FahrzeugIdentifikationssystem

Fahrzeugidentifikationsnummer, commonly abbreviated as FIN in German and VIN in English, is a unique alphanumeric code assigned to motor vehicles. It serves to identify a specific vehicle across manufacturers, borders, and time, and is used for registration, insurance, service history, recalls, and parts compatibility.

The modern VIN consists of 17 characters drawn from digits 0–9 and capital letters (excluding I, O and Q to avoid confusion). It is structured into three sections: the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) in positions 1–3, the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) in positions 4–9, and the Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS) in positions 10–17. The ninth position is a check digit that verifies the integrity of the VIN through a standardized calculation. The tenth position encodes the model year, the eleventh identifies the manufacturing plant, and the remaining positions (12–17) form the vehicle’s unique serial number.

WMI codes indicate the country or region of manufacture and the manufacturer. The VDS describes the vehicle’s attributes, such as model, body style, engine, and safety features. The VIS contains production sequence information, including the retained serial number of the vehicle.

In practice, the VIN is recorded on the vehicle itself and in official documents. Common locations include the dashboard near the windshield, the driver’s door jamb, and the vehicle’s registration papers or title documents. In German terminology, the 17-character VIN is referred to as Fahrzeug-Identifizierungsnummer. The VIN enables tracking of a vehicle’s history, eligibility for recalls, and compatibility of spare parts, while helping authorities and insurers verify identity and ownership.