How do I Decode my BMW VIN Number? (explained for beginners)

The BMW Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-character alphanumeric code used to identify individual motor vehicles for registration, titling, taxation, and other purposes.

The first eight characters of the VIN identify the manufacturer of the vehicle. These characters are denoted by two letters that represent the country where the manufacturer is located.

Here is a breakdown 

Consider the following VIN 2T1BURHE0FC320645 you may wonder what each of these characters stands for, here is a breakdown. 

First character: This represents the country where the vehicle was manufactured.

Second character: This represents the manufacturer’s name.

Third character: With this character, you can find out the vehicle’s type or division. The first three digits of a VIN number are known as the World Manufacturer Identifier or WMI.

Fourth to eighth character: This sequence of characters tells you about a vehicle’s engine size and type, vehicle brand, model, series, and body style.

Ninth character: The ninth character provides you with the security check digit. This single digit is used to verify the accuracy of the VIN number.

The fourth to ninth digits are known as the Vehicle Descriptor Section or VDS.

Tenth character: This character represents a vehicle’s model year.

Eleventh character: This character tells you of the assembly plant where a car was produced.

Twelfth to seventeenth character: This sequence of characters represents a vehicle’s serial number. These six digits make every single vehicle in the world different from the others.

The tenth through seventeenth digits is known as the Vehicle Identification Section or VIS.