BMW VIN decoder
Enter a BMW VIN to see the model, year, engine, factory and open safety recalls. Free, with official NHTSA data.
About BMW VINs
BMW cars built in Germany start with WBA, M models from BMW M GmbH often with WBS, and the X-series SUVs built in Spartanburg, South Carolina with 5UX or 5YM. BMW motorcycles use their own codes starting with WB1.
BMW is part of BMW Group.
Good to know
- BMW dealers and parts catalogues use the last 7 characters of the VIN, so you will often see only those on service records.
- The VIN does not show factory options. BMW keeps them per car, and the decode shows the model and engine.
- The 11th character tells the plant, for example Munich, Dingolfing, Regensburg or Spartanburg.
BMW manufacturer codes (WMI)
The first three characters of a VIN are the World Manufacturer Identifier. NHTSA lists 15 codes for BMW. The first character shows the region where the vehicle was built (1, 4, 5 USA; 2 Canada; 3 Mexico; J Japan; K Korea; W Germany; Z Italy).
| Code | Manufacturer | Country | Vehicle type | Also used by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3MF | BMW AG | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
| 3MW | BMW AG | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
| 4US | BMW Manufacturer Corporation / BMW North America | United States (USA) | Passenger Car | – |
| 5UM | BMW AG | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
| 5UX | BMW Manufacturer Corporation / BMW North America | United States (USA) | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| 5YM | BMW Manufacturer Corporation / BMW North America | United States (USA) | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| WAP | BMW Of North America, LLC | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
| WB1 | BMW AG Motorcycles | Germany | Motorcycle | – |
| WB3 | BMW AG Motorcycles | Germany | Motorcycle | – |
| WB4 | BMW AG Motorcycles | Germany | Motorcycle | – |
| WB5 | BMW AG | Germany | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| WBA | BMW AG | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
| WBS | BMW M GmbH | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
| WBX | BMW AG | Germany | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| WBY | BMW AG | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
How to read a BMW VIN
| Position | Meaning | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Manufacturer code (WMI) | Maker, brand and country, as in the table above. |
| 4-8 | Vehicle descriptor | Model, body, engine and safety equipment. Each maker sets its own layout here. |
| 9 | Check digit | A calculated digit that catches typing errors and fake VINs. |
| 10 | Model year | A letter or number for the year (see the table below). |
| 11 | Assembly plant | The factory code, set by the maker. |
| 12-17 | Serial number | The production number of that vehicle. |
Model year codes
The 10th character of a BMW VIN is the model year. Letters I, O, Q, U, Z and the number 0 are never used. The codes repeat every 30 years.
BMW models in the NHTSA database
NHTSA lists 265 model names under BMW. Decode a VIN to see which one yours is, with its exact trim and engine.
BMW models with years and recalls
- BMW 740 2027
- BMW 228 2026–2027
- BMW R 12 G/S 2026–2027
- BMW R 1300 R 2026–2027
- BMW R 1300 RT 2026–2027
- BMW iX3 2027
- BMW iX4 2027
- BMW iX5 2027
- BMW M350 2027
- BMW F 450 GS 2027
- BMW M 1000 RS 2027
- BMW R 1300 RS 2026
All BMW model names
- 1M
- 128i
- 135i
- 228
- 228i
- 230i
- 318i
- 318iC
- 318iS
- 318ti
- 320i
- 323i
- 323iC
- 323is
- 325/325e
- 325/325eS
- 325Ci
- 325i
- 325i/325is
- 325iC
- 325iS
- 325ix
- 325xi
- 328Ci
- 328d
- 328i
