Toyota VIN Decoder: Free VIN Lookup

Decode any 17-character Toyota VIN to see year, model, engine, and build plant, instantly, free, no signup.

Enter a 17-character Toyota VIN

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A Toyota VIN is a 17-character code that identifies where and when the vehicle was built and its core specifications. Toyota VINs beginning with 4T or 5T were built in the United States, 2T in Canada, 3T in Mexico, and JT in Japan. Decoding a VIN is free, but it does not show title, accident, or odometer history.

Example: decoding a Toyota VIN

Sample pattern: 4T1BF1FK•HU••••••

Positions	Characters	Meaning
1–3	4T1	Toyota passenger car, built in the United States (Georgetown, Kentucky)
4–8	BF1FK	Body style, restraint system, model line (Camry) and engine code
9	•	Check digit, validates the VIN; a failed check digit can indicate a cloned VIN
10	H	Model year (H = 2017 in the current cycle)
11	U	Assembly plant (Georgetown, Kentucky)
12–17	••••••	Sequential production number

Structure per NHTSA 49 CFR Part 565.

Toyota WMI codes: where your Toyota was built

WMI	Country	Detail
4T1	United States	Camry, Avalon, Georgetown, Kentucky
5TD	United States	Sienna, Highlander, Sequoia, Princeton, Indiana
5TF	United States	Tundra, Tacoma, San Antonio, Texas
2T1	Canada	Corolla, Cambridge, Ontario
2T3	Canada	RAV4, Woodstock & Cambridge, Ontario
3TM / 3TY	Mexico	Tacoma, Baja California & Guanajuato
JTD / JTE / JTM / JTN	Japan	Japan-built cars, SUVs, vans
JTH / JTJ	Japan	Lexus models

Source: NHTSA vPIC WMI registry.

How to read each position of a Toyota VIN

Positions 1–3, WMI: World Manufacturer Identifier. Identifies the maker and country of origin.
Positions 4–8, VDS: Vehicle Descriptor Section. Encodes body style, engine, restraint system, and model line.
Position 9, Check digit: Math-derived validator. A failed check digit can indicate a typo or a cloned VIN.
Position 10, Model year: Single character; see the table below.
Position 11, Assembly plant: Manufacturer-specific code for the factory.
Positions 12–17, Sequence: Sequential production number unique to that car.

Model-year code table (position 10)

Code	Year	Code	Year
A	1980 / 2010	S	1995 / 2025
B	1981 / 2011	T	1996 / 2026
C	1982 / 2012	V	1997 / 2027
D	1983 / 2013	W	1998 / 2028
E	1984 / 2014	X	1999 / 2029
F	1985 / 2015	Y	2000 / 2030
G	1986 / 2016	1	2001 / 2031
H	1987 / 2017	2	2002 / 2032
J	1988 / 2018	3	2003 / 2033
K	1989 / 2019	4	2004 / 2034
L	1990 / 2020	5	2005 / 2035
M	1991 / 2021	6	2006 / 2036
N	1992 / 2022	7	2007 / 2037
P	1993 / 2023	8	2008 / 2038
R	1994 / 2024	9	2009 / 2039

The position-7 rule: year codes repeat every 30 years. If position 7 is a letter the vehicle is 2010 or newer; if a digit it's 2009 or older. Letters I, O, Q, U, Z are never year codes.

Toyota assembly plant codes (position 11)

Code	Plant	Models
U	Georgetown, Kentucky (TMMK)	Camry, Avalon, RAV4 Hybrid
X	San Antonio, Texas (TMMTX)	Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia
S	Princeton, Indiana (TMMI)	Sienna, Highlander
C	Cambridge, Ontario (TMMC)	Corolla, RAV4, Lexus RX
W	Woodstock, Ontario	RAV4
Z	Fremont, California (NUMMI, closed 2010)	older Corolla, Tacoma

Where to find the VIN on a Toyota

On a metal plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side (visible from outside).
On a sticker on the driver's door jamb.
Stamped on the engine block or firewall on many models.
On the title, registration, and insurance card, always confirm the paperwork matches the physical VIN. Mismatches are a serious red flag.

