page applies that rule; for heavier vehicles, trailers and motorcycles the rule is not defined, and NHTSA resolves the year from the manufacturer's pattern.
Is the 10th character the build date?
No, it is the model year, which the manufacturer designates and which can run ahead of the calendar: a car built in late 2019 can carry a 2020 code. The month and year of manufacture are on the certification label in the driver door jamb (49 CFR 567.4(g)(2)).
Why does 2010 start over at A?
Because the 1980 cycle ran out of usable characters after 9 in 2009. Rather than extend the alphabet, the regulation reused the same 30 codes and added the 7th-character rule to keep the two cycles apart. That is why 49 CFR 565.13(d) says VINs of vehicles built within a 30-year period must not be identical.
What year code does a 2026 vehicle have?
T. From Table VII: S is 2025, T is 2026, V is 2027, W is 2028, X is 2029 and Y is 2030.
Do older cars have a year code?
Only from the 1981 model year, when the 17-character VIN with a check digit became mandatory. Pre-1981 serial numbers use each manufacturer's own scheme and do not have a standard year position; the classic car VIN decoder page covers what to do with those.
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
- 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.
- 49 CFR Part 567, Certification label (eCFR), checked September 15, 2026: 567.4(c): label on the hinge pillar, door-latch post or door edge next to the driver's seat (trailers and motorcycles excepted); 567.4(g)(6): the label carries the VIN.
- 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.
- Harley-Davidson Safety Recall Information, checked September 15, 2026: "You can locate your VIN, stamped on the steering head, and also on a label located on the right front down tube."
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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