Ways to Get a Free VIN Check With CARFAX
Get a Free CARFAX Report With Our Used Car Listings
Shopping using CARFAX Used Car Listings is the only way to get a free, complete CARFAX Report. You can also take advantage of CARFAX data to find cars that are reported accident-free, have only one owner, and more.
Get a Free VIN Check With CARFAX Car Care
Sign up for a free CARFAX Car Care account and view your VIN’s vehicle service history, get alerts for upcoming service, find trusted service shops, and be the first to know about open recalls. CARFAX Car Care is the next best thing to getting a full CARFAX report, and it makes taking care of your car easier than ever.
Use CARFAX’s Free VIN Lookup Tools for Specific Issues
Check a Car’s Value by VIN
Most car valuation tools use general information to estimate value, including a vehicle’s year, make, and model. CARFAX’s History-Based Value Tool includes VIN-specific information, such as accident history and number of owners, to provide a more complete picture.
Why a CARFAX Vehicle History Report Is Important
When you order a CARFAX Vehicle History Report, you can unlock the following important information about the car:
This information can help you decide if the car is right for you and uncover any potential safety issues. You can have a look at a sample CARFAX report and see where CARFAX gets the data it includes in its Vehicle History Reports.
What Is a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)?
A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique code given to each vehicle in the United States. A VIN number lets you unlock vital information about the vehicle and its history.
Because each car has its own unique VIN, it’s easier to track a given car as it is bought, sold, and serviced. Auto shops use VINs to record vehicle service visits, manufacturers use VINs to issue recalls, and government agencies use VINs to identify vehicles when they’re registered, sold, or even stolen.
Since 1981, each new car has been given a standardized 17-digit code, which includes a serial number. Older cars may have VINs too, although they will not follow the standardized formula. The history of the VIN begins in the 1950s as automakers began stamping identification numbers on key parts and automobiles themselves. However, standardization did not come until the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized the current method of tracking every car that rolls off an assembly line.
VIN Decoder How To
Characters within a VIN indicate a vehicle’s year, make, model, where it was manufactured, and more.
How Many Numbers and Letters in a VIN?
VINs on new cars have 17 characters, while VINs on older vehicles have 16 characters.
World Manufacturer Identifier
The first three digits of the VIN make up the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) number. However, if an automaker builds fewer than 500 vehicles per year, 9 will be the third digit and positions 12-14 (part of the production