Home How To Find your Toyota VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)

Find your Toyota VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)

By Joe Clifford
Vehicle Identification Number

Key takeaways

  • Your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code that identifies your car and never changes.
  • Your VIN reveals key details like where and when your car was built, plus its specification.
  • You can usually find the VIN at the base of the windscreen, inside the front door shut, and stamped into the floor under the driver’s seat.
  • Although the information below is correct for current UK Toyota models, VIN placement tends to be consistent from car brand to car brand.

What is a Vehicle Identification Number?

The Vehicle Identification Number (often referred to simply as VIN or slightly redundantly as VIN number) is your Toyota’s legal identifier, and is applied to the vehicle during production.

Each VIN is unique, and since 1981 consists of a 17-character code made up of letters and numbers. It reveals important details about your vehicle, including information on the time and place of manufacture, as well as its specification and design.

First introduced in 1954, the Vehicle Identification Number is an important component in determining the history and identity of a vehicle, particularly when combined with the car’s DVLA licence plate and V5 or V5C documents (commonly known as its logbook). But while licence plates can be altered, each car’s VIN remains unchanged, and therefore is its primary identification number.

Why is the Vehicle Identification Number important?

The Vehicle Identification Number can be useful if you are checking a car’s history prior to purchase. You might be asked to provide your Vehicle Identification Number when ordering replacement parts for your car. A stolen vehicles can often be identified via its VIN. You might also require your VIN if your vehicle is subject to a recall. You can read more about Toyota recalls in the UK on our official website here.

Where is the Vehicle Identification Number?

In most modern Toyota vehicles sold in the UK, you’ll find a visible Vehicle Identification Number through a special cut-out at the bottom of the windscreen.

Additional VINs are repeated in a couple of places on the unibody chassis. One is stamped into the metal floor under the offside (driver’s side) front seat – usually visible behind a small flap cut into the vehicle’s carpet. The other is printed on a tamper-proof label located on the lower half of the nearside (kerb side) B-pillar.

Click to find out about tyre safety checks

There are a few additions to these standardised positions. Due to their separate body on frame construction, the latest Hilux and Land Cruiser models have an extra Vehicle Identification Number stamped into the underlying frame.

On the Hilux this stamp can be found behind the offside rear wheel, while on the Land Cruiser it is located behind the offside front wheel.

Finally, Proace and Proace Max vans have an additional VIN stamped into the centre of the chassis within the engine bay.

How do you read a VIN number?

Although there are exceptions to the rule, the first three digits of the Vehicle Identification Number usually refer to the country of manufacture, the vehicle maker and the vehicle type.

For example, if you check the first letter of the code, ‘J’ references Japan, ‘S’ references England, while ‘V’ identifies France. Turkey gets an ‘N’, while Thailand and South Africa (where some of our Hilux vehicles are produced) get an ‘M’ and ‘A’ respectively.

The second letter is usually ‘T’, which describes Toyota, the third describes which group of cars (or sometimes which chassis type) the vehicle sits on.

The next six numbers reference the car’s body style, engine and gearbox, while the remaining eight is a combination unique to the car, listing the year the car was made, the factory it was produced in and where it came in the production process.

Frequently asked questions

Is the VIN the same as a registration number?

No. A VIN is permanent to the vehicle, while a registration plate can be changed.

Can two cars have the same VIN?

No. Every VIN is unique to a specific vehicle.

Is it safe to share a VIN?

Generally yes, but it should only be shared when absolutely necessary.

How can I get more information?

Feel free to ask additional questions about Vehicle Identification Numbers in the comments section below, but please be aware that our support team can only answer queries related to the UK market. If you are not in the UK, please direct your query to the Toyota organisation in your country.

If you have specific technical concerns about your Toyota in the UK, please contact your nearest centre.

Lost car keys? Don’t panic and read this!

