Tesla VIN Decoder
Enter a 17-character Tesla VIN to see the model, plant, model year and check digit. Decoding happens instantly in your browser, and the VIN is not sent anywhere.
Decode a VIN Runs in your browser
Type or paste a VIN. Spaces and dashes are ignored, and letters can be upper or lower case.
Nothing you type is uploaded or stored by this tool. Decoded meanings come from Tesla service manual tables and NHTSA manufacturer filings.
What is certain and what varies
Decoded from published tables
- Manufacturer prefix (positions 1 to 3)
- Model letter (position 4)
- Body, restraint, battery and motor codes (positions 5 to 8) when the code is in Tesla’s or NHTSA’s tables for that model
- Check digit (position 9), calculated with the standard North American method
- Model year or build year (position 10)
- Plant (position 11)
- Production sequence number (positions 12 to 17)
Varies or not in the VIN
- Position 5 to 8 codes that are not in the tables used here are shown as Varies
- Trim names such as Long Range, and exact battery size or range
- Paint, wheels, interior and seat layout beyond the restraint code
- Autopilot or Full Self-Driving hardware and software
- Accident, ownership or service history
How to read a Tesla VIN
A VIN has 17 characters. Each position has a job, and the table below shows what Tesla and NHTSA publish for each one.
| Position | Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | World manufacturer identifier (WMI) | Who made the vehicle and in which country or region. 5YJ, 7SA, 7G2, LRW and XP7 are the Tesla prefixes decoded here. The prefix is not a reliable indicator of the exact plant; use position 11 for that. |
| 4 | Model | S = Model S, 3 = Model 3, X = Model X, Y = Model Y, C = Cybertruck, T = Semi. |
| 5 | Body type | Body style and steering side. Codes depend on the model (for example E or F on Model 3, G or H on Model Y). On Semi it is the cab type. |
| 6 | Restraint system | Seatbelt and airbag configuration on cars. On Cybertruck and Semi, NHTSA lists this position as a weight class. |
| 7 | Fuel / battery type | E means electric. On Model 3 and Model Y, F means a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | Single, dual or triple motor, and on some models whether it is a Performance unit. Codes differ by model and have changed over the years. |
| 9 | Check digit | A calculated character (0 to 9 or X) that catches typing errors. Required on vehicles produced in North America, per Tesla. |
| 10 | Model year | A letter or digit. For Fremont and Austin it is the model year; for Shanghai and Berlin Tesla says it is the calendar year of build. |
| 11 | Plant | F = Fremont, A = Austin, C = Shanghai, B = Berlin, N = Reno (Semi and Cybertruck filing). |
| 12-17 | Production sequence | Six digits, 000001 to 999999, counting vehicles in order. It does not restart each model year. |
Codes for positions 5 to 8 by model
These are the codes the decoder recognizes. Anything else is marked Varies.
3 Model 3 positions 5 to 8
| Position | Field | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Body type | E | Sedan, 4-door, left-hand drive |
| 5 | Body type | F | Sedan, 4-door, right-hand drive |
| 6 | Restraint system | 1 | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3) with front airbags, side inflatable restraints and knee airbags |
| 6 | Restraint system | 7 | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3) with front airbags and side inflatable restraints (knee airbags not listed) |
| 7 | Fuel / battery type | E | Electric (Li-ion battery) |
| 7 | Fuel / battery type | F | Electric (lithium iron phosphate, LFP, battery) |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | A | Single motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | B | Dual motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | C | Dual motor, performance |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | J | Single motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | K | Dual motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | R | Single motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | S | Single motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | T | Dual motor, performance |
Tesla Model 3 service manual (current and 2024 editions). Tesla's table groups position 8 as Standard or Performance; retail trim names such as Long Range are not spelled out, and the same letter is not guaranteed to mean the same trim in every year.
Y Model Y positions 5 to 8
| Position | Field | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Body type | G | Multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), 5-door, left-hand drive |
| 5 | Body type | H | Multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), 5-door, right-hand drive |
| 6 | Restraint system | A | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3, TR x2) with front airbags, side inflatable restraints and knee airbags |
| 6 | Restraint system | D | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3) with front airbags, side inflatable restraints and knee airbags |
| 6 | Restraint system | C | Type 2 manual seatbelts with front airbags and side inflatable restraints (knee airbags not listed) |
| 7 | Fuel / battery type | E | Electric (Li-ion battery) |
| 7 | Fuel / battery type | F | Electric (lithium iron phosphate, LFP, battery) |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | D | Single motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | E | Dual motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | F | Dual motor, performance |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | J | Single motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | K | Dual motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | L | Dual motor, performance |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | R | Single motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | S | Single motor |
Tesla Model Y service manual. Tesla's table groups position 8 as Standard or Performance; retail trim names are not spelled out.
