Skip to content

Ford VIN Decoder

Ford Motor Company, founded in 1903, introduced the moving assembly line and built the Model T, Mustang and F-Series, the best-selling truck in America for decades.

Built before 1981?

Can I decode a Ford VIN from before 1981?

Yes. Ford VINs from before 1981 are shorter than 17 characters and follow Ford’s own layout, so a standard decoder cannot read them. Our classic decoder reads them from as early as 1953, character by character, against the factory chart for each year.

Decode a classic Ford
Classic Ford VINs From 1953 Read character by character against the factory chart for each year.
Reading a Ford VIN

What do the first three characters of a Ford VIN mean?

The third character does a lot of work on a Ford. 1FA is a passenger car, 1FT is a truck, and 1FM is a multipurpose vehicle such as an SUV or van. Mexican-built cars begin 3FA.

What each of the 17 positions means

The 17 positions1FA …
  • 1–3Manufacturer
  • 4–8Vehicle details
  • 9Check digit
  • 10Model year
  • 11Plant
  • 12–17Serial number
Have a Ford VIN in hand?Decode it free — no account needed.
Other makes

VIN decoders by country

United States

Japan

United Kingdom

Italy

Germany

South Korea

Sweden

France

Want to keep this VIN?

Save it to your free garage and check later whether the car is still on the road.

Start a free garage