VIN numbers: where to find them and what to check
Where the VIN is on a car and on the V5C, what the 17 characters are, and how a VIN that does not match points to a cloned, stolen or rebuilt car.
Updated
The vehicle identification number, or VIN, is the car's fingerprint. GOV.UK says every vehicle registered in the UK must have a unique, stamped-in VIN, and it is printed on the V5C logbook. At a viewing, find the VIN in at least two places on the car and check that every one matches the V5C, character by character. If any of them differ, or look tampered with, do not buy the car.
A registration number can change. The VIN should not. That is what makes it the check that catches a car pretending to be another one.
Where to find the VIN
Most cars show the VIN in several places. Look for it in at least two:
- On a sticker or plate. GOV.UK says the VIN sticker is usually near the driver's door or on the dashboard near the windscreen on the driver's side. On many cars a plate at the base of the windscreen can be read from outside.
- Stamped into the chassis or bodywork. GOV.UK says the VIN is usually stamped into the chassis. On some cars it is under a flap in the floor by a front seat, on others in the engine bay. The owner's handbook says where.
- On the V5C logbook, in the vehicle details.
What the 17 characters mean
On modern cars the VIN is 17 characters long, made of capital letters and numbers. The letters I, O and Q are not used, so they cannot be confused with 1 and 0. At a high level:
| Characters | What they describe |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | The manufacturer and the region it built the car in |
| 4 to 9 | The vehicle's features, such as body and engine, plus a check character on many cars |
| 10 to 17 | The individual car, often including a code for the model year and the factory |
You do not need to decode a VIN to use it. The check that matters is a match: the same 17 characters on the car and on the logbook.
The viewing check, step by step
- Ask to see the original V5C, not a photo. Check the "DVL" watermark and the serial number first. Our V5C logbook guide has the stolen serial ranges.
- Read the VIN on the windscreen plate or dashboard sticker and compare it with the V5C.
- Read the VIN on the sticker or plate by the driver's door and compare again.
- Find the stamped VIN if you can reach it, and compare once more.
- Check the engine number against the V5C too. GOV.UK asks buyers to check both the VIN and the engine number.
- Look for signs of tampering. Scratched or ground-down characters, a plate held on with new rivets or glue, a sticker that looks newer than the car, paint or filler around the stamped number, or characters that are not evenly spaced.
Take a photo of each VIN location. If anything is unclear, see the car in daylight and ask a mechanic to look.
What a mismatch can mean
A cloned car
A cloned car carries the identity of another, legitimate car of the same make, model and colour: its registration plates and sometimes forged documents. The plates and the paperwork may agree with each other. The VIN stamped into the car may not, because it can belong to the stolen car underneath, unless that has been altered too. Checking every VIN location, and looking for tampering, is the quickest way to catch it.
A stolen car
A stolen car may have had its VIN plates swapped or its stamped number altered. Signs of tampering around any VIN location are a reason to stop.
A rebuilt car
GOV.UK says vehicles that have been issued with a Certificate of Destruction must never reappear as complete vehicles, and that only minor parts can be taken from them. A car built from parts of written-off cars may carry a VIN that does not belong to its body.
A legitimate repair
Not every difference is fraud. GOV.UK explains that if a chassis or bodyshell is replaced, the keeper must tell DVLA, and DVLA can confirm that the original VIN may be stamped on the replacement. If a car's age or identity is in doubt, DVLA can give it a registration starting with "Q". A seller with a genuine repair should have the paperwork from DVLA. Without it, treat a mismatch as a reason to walk away.
What the VIN cannot tell you on its own
A matching VIN shows the car and the logbook belong together. It does not show whether there is outstanding finance, whether the car has been written off, or whether it is recorded as stolen. A history check that includes finance, write-off and stolen vehicle records covers those. It also does not show who owns the car, which is why our guide to registered keeper vs owner matters as well.
If the seller cannot show you a V5C at all, read buying a car without a V5C.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the VIN on a car in the UK?
On a sticker near the driver's door or on the dashboard near the windscreen on the driver's side, and stamped into the chassis. It is also printed on the V5C logbook.
How many characters is a VIN?
On modern cars, 17 letters and numbers. The letters I, O and Q are not used.
What should I do if the VIN does not match the V5C?
Do not buy the car. A mismatch can point to a cloned, stolen or rebuilt car. If you think the car may be stolen, contact the police when it is safe to.
Does the VIN change with a private number plate?
No. The registration number can change when a private plate is added or removed, but the VIN stays the same. See our guide to private number plates.