Glossary
VIS (Vehicle Identifier Section)
The last eight characters of a VIN. The VIS records model year, plant of assembly, and a per-vehicle serial number.
Standard: ISO 3779
Definition
The Vehicle Identifier Section is positions 10 through 17 of a VIN. Position 10 is the model year code — a single letter or digit that cycles every 30 years (A=1980, B=1981, ... Y=2000, 1=2001, 2=2002, ... 9=2009, A=2010 again, and so on, skipping I, O, Q, U, Z, and 0). Position 11 is the plant of assembly, a manufacturer-defined code identifying which factory built the car. Positions 12 to 17 are the production serial — a sequential number that, combined with the WMI and year, uniquely identifies the individual unit. For low-volume manufacturers, positions 12 to 14 carry an extended manufacturer code that pairs with the digit 9 in position three of the WMI.
Why it matters when buying a used car
Position 10 is the easiest way to catch a misadvertised year. A seller listing a 2018 car whose VIN has a 'J' at position 10 is actually selling a 2018-built or a 1988-built vehicle — the WMI tells you which.
Often confused with
VIN
A VIN is the 17-character serial number that uniquely identifies a road vehicle worldwide, standardised by ISO 3779.
Model year code
Position 10 of a VIN. A single character that encodes the model year on a 30-year rolling cycle.
Plant code
Position 11 of a VIN. A single character identifying which factory built the car.