579 comments

  1. Hi, I have a Toyota Land Cruiser Invincible on order for delivery March 2023 where is this model built? thank you in anticipation

    Reply

      1. Sorry i should have been more specific, i am aware it is built in Japan but was wanting to know at which plant?

  2. Hi I have a Toyota auris touring estate 17 plate my car keys is lost the car is locked is vin number or key number can I get details from the registration certificate

    Reply

      1. Hi, I have Toyota regius Haice 1999 and people are complaining when I give them the info from the car which is containing less digits and number?
        I got those info beside driver’s seat and below the windshield.

      2. Morning Mark,

        Is your vehicle a UK spec?

        If it originated from outside of the UK, it may contain a different number of digits in the VIN.

        We hope this helps, thank you.

  3. Hi, I purchased an Aqua (Japan import) and the VIN is only 12 digit. I’ve read that some Japan imports don’t have a VIN, but only this 12-digit code. I have these questions if someone can help me please:
    1) How can I check the mileage on the Jevic website – unfortunately the website is not accepting the 12-digit chassis code, it’s expecting a 17-digit code.
    2) Where can I download an English version user’s manual?
    Many thanks!

    Reply

  4. I can’t find the the vin no. on my Toyota Corolla. Engine no. is 1NZ-FE, 2000 model. I’ve checked the door side, silver plate, under driver seat and the windscreen, still can’t find it. The silver plate contains the model no. Engine no. Frame no. colour trim, trans and plant. Where can i find the 17-character vin no?

    Reply

    1. Hi Esther, thanks for your comment.

      VINs are printed on tamper-proof stickers located just inside the shut line of the front nearside door. Earlier models may have a metal plate instead of a sticker.The VIN is repeated on the vehicle’s chassis, stamped into the metal floor of the car under the right-hand (driver’s side) front seat. It’s usually visible through a small flap, deliberately cut into the vehicle’s carpet.

      If you still can’t find your VIN number, please provide your Vehicle Registration.

      Thanks.

      Reply

    1. Hi Kerry, thanks for your question.

      Please provide a Vehicle Registration and we will look into this for you.

      Thanks.

      Reply

  6. Hi! On my C-HR I can see the VIN in the corner of the windshield, next to a QR code. Under it I see a 3-digit number. What does this additional number mean?

    Reply

  7. Hi,

    I hope you are well.

    I cant find a 17 character chassis number for my Toyota reg BP56XDW.

    Your help would be much appreciated.

    Kind Regards
    Abid Hussain

    Reply

    1. Hi Abid, thanks for your question.

      VINs are printed on tamper-proof stickers located just inside the shut line of the front nearside door. Earlier models may have a metal plate instead of a sticker.The VIN is repeated on the vehicle’s chassis, stamped into the metal floor of the car under the right-hand (driver’s side) front seat. It’s usually visible through a small flap, deliberately cut into the vehicle’s carpet.

      Hope this helps.

      Thanks.

      Reply

      1. I just want to know where on vehicle the VIN metal plate is placed. I have checked on dashboard on below the passenger seat, on the foot matt of sliding door i didn’t find any vin metallic plate anywhr?

      2. Hi Snow,

        VINs are printed on tamper-proof stickers located just inside the shut line of the front nearside door. Earlier models may have a metal plate instead of a sticker.The VIN is repeated on the vehicle’s chassis, stamped into the metal floor of the car under the right-hand (driver’s side) front seat. It’s usually visible through a small flap, deliberately cut into the vehicle’s carpet.

        If you still can’t find it, we can assist you if you provide us with your Vehicle Registration.

        Thanks.

    1. Hi Les, thanks for your comment.

      This is the VIN number for a MY15 Hilux Invincible 3.0L Manual in Galaxy Black. The Vehicle Registration is LE58CAM.

      Would you like to know the specification details for this vehicle?

      Thanks.

      Reply

  10. How do I find my VIN Number 17 characters. I got only 16 characters on the passenger’s door yet. Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandi, thanks for your question.

      Please provide your Vehicle Registration so that we can look into this.

      Thanks.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

To be the first to hear about all of our latest news, offers and events, check the box below, we’ll send these communications by email, phone, SMS or post. Be assured that Toyota will only share your personal information with companies that are an integral part of fulfilling the services we deliver. If you would like to find out more about how we process your data please visit our privacy policy for details.

I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time.

Related Posts