VIN
Vehicle Identification Number · chassis number · serial number
The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is the 17-character number that identifies a single vehicle, assigned by the manufacturer and stamped on the chassis. Unlike a number plate, it does not designate a model but this vehicle: model year, plant, engine variant and, for most manufacturers, its rank on the production line.
Director of publication : Florian Précigout
At the counter, the VIN settles what the number plate leaves open. A single trim level can switch supplier mid-series, and two vehicles identical on paper then take two different part numbers. The VIN is the only element that places a vehicle in production time — which is why it is asked for as soon as a part has been revised during the model's life.
It can be read in at least three places: on the registration document, on a riveted plate in the engine bay or door pillar, and cold-stamped on the chassis, often under the windscreen on the driver's side. All three must agree — a mismatch is a signal, not a typo.
The VIN does not replace the catalogue: it gives the entry point, not the answer. Depending on the manufacturer, it opens access to the original fitment (the OE number), which then has to be translated into aftermarket equivalents through a cross-reference.
The trap
Typing a VIN by hand. The letters I, O and Q do not exist in a VIN precisely to avoid confusion with 1 and 0 — but a mistyped VIN opens a neighbouring vehicle without ever raising an error, and the part ships anyway.
Frequently asked
Is the VIN enough to order a part?
Often, not always. It fixes the vehicle and its production period, which removes most ambiguity. What remains are the criteria a VIN does not carry: fitting side, optional equipment, a part already replaced by a superseding number.
Where is the VIN on a registration document?
Field E on the French certificate, and the equivalent field on other European documents. It is the most reliable source remotely, since it is readable from a simple photo of the paperwork.