VIN year codes
VIN model year codes
The 10th character of a VIN is its model year. The chart below gives the code for every year, both 30-year cycles, and the rule that tells them apart.
VIN model year codes
Model year is the 10th of the 17 characters. It uses 30 codes - the letters A to Y with I, O, Q, U and Z left out, then the digits 1 to 9 - and the sequence repeats every 30 years, so 1985 and 2015 share a code.
| Year | Code |
|---|---|
| 2039 | 9 |
| 2038 | 8 |
| 2037 | 7 |
| 2036 | 6 |
| 2035 | 5 |
| 2034 | 4 |
| 2033 | 3 |
| 2032 | 2 |
| 2031 | 1 |
| 2030 | Y |
| 2029 | X |
| 2028 | W |
| 2027 | V |
| 2026 | T |
| 2025 | S |
| 2024 | R |
| 2023 | P |
| 2022 | N |
| 2021 | M |
| 2020 | L |
| 2019 | K |
| 2018 | J |
| 2017 | H |
| 2016 | G |
| 2015 | F |
| 2014 | E |
| 2013 | D |
| 2012 | C |
| 2011 | B |
| 2010 | A |
| Year | Code |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2000 | Y |
| 1999 | X |
| 1998 | W |
| 1997 | V |
| 1996 | T |
| 1995 | S |
| 1994 | R |
| 1993 | P |
| 1992 | N |
| 1991 | M |
| 1990 | L |
| 1989 | K |
| 1988 | J |
| 1987 | H |
| 1986 | G |
| 1985 | F |
| 1984 | E |
| 1983 | D |
| 1982 | C |
| 1981 | B |
| 1980 | A |
Telling the two cycles apart
When two years share a 10th-character code, the 7th character settles it: it is a digit for model years 1980-2009 and a letter for 2010-2039. So a car whose 10th character is "F" is a 1985 if position 7 is a number and a 2015 if it is a letter.
VIN year code questions
Which VIN character is the model year?
The 10th character, counting from the left. The full 17-character VIN reads: positions 1-3 the maker (WMI), 4-8 the vehicle description, 9 a check digit, 10 the model year, 11 the plant, and 12-17 the serial number.
Why do two years have the same VIN code?
Only 30 codes are used and they cycle, so each code comes round every 30 years - 1985 and 2015 are both "F". The 7th character breaks the tie: a digit means 1980-2009, a letter means 2010-2039.
Which letters are skipped?
I, O, Q, U and Z are never used as year codes (I, O and Q are skipped everywhere in a VIN because they look like 1 and 0). The year sequence is A-Y without those, then 1-9.
Is the VIN year the same as the build date?
No. The model year is the manufacturer’s designation and often starts months before the calendar year; the actual assembly date is separate. A full history report shows both where they are on record.
Related tools
Decode a full VIN
The year is one character. Enter the whole VIN for the make, plant, and the free record counts.