Find your VIN
Where is the VIN on my car?
Every car built since the 1980s for Australia, New Zealand, Europe or North America has a 17-character vehicle identification number, stamped or printed in several places so it can be checked against the papers.
The usual places
- 1WindscreenOn a tag at the bottom of the windscreen, readable from outside.
- 2Build or compliance plateOn the firewall in the engine bay or on a door pillar. Newer Australian cars, approved after the 2021–2023 switch to the Register of Approved Vehicles, may have no compliance plate, but the VIN is still on the build plate.
- 3Door pillar stickerOn the driver's or passenger's B-pillar when the door is open.
- 4PaperworkRegistration certificate, insurance policy, service book and the PPSR or NZTA record.
VIN, chassis number, engine number, compliance plate
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| VIN | The 17-character identifier of the whole vehicle, used by registers, insurers and history reports. |
| Chassis or frame number | On modern cars the same as the VIN; on Japanese-market cars a shorter model code and serial. |
| Engine number | Identifies the engine only. It changes if the engine is replaced and is not used to decode the car. |
| Build plate | Fitted by the manufacturer; shows the VIN and often the build date. |
| Compliance plate | Australian plate showing the car met the design rules, with the compliance date. Newer cars may rely on the Register of Approved Vehicles instead. |