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.
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.
please provide me with Full report for this VIN (JTMAUBBJ2N4012905)
Hi Raghib,
Thank you for your question.
Please could you specify exactly what you would like to know, and email in to cr@toyota.co.uk with your query.
We should be able to assist you further.
Many thanks,
Toyota UK
Me puede verificar esta serie 3TMCZ5AN3NM479898
Motor 2GR P661229 me han dicho que no le corresponde al vehículo
Hi Moisés,
Thank you for your question.
We can confirm that the VIN provided does not correspond with the Motor 2GR. However, we cannot confirm any more through our magazine.
Please contact Toyota España for further details: https://www.toyota.es/
Many thanks,
Toyota UK
Buenas tardes, te recomiendo que te acerques a un REPUVE de tu estado, ya que ellos te asesoran y pueden buscar información para poderte ayudar y orientar, todo es gratuito.
Me puede verificar esta serie ZT1BU4EEX******* el motor es número 2ZRK40****
Hi Hansel,
Thank you for your question.
We can confirm that your car does not have a UK specification. Therefore we can not verify your VIN for you.
Please refer to your local Toyota centre, who should be able to assist you.
Many thanks,
Toyota UK
I want the vehicle number of a Toyota Grand ACE, year 2025. THANK YOU
Hi Surachai,
Thank you very much for your question.
In most modern Toyota cars, you’ll find a visible Vehicle Identification Number through a special cut-out at the bottom of the windscreen. Additional 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.
For more information, please contact your local Toyota dealer: https://www.toyota.co.uk/
Many thanks,
Toyota UK
Hello, I have a Land Cruiser that I bought used car and I live in Saudi Arabia
And I don’t know if it’s manufactured with a manual transmission or that a manual transmission was installed and the original was that it was an automatic transmission, and also when I searched the web with the chassis number, it appears to me that the car’s body number is incorrect and that it is intended for small Toyota cars such as the Yaris car or the Corilla car.
I hope you can help me know the basic details and the truth. Thank you very much and this is my structure number.
J*****************
Hello Mutlaq,
Thank you for your query. From the VIN provided we have identified that the vehicle came off of the line with a manual transmission.
We hope this helps.
Many thanks,
Toyota UK
Hi I have imported Toyota Estima. And I am looking to get few parts e.g Drive Belt, pulley, water pump kit and timing belt/chain. But due to not having the VIN number I can’t get the parts or I don’t know if it will be the right part for my car or not. Frame no is AHR20-7047026. Could you help me out please.
Many Thanks
Hello Syed,
Thank you for your query. Common places where the VIN is usually located in the following locations:
– Inside the driver’s door
– Under the driver’s seat
– On the engine block
However, as the vehicle is an import this may not be accurate.
Many thanks,
Toyota UK
Hola quisiera saber donde encontrar el vin de mi auto station wagon 1997 solo tengo una placa con 12 números de serie o frame se me borraron las pegatinas de la puerta
Good morning Jose,
Thank you for your query.
Please could you clarify if your vehicle was sold in the UK?
Many thanks,
Toyota
Could you please let me know if toyota touch 2 go navigation and bluetooth are there for VIN number ****************
Good afternoon Shubhashis,
We can confirm that the Auris Hybrid features Toyota Touch 2 multimedia system and Bluetooth Connectivity.
Thank you.
Hello, I would like to confirm if any model of the 2025 Toyota Yaris Hatchback HEV Design 1.5 5dr comes without a smart key entry and start system, and instead uses a traditional key.
Good morning Dami, apologies for the delay in coming back to you.
Each grade in the 2025 Yaris Hybrid line up features power door lock but only the Excel and GR Sport grades feature Smart Entry & Push-button Start. So the Icon and Design grades should not have this feature as standard.
For more specification details, explore the brochure here: https://brnw.ch/21wXNEE
Thank you.
Could you check if it is possible for my RAV4 to enable CarPlay.
It currently does not have it, and a software upgrade to enable it would be great.
If it’s possible, could you let me know how to install the update.
The VIN is ****************
Hi Jason,
Thank you for your query.
We would recommend that you visit your local Toyota centre for any technical information or advice regarding CarPlay.
Find your local Toyota Centre here: https://brnw.ch/21wVoqQ
Many thanks,
Toyota UK
Where is the vin number on the chasis of a Toyota Camry 2021 from the USA? Thank you
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for your query. The VIN number is normally stamped on a metal plate attached to the driver’s side dashboard, near the windshield.
We hope this helps.
Many thanks,
Toyota UK