Volkswagen VIN decoder
Enter a Volkswagen VIN to see the model, year, engine, factory and open safety recalls. Free, with official NHTSA data.
About Volkswagen VINs
German-built Volkswagen cars start with WVW and SUVs with WVG. Many VWs sold in the US come from Mexico (3VW, the Jetta and older Golfs from Puebla) or from Chattanooga, Tennessee (1VW and 1V2 for the Passat, Atlas and ID.4).
Volkswagen is part of Volkswagen Group.
Good to know
- Positions 7-8 often hold the VW model code, for example 1K for some Golf and Jetta generations.
- Factory options are printed on the data sticker in the trunk or spare-wheel well and in the service booklet, not in the VIN.
- Audi and Porsche belong to the same group but use their own codes.
Volkswagen manufacturer codes (WMI)
The first three characters of a VIN are the World Manufacturer Identifier. NHTSA lists 11 codes for Volkswagen. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1V1 | Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. | United States (USA) | Truck | – |
| 1V2 | Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. | United States (USA) | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| 1VW | Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. | United States (USA) | Passenger Car | – |
| 3VV | Volkswagen De Mexico Sa De Cv | Mexico | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| 3VW | Volkswagen De Mexico Sa De Cv | Mexico | Passenger Car | – |
| 9BW | Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. | Mexico | Passenger Car | – |
| WV1 | Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. | Germany | Truck | – |
| WV2 | Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. | Germany | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| WV3 | Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. | Germany | Incomplete Vehicle | – |
| WVG | Volkswagen AG | Germany | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| WVW | Volkswagen AG | Germany | Passenger Car | – |
How to read a Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen VIN is the model year. Letters I, O, Q, U, Z and the number 0 are never used. The codes repeat every 30 years.
Volkswagen models in the NHTSA database
NHTSA lists 40 model names under Volkswagen. Decode a VIN to see which one yours is, with its exact trim and engine.
- Arteon
- Atlas
- Atlas Cross Sport
- Beetle
- Cabrio
- CABRIOLET
- CC
- Corrado
- Dasher
- e-Golf
- Eos
- EuroVan
- FOX
- GLI
- Golf
- Golf Alltrack
- Golf GTI
- Golf III
- Golf R
- Golf SportWagen
- GTI
- ID.4
- ID. Buzz
- Jetta
- Jetta GLI
- Jetta SportWagen
- Jetta Wagon
- KOMBI
- Passat
- Phaeton
- Quantum
- R32
- Rabbit
- Routan
- Scirocco
- Taos
- Tiguan
- Tiguan Limited
- Touareg
- Vanagon
Vehicle types NHTSA lists for Volkswagen
Incomplete Vehicle, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV), Passenger Car, Truck
Where to find the VIN on a Volkswagen
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.
Volkswagen recalls by VIN
Every decoded Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen dealer or use Volkswagen's own recall lookup with the VIN.
Volkswagen VIN decoder questions
How do I decode a Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen VIN mean?
They are the manufacturer code (WMI): maker, brand and country of manufacture. NHTSA lists 11 codes for Volkswagen; the table on this page shows them.
Does a Volkswagen 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.