VIN year chart: the model year from the 10th character
The 10th character of a 17-character VIN is the model year. Find it in the chart: the code runs from A (1980) to Y (2000), then 1 to 9 (2001–2009), and starts again with A in 2010.
Example: in 1HGCM82633A004352 the 10th character is 3 = 2003, and the 7th character (a digit, 2) confirms the 1980–2009 cycle.
| Code | 1980–2009 cycle | 2010–2039 cycle |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1980 | 2010 |
| B | 1981 | 2011 |
| C | 1982 | 2012 |
| D | 1983 | 2013 |
| E | 1984 | 2014 |
| F | 1985 | 2015 |
| G | 1986 | 2016 |
| H | 1987 | 2017 |
| J | 1988 | 2018 |
| K | 1989 | 2019 |
| L | 1990 | 2020 |
| M | 1991 | 2021 |
| N | 1992 | 2022 |
| P | 1993 | 2023 |
| R | 1994 | 2024 |
| S | 1995 | 2025 |
| T | 1996 | 2026 (this year) |
| V | 1997 | 2027 |
| W | 1998 | 2028 |
| X | 1999 | 2029 |
| Y | 2000 | 2030 |
| 1 | 2001 | 2031 |
| 2 | 2002 | 2032 |
| 3 | 2003 | 2033 |
| 4 | 2004 | 2034 |
| 5 | 2005 | 2035 |
| 6 | 2006 | 2036 |
| 7 | 2007 | 2037 |
| 8 | 2008 | 2038 |
| 9 | 2009 | 2039 |
Not used in position 10: the letters I, O, Q (never used in a VIN), U and Z, and the digit 0. A VIN with one of them in position 10 has a typo, is not a North American VIN, or uses the maker's own code.
1990 or 2020? Read the 7th character
For passenger cars, SUVs, vans and light trucks (up to 10,000 lb GVWR) built for North America, the 7th character tells the two cycles apart.
7th character is a digit
The model year is in the 1980–2009 cycle. Example: L in position 10 with a digit in position 7 means 1990.
7th character is a letter
The model year is in the 2010–2039 cycle. Example: L in position 10 with a letter in position 7 means 2020.
Heavy trucks, motorcycles, trailers
The rule does not apply to them; the age and condition of the vehicle, the title and the door label settle the year.
Get the year, model and engine in one step
Our free decoder reads the year and checks it against the model's production years, so a code that does not fit is flagged.
Model year vs. build date
A model year often starts in the previous calendar year. The build month and year are on the safety certification label in the driver-side door jamb; the title and the registration show the model year.
European VINs
Position 10 is the model year on every North American VIN. Many European makers leave it as a filler or use their own code, so the decoder estimates the year from the model's production years instead.
When the year matters
Insurance, registration fees, parts and recalls all depend on the model year. If the year on the title does not match the VIN, ask why before you buy.
VIN year questions
Which character of the VIN is the year?
The 10th. Count from the left: characters 1–3 are the maker, 4–8 the model and engine, 9 the check digit and 10 the model year.
Why does the same letter mean two years?
The code uses 30 characters (all letters except I, O, Q, U and Z, plus the digits 1–9), so it repeats every 30 years: A was 1980 and again 2010, Y was 2000 and will be 2030.
How do I tell 1995 from 2025?
On cars, SUVs and light trucks built for North America, look at the 7th character: a digit means the 1980–2009 cycle, a letter means 2010–2039. Otherwise, the age of the vehicle settles it: an S on a car that looks new is 2025, not 1995.
Is the model year the same as the year the car was built?
Not always. A model year can start in the previous calendar year: many 2026 models are built from mid-2025. The build month and year are on the label in the driver-side door jamb.
Why does my European car show the wrong year?
Many European makers do not put the model year in position 10, or use their own code there. For those cars the production date is on the door label, the registration document (date of first registration) or in the service book.
More VIN guides
Where is the VIN?
Car, truck, motorcycle, trailer and the papers: every place the 17 characters are printed.
VIN check digit calculator
Check the 9th character of any VIN: a wrong check digit means a typo or a fake VIN.
Free VIN check
Recalls, theft and title records from NHTSA, NICB and NMVTIS: what is free and what is not.
Salvage title check
Salvage, rebuilt, flood and junk titles: what they mean and how to find them by VIN.