VIN guides
Why is my VIN invalid?
A few checks can help you resolve VIN typing errors and understand coverage limits.
Count the characters
This tool accepts complete modern 17-character VINs. Remove leading or trailing spaces, and make sure you did not miss a character. Older vehicles may use shorter manufacturer-specific identifiers that this tool does not support.
Check similar-looking characters
Modern VINs do not use I, O, or Q. Check the original label rather than guessing between letters and numbers. Read the VIN from the vehicle and compare it with the registration when possible.
Understand a check-digit mismatch
If NHTSA reports a check-digit mismatch, recheck the entire identifier. A typo in another position can cause the validation to fail. A correct check digit still does not establish that a VIN plate is original or that the vehicle has a clean history.
The format can be right while data is limited
Some older, imported, specialized, or incompletely reported vehicles cannot be confidently identified from the available records. Contact the manufacturer if the source cannot identify your vehicle. A temporary NHTSA outage is a separate issue: wait a moment and try again.