VIN Year Chart
The 10th character of a VIN is the model year. Use the chart below, or decode your full VIN to read the year instantly.
Model-year codes (10th VIN character)
Each code covers two model years, 30 years apart. This year (2026) is code T.
| Code | Model year | Model year |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1980 | 2010 |
| B | 1981 | 2011 |
| C | 1982 | 2012 |
| D | 1983 | 2013 |
| E | 1984 | 2014 |
| F | 1985 | 2015 |
| G | 1986 | 2016 |
| H | 1987 | 2017 |
| J | 1988 | 2018 |
| K | 1989 | 2019 |
| L | 1990 | 2020 |
| M | 1991 | 2021 |
| N | 1992 | 2022 |
| P | 1993 | 2023 |
| R | 1994 | 2024 |
| S | 1995 | 2025 |
| T | 1996 | 2026 — this year |
| V | 1997 | 2027 |
| W | 1998 | 2028 |
| X | 1999 | 2029 |
| Y | 2000 | 2030 |
| 1 | 2001 | 2031 |
| 2 | 2002 | 2032 |
| 3 | 2003 | 2033 |
| 4 | 2004 | 2034 |
| 5 | 2005 | 2035 |
| 6 | 2006 | 2036 |
| 7 | 2007 | 2037 |
| 8 | 2008 | 2038 |
| 9 | 2009 | 2039 |
How to read the year from your VIN
Count to the 10th character from the left of the VIN and match it in the chart above. Because the codes repeat every 30 years, a modern 17-character VIN (1981 onward) plus the rest of the decode tells you which of the two years applies. The fastest route is to paste the whole VIN into the tool at the top — it returns the model year along with the make, model, engine and plant.
VIN year — FAQ
Which digit of the VIN is the year?
The 10th character of a 17-character VIN is the model year. Count ten characters from the left, or just decode the whole VIN — the tool on this page reads the model year for you.
Why can one code mean two different years?
The year codes run in a 30-year cycle, so each letter or number repeats. For example “A” is 1980 and 2010, and “T” is 1996 and 2026. On a modern 17-character VIN the rest of the decode and the vehicle’s era make it clear which one applies.
Why are some letters missing from the chart?
The letters I, O, Q, U and Z and the digit 0 are never used as year codes, because they’re too easy to confuse with 1, 0 and 2. That leaves 21 letters and the digits 1–9 — 30 codes in total.
What about a car older than 1981?
The standardized 17-character VIN began with the 1981 model year. Pre-1981 vehicles used shorter, manufacturer-specific numbering, so this chart and most modern decoders don’t apply to them.
See also engine code by VIN (8th character), read what a VIN is, or decode any VIN.