A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code assigned to every vehicle manufactured since 1981. It acts like a fingerprint for your car, identifying key details like its country of origin, manufacturer, model, engine type, and production year. Your VIN is typically located on the driver-side dashboard (visible through the windshield) or inside the driver-side door jamb.
Every vehicle’s VIN plays a crucial role in service, sales, recalls, and insurance.
Having said that, it is perfectly safe to share your VIN. It’s in plain view, openly visible, as is your license plate. We would argue in favor of disclosing your VIN when selling your car, so that a buyer can review the vehicle’s history and understand what they’re getting themselves into. They may even request it from you. The more transparency, the better, as it allows the buyer to learn more about the vehicle and also speeds up the selling process.
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Let's discuss how it can be used to find the car's history and help you decode its meaning. By the end, you should understand more about this unique identifier and know when to walk away from a car sale that doesn't seem right.
The VIN is akin to the identity of your vehicle. It's similar to a person's social security number in that it only identifies one vehicle, showing where it was manufactured, what engine it contains and more.
VINs are used for a variety of purposes, including locating replacement parts, issuing traffic tickets, and determining the original equipment and date of manufacture for vintage automobiles. Insurance companies use VINs to associate coverage with a specific vehicle, and history reports such as CARFAX are based on information associated with the vehicle’s VIN, not on the physical paper trail, title, or license plate number. This is because the VIN of a vehicle is permanent, unless tampering has occurred.
There’s a common misconception that sharing your VIN could somehow put your car at risk or affect its history. While VINs are public by design, there are rare instances where someone could attempt to use your VIN inappropriately, such as entering it into a database to report inaccurate incidents, accidents, or service records.
This is highly unusual, but if it occurs, it could result in erroneous information surfacing on vehicle history reports from sources like CARFAX or AutoCheck. However, it’s important to note that legitimate history report providers have safeguards in place to help prevent fake entries from impacting your vehicle’s record.
If you ever notice incorrect data associated with your VIN, you can dispute the inaccuracies directly with these companies, which can investigate and update the records as needed. For most car owners, the benefits of sharing your VIN (transparency, trust, and a smoother sale or purchase process) far outweigh the very minimal risks.
Being informed and proactive will help ensure your vehicle’s history remains accurate. While VINs are publicly visible by design, there is a slight risk of misuse. Someone could attempt to use your VIN to create a false history or register a cloned vehicle.
However, vehicle history report providers like CARFAX and AutoCheck have safeguards that detect and prevent most forms of data manipulation. If inaccurate information ever appears, you can file a dispute with CARFAX or AutoCheck directly.
VINs are decoded using a procedure known as VIN Decoding. Each vehicle is identified by a unique VIN sequence and decoding process. A shop manual or forum should contain instructions on how to decode your vehicle’s VIN.
The first digit or letter indicates the country of origin, or where the car was made. The next two are the vehicle manufacturer code. Following that, you have a code for the model, engine size, engine type, vehicle security code, vehicle serial number and the plant where it was assembled.
When selling a car, it is generally safe to disclose the VIN. However, depending on how you sell your car, this practice may be beneficial or detrimental. In general, it is preferable not to disclose the VIN to anyone other than a prospective buyer or a professional dealer. We never recommend giving the information to random people who are asking. Share your VIN with potential buyers and those in authority, but otherwise, there's no reason to give it out. There are some uncommon but significant risks associated with advertising your VIN on the internet, including VIN cloning, which will be discussed more later.
While you don’t need to actively hide your VIN, it’s wise to be cautious about where and how it’s shared—especially online—to prevent misuse. Treat your VIN like a key to your car’s background. If posted carelessly on public forums or unsecured listings, it could be misused by someone intending to clone your vehicle’s identity or create fraudulent documents.
As a rule of thumb, only provide your VIN to serious buyers, trusted dealerships, or reputable service providers. Taking a little extra care can help you avoid unnecessary trouble down the road. On the other hand, it's safe to share your VIN if you want someone to look up the vehicle's past. Giving the VIN to potential buyers allows transparency in the transaction and proves you have nothing to hide. A person will be more confident in the sale, making it easier to get top dollar for your car.
Because VIN data is not public record, providing your car’s VIN to a potential buyer, whether online or in person, is normally completely safe. VIN can only be used to obtain general information about the service records and history of your vehicle.
It’s also important to clarify that a VIN is not considered personal information. Unlike a Social Security number that is tied to your identity, a VIN is simply a unique identifier for your vehicle—it’s linked to the car, not to you as an individual. Sharing your VIN does not expose any of your personal details.
After all, anyone can approach your car and read or write down its VIN. VIN is found on a metal plate under the windshield, where anyone can see it. It can also be found by tracing the license plate number, reading the card on the door jamb or on pertinent documents, such as your registration documents or insurance documents. Even so, there is no danger, as VIN data is not public. It's just meant to give your car a unique identity.
If you are selling a used car, it makes complete sense to share it on the Facebook Marketplace. To sell a car online, you want to offer peace of mind to potential buyers. By putting in the VIN, a legitimate buyer can trace the history and will feel more comfortable purchasing the car.
Additionally, it's not a big deal to share the license plate number online. Nothing personal can be found out through the license plate number, but it can be used to get the VIN and run a vehicle history report.
When sharing online, use secure and reputable websites or platforms to prevent misuse.