- 328iC
- 328iS
- 328xi
- 330Ci
- 330e
- 330i
- 330xi
- 335
- 335d
- 335i
- 335is
- 335xi
- 340i
- 428i
- 430i
- 435i
- 440i
- 524td
- 525i
- 525iA
- 525xi
- 528e
- 528i
- 528xi
- 530e
- 530i
- 530iA
- 530xi
- 533i
- 535d
- 535i
- 535i/535is
- 535xi
- 540d
Show all 265 models
- 540i
- 540iA
- 545i
- 550e
- 550i
- 633 csi
- 635CSi
- 640i
- 640xi
- 645Ci
- 645i
- 650i
- 650i, Alpina B6
- 650i, B6
- 650xi
- 730i
- 733i
- 735i
- 735iL
- 740
- 740e
- 740i
- 740iL
- 740Li
- 745e
- 745i
- 745Le
- 745Li
- 750e
- 750i
- 750i, Alpina B7
- 750i, B7
- 750iL
- 750Li
- 750Li, Alpina B7
- 750Lxi
- 750Lxi, Alpina B7
- 750xi
- 750xi, Alpina B7
- 760i
- 760Li
- 840Ci
- 840i
- 850Ci
- 850CSi
- 850i
- ActiveE
- ActiveHybrid 3
- ActiveHybrid 5
- ActiveHybrid 7
- Alpina
- Alpina B8
- B7
- C 400 GT
- C 400 X
- C 600
- C 650
- C 650 GT
- CE 02
- CE 04
- C Evolution
- F 450 GS
- F 650
- F 650 CS
- F 650 GS
- F 650 S
- F 700 GS
- F 750 GS
- F 800 GS
- F 800 GT
- F 800 R
- F 800 S
- F 800 ST
- F 850 GS
- F 900
- F 900 GS
- F 900 GS-P
- F 900 GS Adventure
- F 900 R
- F 900 XR
- G 310 GS
- G 310 R
- G 450 X
- G 650
- G 650 GS
- HP2
- HP4
- i3
- i4
- i5
- i7
- i8
- iX
- iX3
- iX4
- iX5
- K1
- K75
- K75RT
- K75S
- K100
- K 100 LT
- K 100 RS
- K 100 RT
- K 1100 LT
- K 1100 RS
- K 1200 GT
- K 1200 LT
- K 1200 R
- K 1200 RS
- K 1200 S
- K 1300 GT
- K 1300 R
- K 1300 S
- K 1600 B
- K 1600 GT
- K 1600 GTL
- L7
- M2
- M3
- M3Ci
- M4
- M5
- M6
- M8
- M235
- M235i
- M240i
- M340i
- M350
- M440i
- M550i
- M760i
- M760Li
- M850i
- M 1000
- M 1000 R
- M 1000 RR
- M 1000 RS
- M 1000 XR
- R 12
- R 12 G/S
- R 12 nineT
- R 18
- R 18 B
- R 18 Classic
- R 18 Roctane
- R 18 Transcontinental
- R 65
- R 65 LS
- R 80
- R 80 GS
- R 80 RT
- R 80 ST
- R 100
- R 100 CS
- R 100 GS
- R 100 GSPD
- R 100 R
- R 100 RS
- R 100 RT
- R 850 R
- R 900 RT
- R 1100 GS
- R 1100 R
- R 1100 RS
- R 1100 RT
- R 1100 S
- R 1150 GS
- R 1150 R
- R 1150 RS
- R 1150 RT
- R 1200 C
- R 1200 CL
- R 1200 GS
- R 1200 R
- R 1200 RS
- R 1200 RT
- R 1200 S
- R 1200 ST
- R 1250 GS
- R 1250 GS Adventure
- R 1250 R
- R 1250 RS
- R 1250 RT
- R 1300 GS
- R 1300 GS Adventure
- R 1300 R
- R 1300 RS
- R 1300 RT
- R nineT
- S 1000 R
- S 1000 RR
- S 1000 XR
- X1
- X2
- X3
- X4
- X5
- X6
- X7
- XM
- Z3
- Z4
- Z8
Vehicle types NHTSA lists for BMW
Motorcycle, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV), Passenger Car
Where to find the VIN on a BMW
Windshield
At the bottom of the windshield on the driver side, readable from outside.
Driver door frame
On the label on the door pillar, with tire pressures and weights.
Papers
On the title, registration and insurance card.
BMW recalls by VIN
Every decoded BMW VIN on VinGear shows the safety recalls NHTSA lists for that model and year. To know whether the repair was already done on your vehicle, ask a BMW dealer or use BMW's own recall lookup with the VIN.
Most recalled BMW models
- BMW R 1300 RT 1 recall, 2026–2027
BMW VIN decoder questions
How do I decode a BMW VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN in the box at the top of this page and press Decode VIN. You get the model, year, engine, factory and safety recalls from NHTSA, free.
Is this BMW VIN decoder free?
Yes. Decoding and recall checks are free with no sign-up. The data comes from NHTSA, the US vehicle safety agency.
What do the first three characters of a BMW VIN mean?
They are the manufacturer code (WMI): maker, brand and country of manufacture. NHTSA lists 15 codes for BMW; the table on this page shows them.
Does a BMW VIN show options or the owner?
No. The VIN codes the model, body, engine and factory, not options or colour. It never shows the owner, and VinGear does not look up owners.