A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-character code assigned to every vehicle by the manufacturer. It acts like a fingerprint for your car, containing information about the make, model, year, engine type, and more.

You can usually find your VIN in one of these places:

• Visible through the windshield on the driver’s side.
• On a sticker or plate near where the door latches.
• Official DMV documents.
• Many insurers list the VIN on your policy paperwork.
• For older vehicles or when other locations are unavailable.

There are a few common reasons a VIN might not return valid results:

• Too short or too long – VINs must be exactly 17 characters.
• Typos or misreads – Common errors include confusing "I" with "1" or "O" with "0".
• Vehicle is too old – Standardized 17-character VINs only began in 1981.
• Low data availability – Some rare or custom vehicles may not be fully listed in public databases.
• New model year – VIN databases may not be updated yet for brand-new models.