Volkswagen VIN Decoder
Volkswagen built the Beetle from 1938 and sold it in the US for decades. It now builds cars in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Puebla, Mexico.
Can I decode a Volkswagen VIN from before 1981?
Yes. Volkswagen VINs from before 1981 are shorter than 17 characters and follow Volkswagen’s own layout, so a standard decoder cannot read them. Our classic decoder reads them from as early as 1965, character by character, against the factory chart for each year.
Decode a classic VolkswagenWhat do the first three characters of a Volkswagen VIN mean?
German-built Volkswagens begin WVW. Mexican-built models, including the Jetta, begin 3VW, and Tennessee-built models begin 1VW. Beetles, Karmann Ghias, Buses and Type 3s from 1965 to 1979 have an all-digit number instead: two digits for the model, one for the year, then the serial, so 1122122978 is a 1972 Beetle. A 1972 to 1974 number can also look like a 1962 to 1964 Plymouth, and we show both so you can pick.
- 1–3Manufacturer
- 4–8Vehicle details
- 9Check digit
- 10Model year
- 11Plant
- 12–17Serial number
VIN decoders by country
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Want to keep this VIN?
Save it to your free garage and check later whether the car is still on the road.