10th digit VIN year codes
Use the chart below to match the 10th VIN character with its possible model years. A single code is not globally unique to one year because the standardized sequence repeats on a 30-year cycle.
| VIN code | Possible model years |
|---|---|
| A | 1980 / 2010 / 2040 |
| B | 1981 / 2011 / 2041 |
| C | 1982 / 2012 / 2042 |
| D | 1983 / 2013 / 2043 |
| E | 1984 / 2014 / 2044 |
| F | 1985 / 2015 / 2045 |
| G | 1986 / 2016 / 2046 |
| H | 1987 / 2017 / 2047 |
| J | 1988 / 2018 / 2048 |
| K | 1989 / 2019 / 2049 |
| L | 1990 / 2020 / 2050 |
| M | 1991 / 2021 / 2051 |
| N | 1992 / 2022 / 2052 |
| P | 1993 / 2023 / 2053 |
| R | 1994 / 2024 / 2054 |
| S | 1995 / 2025 / 2055 |
| T | 1996 / 2026 / 2056 |
| V | 1997 / 2027 / 2057 |
| W | 1998 / 2028 / 2058 |
| X | 1999 / 2029 / 2059 |
| Y | 2000 / 2030 / 2060 |
| 1 | 2001 / 2031 / 2061 |
| 2 | 2002 / 2032 / 2062 |
| 3 | 2003 / 2033 / 2063 |
| 4 | 2004 / 2034 / 2064 |
| 5 | 2005 / 2035 / 2065 |
| 6 | 2006 / 2036 / 2066 |
| 7 | 2007 / 2037 / 2067 |
| 8 | 2008 / 2038 / 2068 |
| 9 | 2009 / 2039 / 2069 |
How to read the 10th digit
On a standard 17-character VIN, position 10 is the model-year code. Letters I, O, Q, U and Z are not used as model-year codes, and the sequence also uses the digits 1 through 9.
Why the VIN year code repeats
The sequence cycles every 30 years. For example, the same code can refer to model years separated by three decades. Manufacturer, vehicle type and production context help identify the correct cycle.
Year code vs. decoded model year
The 10th character is a compact model-year marker. A full decode uses the entire VIN and manufacturer data, which is more useful when the same code could represent multiple decades.