VIN charts and vehicle-history reference tables
Original, reusable tables built from federal VIN rules, NHTSA data, Department of Justice NMVTIS guidance, and NICB scope disclosures.
Each table states what it means, cites its underlying primary sources, and keeps coverage limitations alongside the data.
Use the chart, then verify the complete vehicle context.
A single VIN character or database result rarely answers a whole purchase question. These references show the calculation or comparison and the boundary around it.
VIN model-year code chart
Use the 10th VIN character to identify a U.S. vehicle model year, distinguish the repeating 30-year cycles and understand the position-7 rule.
Open the reference →Reference datasetVIN check digit calculation
Validate any VIN checksum instantly in your browser, then see the federal transliteration values, position weights, and modulo-11 formula behind it.
Open the reference →Reference dataset17-position VIN chart
See the federally defined purpose of VIN positions 1 through 17, where manufacturer-specific decoding begins and what a VIN cannot reveal.
Open the reference →GlossaryVehicle title-brand glossary
Understand common U.S. vehicle title brands, how salvage differs from total loss, and why definitions and thresholds vary by jurisdiction.
Open the reference →Reference datasetVehicle-history coverage matrix
Compare NHTSA vPIC, NHTSA recalls, NMVTIS and NICB VINCheck by data category, blind spot and best verification step.
Open the reference →GlossaryVIN & vehicle-history glossary
Plain-English definitions of 54 U.S. VIN, title, and vehicle-history terms, from ACV and branded titles to title washing and VIN cloning.
Open the reference →