Reference VIN with an X digit
- Input
- 1M8GDM9AXKP042788
- Expected output
- X
Sum 351, remainder 10, written X. Matches.
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how to check if a VIN is valid
Paste the VIN into the tool field: it checks length, forbidden letters and the position 9 digit at once, and tells you whether a mismatch is an error or just a digit the region does not require.
Sum 351, remainder 10, written X. Matches.
Sum 311, remainder 3. The VIN carries 3, so it matches.
The weights add up to 89, and 89 divided by 11 leaves a remainder of 1.
Carries 4 in position 9 and the calculation gives 3: an error on a US VIN.
Rejected before the calculation. Swapping O for 0 makes the VIN 1HGCM82630A004352.
It does not match, but the digit is not mandatory in Brazil, so it is not an error.
The 17 characters split into six parts: WMI (positions 1 to 3, manufacturer and country), VDS (4 to 8, vehicle description), check digit (9), model year (10), plant (11) and serial number (12 to 17). The tool's table shows each position in its own color. The letters I, O and Q do not exist in a VIN so they cannot be confused with 1, 0 and 0.
No. The digit only proves the number is internally consistent. By bad luck 1 in 11 wrong VINs passes the test, and anyone forging a VIN on purpose can compute the digit. To confirm the vehicle, compare the number with the plate and the paperwork.
Because the remainder of the division by 11 runs from 0 to 10 and the position holds a single character. A remainder of 10 is written as X, the Roman numeral for ten.
Re-read the VIN on the vehicle, because swaps between 8 and B, 5 and S or 1 and I are common when typing. If the VIN is from the US or Canada and still does not match after rereading, treat it with suspicion.
| Section | Positions | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| WMI | 1-3 | 1HG | Identifies the manufacturer and the country of origin (WMI). |
| VDS | 4-8 | CM826 | Describes model, body, engine and restraints. The code is each manufacturer's own, so it can only be decoded with their table (NHTSA publishes the US ones). |
| Check digit | 9 | 3 | Control digit computed over the other 16 characters (ISO 3779). |
| Model year | 10 | 3 | Position 7 is a number: under the NHTSA rule (49 CFR 565.15) the code means 1980 to 2009. |
| Plant | 11 | A | Code of the factory where the vehicle was assembled, set by each manufacturer. |
| Serial | 12-17 | 004352 | The vehicle's production serial number. |
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Optional. Sends this VIN to NHTSA's public database (US government) and shows make, model, engine, plant, safety equipment and recall campaigns. Works best with vehicles sold in the US.
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