S Model S positions 5 to 8
| Position | Field | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Body type | A | Hatchback, 5-door, left-hand drive |
| 5 | Body type | B | Hatchback, 5-door, right-hand drive |
| 6 | Restraint system | 1 | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3) with front airbags, side inflatable restraints and knee airbags |
| 6 | Restraint system | 7 | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3) with front airbags and side inflatable restraints (knee airbags not listed) |
| 7 | Fuel / battery type | E | Electric |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 5 | Dual motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 6 | Triple motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 1 | Single motor (older Model S) |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 2 | Dual motor (older Model S) |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 3 | Single motor, performance (older Model S) |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 4 | Dual motor, performance (older Model S) |
Tesla Model S service manual. Codes 1 to 4 in position 8 come from Tesla's older (2015 to 2021) Model S table. Model S built in 2012 to 2015 used other codes in positions 5, 7 and 8 that are not decoded here.
X Model X positions 5 to 8
| Position | Field | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Body type | C | Multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), 5-door, left-hand drive |
| 5 | Body type | D | Multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), 5-door, right-hand drive |
| 6 | Restraint system | A | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3, TR x2) with front airbags, side inflatable restraints and knee airbags |
| 6 | Restraint system | B | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x2, TR x2) with front airbags, side inflatable restraints and knee airbags |
| 6 | Restraint system | C | Type 2 manual seatbelts with front airbags and side inflatable restraints (knee airbags not listed) |
| 6 | Restraint system | D | Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR x3) with front airbags, side inflatable restraints and knee airbags |
| 7 | Fuel / battery type | E | Electric |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 5 | Dual motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 6 | Triple motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 2 | Dual motor, standard (2016 to 2021) |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | 4 | Dual motor, performance (2016 to 2021) |
Tesla Model X service manual (2016 to 2021 table and current table).
C Cybertruck positions 5 to 8
| Position | Field | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Body type | E | Pickup truck, left-hand drive |
| 6 | Weight class (GVWR) | G | Class G, 8,001 to 9,000 lb gross vehicle weight rating (NHTSA filing) |
| 6 | Weight class (GVWR) | H | Class H, 9,001 to 10,000 lb gross vehicle weight rating (NHTSA filing). Tesla's service manual lists H as the restraint-system code |
| 7 | Fuel type | E | Electric |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | C | Single motor (model year 2026 filing) |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | D | Dual motor |
| 8 | Motor / drive unit | E | Triple motor |
Tesla Cybertruck service manual and NHTSA vPIC manufacturer filings. The two sources describe position 6 differently (restraint code versus weight class).
T Tesla Semi positions 5 to 8
| Position | Field | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Cab type | B | Day cab |
| 6 | Weight class (GVWR) | E | Class 8, over 33,000 lb gross vehicle weight rating |
| 7 | Fuel type | E | Electric |
| 8 | Drive / brakes | B | Dual drive rear axle, air brakes |
NHTSA vPIC manufacturer filing for Tesla Semi (model years 2024 and 2025).
Model year letters (position 10)
The standard VIN model-year code starts at A for 2010 and skips I, O, Q, U, Z and 0. Digits 1 to 9 follow Y and mean 2031 to 2039.
FAQ
Where do I find my Tesla VIN?
Tesla lists these locations: the lower corner of the windshield on the driver side, the label on the driver door jamb, and the touchscreen under Controls, then Software. Depending on where the car was built, it can also be found on other parts of the body, but the windshield, door jamb and touchscreen cover most owners.
Is it safe to enter my VIN here?
This decoder runs entirely in your browser. The VIN is processed on your device by the script on this page and is not sent to a server or to any third-party service. A VIN is also printed where it can be seen through the windshield, but it is still good practice to share it only where it is needed.
Does the VIN show my options or battery?
Only partly. Position 7 tells you whether a Model 3 or Model Y has a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, and position 8 shows the motor layout (single, dual or triple motor, and on some models Standard or Performance). The VIN does not list trim names, battery size, range, paint colour, wheels, interior, or Autopilot or Full Self-Driving hardware and software.
Does an invalid check digit mean the VIN is fake?
Not necessarily. Most of the time it means a character was mistyped, so check the VIN against your windshield or door jamb label. Tesla's service manual says the check digit is required on vehicles produced in North America; vehicles built at Shanghai or Berlin may not follow the same rule.
Is position 10 the model year or the build year?
For vehicles built at Fremont and Austin it is the model year. For vehicles built at Giga Shanghai and Giga Berlin, Tesla says it is the calendar year the vehicle was built. The decoder labels the result accordingly using position 11.
Why do some fields say Varies?
Tesla changes the codes for positions 5 to 8 by model and year, and has not published every code for every model in the tables used for this page. Where a code is not in those tables, the decoder says so rather than guessing.