It is typically located on the driver’s side dashboard near the base of the windshield on North American vehicles manufactured in the last few decades. The second location is just below the door latch on the driver’s side door jamb. The VIN is typically located beneath the hood of vintage vehicles on an identification plate.
Aside from these locations, you can find the VIN on identifying documents, such as insurance paperwork and registration.
Oftentimes, portions of the VIN can be found stamped on multiple components of vintage vehicles. The term “numbers matching” refers to a car whose engine, transmission, body, and other components all retain their original serial numbers.
In the United States, the government maintains VIN records, and dealerships and repair shops have access to the VIN data. These establishments add repair history and purchase information to the VIN to create a record for future buyers. Whenever you take your vehicle in for maintenance, such as an engine oil change or brake replacement, this information may be reported by the VIN.
Mechanics and service providers often require the VIN to identify the correct parts and ensure service is tailored to your specific vehicle. This helps them access your car’s maintenance and repair history, so any work performed is based on accurate, up-to-date information.
By tracing the VIN, service professionals can also confirm which parts are compatible with your make and model, preventing costly mistakes and helping to maintain the vehicle’s value. Having this record is not just useful for technicians—it also offers peace of mind to future buyers, who can see that maintenance and repairs have been properly documented.
Dealerships specifically request to accurately identify your vehicle when ordering parts, performing services, checking for manufacturer recalls, or processing warranty claims. Because each VIN is unique, it ensures that any work performed or parts supplied are a precise match for your specific car.
This helps avoid mistakes like installing the wrong component or missing a critical recall. So, whether your car is in the shop for routine service or a more complex repair, details tied to your VIN help maintain an accurate, comprehensive record of your vehicle’s history that can be referenced by mechanics, buyers, and safety organizations alike. We offer a free consultation to ensure your rights are protected. Schedule with The Lemon Pros today.
Companies providing vehicle history reports also have access, such as CARFAX. Potential buyers can look up this information to see if there have been any accidents or to check on the maintenance history. If there's a discrepancy with the information, the California DMV can change it.
Furthermore, organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also have access. This information is used for safety recalls and to track complaints. Moreover, your insurance company has access to the VIN. It is used to report any accidents and the number can be found on your insurance documents. Finally, law enforcement agencies and customs also have access, as these may be used to report any infractions or track down a stolen vehicle.
VIN cloning is an extremely difficult and illegal procedure. This occurs when someone scribbles the VIN of an unsuspecting vehicle of the same make and model that they stole, possibly in a parking lot or dealership, and uses it to alter documentation. The cloned VIN is then used to conceal theft by obtaining a legitimate VIN plate from another registered vehicle, typically in a different area.
Another method of VIN cloning is to steal the VIN plate from a vehicle (most likely by cutting it out of the vehicle’s frame) and then welding it to another vehicle of the same make and model.
When purchasing a used vehicle, ensure that the VINs on the documentation and the vehicle match. The manufacturer prints the VIN in a few locations on the vehicle, most notably on the dashboard against the base of the windshield and on the inside of the door frame. Conduct thorough research on your specific model to ensure accuracy. Because thieves are unlikely to take the welding-new-VINs approach to car theft, verifying that the numbers match is a good way to ensure the car is legitimate.
You can run a search with the license plate number to ensure that the two match up. As a potential buyer, you don't want to purchase anything that seems to have the wrong VIN. Thankfully, you should only have these issues when buying through a private party. A reputable dealership will have already run the license plate numbers and VINs of any car they sell.
However, exercise caution, as if the numbers do not match and you purchase the car, you risk being charged with car theft, having the car taken away from you, and being left with nothing. VINs are another point to keep in mind when dealing with automobile transactions. It’s a good idea to obtain it so you can verify the vehicle’s history with the seller.
If you’re selling, it’s prudent to be vigilant against scams such as VIN cloning. Maintain your documentation, and as long as you have a valid title, you should be fine.
Use reputable vehicle history services (like CARFAX or AutoCheck) before buying. These can reveal if the VIN has been flagged or cloned elsewhere. Inspect the VIN plate and surrounding area for signs of tampering, such as scratched paint, mismatched rivets, or uneven surfaces.
Purchase from well-known dealers or established sellers with a solid track record, as they are more likely to have verified the legitimacy of the vehicles they sell. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. An unusually low price could signal hidden issues, including a cloned VIN.
If anything feels off—whether it’s the seller or the vehicle—report your concerns to local authorities or the DMV to avoid getting caught up in a scam. By staying alert and following these steps, you can help protect yourself from the headaches and legal trouble that come with VIN cloning.
For most decoders and vehicle databases, providing the full 17-character VIN is required to generate a complete report. However, when only partial information is needed, you can often use just the last 6 digits, especially in tools like VINDecoderz or when verifying model-specific details. To share vehicle details safely and smartly during early conversations, consider these options:
Without the full VIN, you'll be limited to model/trim information and not full history. For legal and insurance-related inquiries, full VINs are non-negotiable.
Learning more about the VIN helps both buyers and sellers have a smoother transaction. When it comes to selling or buying cars, you can never be too safe. Make sure to verify the VIN of a car you want to buy and be sure to supply the information to potential buyers for their peace of mind.
If you need more guidance or have questions, it's best to consult with the Lemon Law attorneys in Beverly Hills. We offer a free consultation to ensure your rights are protected. Schedule an appointment with The Lemon Pros today.
Phone: (855) 725-2446
Email: info@thelemonpros.com
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