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

Find your Toyota VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)

By Toyota Blog
Vehicle Identification Number

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is your Toyota’s legal identifier, and is applied to your car during production.

Each VIN is unique, and is usually a 17-character code made up of letters and numbers, and reveals important details about your vehicle. As well as containing information on the time and place of your car’s creation, it also contains information about its specification and design.

First introduced in 1954, Vehicle Identification Numbers are 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.

While licence plates can be altered, the car’s VIN remains unchanged, and therefore is the primary identification number for your Toyota.

How to locate your Vehicle Identification Number

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.

Read more How to connect your phone to your car

Of course, there are some important exceptions to the rule…

These include the four-door Hilux pick-up – in which the tamper-proof sticker is mounted just inside the nearside rear door, and the five-door Aygo – in which it is applied to the body just inside the offside rear door shut.

Decoding your Vehicle Identification 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.

For more on your VIN, please contact your nearest dealer, or visit toyota.co.uk/mytoyota

380 comments

  1. Hi there
    Have a 2013 dual cab hilux, anyway bought of auction as stolen recovered repairable right off, it’s missing the compliance plates and the chassis vin been rubbed off, i got the vin number on the invoice from auction, but where else i could find the vin number on the chassis to make the process easy to get it registered, I’m in Melbourne

    Reply

    1. Hi Ray,
      Thanks for getting in touch. You’ll be able to find the VIN on the floor plan under the drivers seat where there is a plastic cap in the carpet.
      Hope this helps.

      Reply

      1. Hiya you can help me, I have a 2003 avensis but I need to replace the gearbox, where can I find the code please n Ty

      2. Hi Melissa,

        Thanks for contacting us. If you could please provide us with a VIN for your vehicle then we will be able to assist you further.

        Thanks.

  2. Hi,

    Please, I just bought a second hand 1993 Toyota Camry in Nigeria. I couldn’t find the chasis number because the whole body had been repainted. Please, where else can I check in the car to get the VIN/Chasis number?

    Reply

    1. Hi Clement,
      Thanks for getting in touch. The VIN/Chasis number would be found under the drivers seat. Hope this helps.

      Reply

      2. Hi Clement,
        We would advise checking under the carpet if possible. If not, let us know so we can help you further.
        Thanks.

      3. Thanks so much for your assistance. I tore the carpet but I couldn’t see the VIN/Chasis numbers. Is there another place in the car where I can see the number?

      4. Hi Clement,
        The best course of action would be to contact Toyota in your region as they are in the best position to assist you further.
        Thanks.

  3. I have a 51 plate Avensis 2 litre VVt-i engine where can I find the engine code as I need to purchase a serpentine belt and it the supplier lists 2 types ?

    Reply

  4. My car chassis number is 10 digits starting from NV1 …. it’s on the dash board and the custom papers etc is this real and correct or what can I do

    Reply

  5. Hi, I have a Toyota Hilux with a an 11 digit VIN and would like to know the place of manufacture and year of manufacture please. LN166-009534. Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Nabeel,

      Thanks for getting in touch. We have entered your VIN into our UK vehicle information system and it is not recognised. This is most likely because it is not a UK vehicle. We’d recommend contacting the Toyota distributor in your region for more information.

      Thanks.

      Reply

    2. Pl just purchased second hand Toyota picnic 1998 model with chassis NOS JT172SM1007107887 as indicated in documents given me but search for the VIN I could not find the NOS physically on the vehicle.. I Google result is MISSING was found on it.Please want happen and I could I find it on the vehicle.

      Reply

      1. Hi Muraina,

        Thanks for getting in touch. Please contact a Toyota centre in your region for further assistance.

        Thanks.

    1. Hi there,

      Thanks for getting in touch.

      There should usually be a sticker on the body of the vehicle if you open the driver’s or passenger door.

      Hope this helps.

      Reply

  8. How do i find my VIN on toyota estima 1996 without entering the car and without all the documents? i’ve lost my keys and documents are in the car.

    Reply

  9. Hi William,

    Thanks for getting in touch. If you could please provide a registration, we will be able to assist you further.

    Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Awesome thanks!
      Ect 138.
      Im in new zealand and its a new Zealand number plate.. I’m guessing that is an issue?

      Let me know what you can do!

      Reply

      2. Great help thanks for that!

        I have gotten into the car. I now need to find the lock number to get another key cut. What are the steps to getting this from the door? I have tools and I know it’s inside the door panel. Please don’t say go to a mechanic! I’m broke

      3. Unfortunately, we are unable to assist with this. We would recommend for you to contact your local Toyota Centre and see if they are able to get a key for the VIN. If this is not possible, it is likely you’ll need to contact a technician.

        We hope this helps and that you resolve this issue.

  10. Hi, FIrst of all, I would like to thaank you for this service.
    I need a Gear box for my Toyota Car. But it seems that there are two types. Could you help me to identify this for me? Please let me know what do you require.

    Reply

    1. Hi Ravin,

      Thanks for getting in touch. If you could please provide a reg or VIN number, we will be able to assist you further.

      Thanks.

      Reply

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