VIN Country Codes (First Character)
The first character of a VIN identifies the country where the vehicle was manufactured. For example, 1, 4 and 5 mean the United States, 2 means Canada, 3 means Mexico, J means Japan, K means Korea, W means Germany, and S means the United Kingdom. Together with characters 2 and 3, the first character forms the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI).
Common VIN Country Codes
- 1, 4, 5, United States
- 2, Canada
- 3, Mexico
- 9, Brazil
- J, Japan
- K, South Korea
- L, China / Taiwan
- S, United Kingdom
- W, Germany
- V, France / Spain (Europe)
- Y, Sweden / Finland
- Z, Italy
Why the Country Code Matters
The country code tells you where a vehicle was assembled, which can affect parts availability, emissions compliance and whether a car meets U.S. standards.
The country code tells you where a vehicle was assembled, which can affect parts availability, emissions compliance and whether a car meets U.S. standards. A grey-market vehicle built outside the U.S. may not meet federal safety and emissions rules.
Country Code + Manufacturer = WMI
The first three characters together are the World Manufacturer Identifier.
The first three characters together are the World Manufacturer Identifier. The first character is the country/region, and characters 2–3 pinpoint the exact manufacturer and division, for example, WBA is BMW in Germany.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the first digit of a VIN mean?
The first character shows the country of manufacture, for example 1, 4 or 5 for the United States, J for Japan and W for Germany.
What country code is a US-made car in a VIN?
Vehicles built in the United States start with 1, 4 or 5.
How do I find where my car was made?
Read the first character of the VIN, or decode the full VIN on VinSpecs to see the plant country and city.
Related Guides
Sources: ISO 3780 · NHTSA vPIC.