VIN Decoder API

Decode any 17-character VIN: make, model, model year, trim, body, engine, fuel, transmission, drive type and plant, plus check digit validation, region and country of manufacture. Always answers, even when the upstream registry is slow.

Authentication & base URL

Subscribe through one of our marketplace listings; your marketplace API key and base URL are shown there. All endpoints return JSON over HTTPS, served from a global edge network (typically 20–150 ms).

Endpoints

GET /v1/vin/{vin}

Decode VIN

Example

GET /v1/vin/1HGCM82633A004352

{
  "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
  "wmi": "1HG",
  "vds": "CM8263",
  "vis": "3A004352",
  "checkDigit": {
    "expected": "3",
    "actual": "3",
    "valid": true,
    "note": "The check digit is mandatory in North America; many European VINs do not use it."
  },
  "modelYear": 2003,
  "possibleModelYears": [
    2003
  ],
  "region": "North America",
  "country": "United States",
  "plantCode": "A",
  "serialNumber": "004352",
  "decoded": {
    "make": "HONDA",
    "manufacturer": "AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.",
    "model": "Accord",
    "modelYear": 2003,
    "trim": "EX-V6",
    "vehicleType": "PASSENGER CAR",
    "bodyClass": "Coupe",
    "doors": 2,
    "transmission": "Automatic",
    "transmissionSpeeds": 5,
    "engineCylinders": 6,
    "displacementL": 3,
    "engineHP": 240,
    "engineModel": "J30A4",
    "fuelType": "Gasoline",
    "plantCity": "MARYSVILLE",
    "plantCountry": "UNITED STATES (USA)",
    "gvwr": "Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)"
  },
  "source": "nhtsa-vpic (cached)",
  "attribution": "Vehicle data: NHTSA vPIC (U.S. public domain)"
}

Decode any 17-character VIN: make, model, model year, trim, body, engine, fuel, transmission, drive type and plant, plus check digit validation, region and country of manufacture. Always answers, even when the upstream registry is slow.

Use cases

Car marketplaces and classifieds, insurance quotes, fleet management, dealer and repair shop software, vehicle history and import tools, auto parts compatibility.

Why this API

• Official data: NHTSA vPIC (U.S. public domain), cached for speed.
• Built-in fallback: check digit, model year, region and country are decoded locally, so you always get an answer.
• Clean JSON with only the fields that have values.
• Fair pricing: Free plan 500 requests/month, Pro 25,000 for $4.99, Ultra 150,000 for $14.99.

Support

Questions or a feature you need? Open a thread in the Discussions tab.

Pricing

Free plan with 500 calls per month, then Pro (25,000 calls for $4.99/month) and Ultra (150,000 calls for $14.99/month). See all plans.