Toyota title & history red flags to check before you buy

Decoding a VIN tells you how a vehicle was built. To see what happened to it, you need a full vehicle history report, which surfaces title brands, odometer readings, theft records, and more.

Odometer rollbacks

Toyotas hold value at high mileage, which makes them prime rollback targets; the history report lists the odometer reading recorded at every title event, a reading that drops over time is decisive evidence.

Theft records

The Camry and Corolla have appeared in NICB's most-stolen rankings for more than a decade because parts demand is constant; a report shows theft records reported through state DMV channels.

Frame-rust era trucks

Mid-2000s Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia were subject to frame-corrosion campaigns, and Toyota's 2016 class-action settlement covering roughly 1.5 million trucks was valued at approximately $3.4 billion; check for salvage/junk brands on trucks from this era and inspect the frame regardless.

Flood and salvage rebuilds

Clean-looking rebuilt Toyotas command strong prices, so title washing is common; NMVTIS-sourced data shows title brands across every state the car has touched.

Toyota recalls: check before you buy

Recent examples of why this matters: Toyota recalled approximately 1.85 million 2013–2018 RAV4s in November 2023 for 12-volt battery movement that could cause a fire, and millions of older Toyotas were included in the industry-wide Takata airbag inflator recalls, the largest recall in U.S. history, covering roughly 67 million inflators across all brands. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer, but only if someone actually brings the car in.

Run a free Toyota recall check →

Recall counts shown by the free tool are model-level context for this model year, not a VIN-specific verdict. VIN-specific recall completion status is in the $9.99 report.

Buying a Toyota hybrid or EV?

Buying a Prius, RAV4 Prime, Camry Hybrid, or bZ4X? The VIN's engine characters (positions 4–8) confirm you're getting the hybrid drivetrain the listing claims, decode before you drive out. Hybrid battery replacement can run thousands of dollars, so a salvage or flood brand matters more on a hybrid than on a gas car, and the 2023 bZ4X was recalled (NHTSA 22V-403) for hub bolts that could let the wheels detach.

What to check on a used Toyota

Toyotas hold value well, and that is exactly why damaged ones keep circulating. A well-kept Camry, Corolla, RAV4, or Tacoma can run past 200,000 miles, so buyers often forgive a thin paper trail that they would question on another brand. Do not. Strong resale value gives sellers a real incentive to rebuild a wrecked car and move it quickly.

Watch the mid-2000s through early-2010s V6 models for oil consumption and sludge history, and ask for service records that show regular oil changes rather than a single recent receipt. On trucks and older SUVs, inspect frame and rocker rust closely, especially on vehicles that spent time in salt states. Hybrid models add a second question: battery age and any prior pack replacement.

Flood exposure is the pattern most often missed. Gulf Coast and Northeast storm cars are frequently retitled in a different state, cleaned up, and resold as clean-title vehicles. Check for musty smells, silt under the carpet and spare tire well, corroded seat rails, and fogged lighting.

Before money changes hands, verify the title status and brand history, the odometer readings recorded over time, whether the vehicle was ever declared a total loss, whether any lien is still open, and whether open recalls were actually completed on this exact VIN.

See the history on this exact Toyota before you pay for it.

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Looking at safety campaigns? Read Toyota recalls: how to check open safety recalls, or run a VIN through the free recall check.

Free VIN decode vs. full vehicle history report

What you learn	TitlePull Report, $9.99 one-time	Free decoder	Other providers
Year, make, model, engine specs	✓	✓	✓ (free)
Title history	✓	No	Varies by provider
Title brands (salvage, flood, lemon)	✓	No	Varies by provider
Odometer readings over time	✓	No	Varies by provider
Theft & total-loss records	✓	No	Varies by provider
Recalls	✓ VIN-specific completion status	Model-level list (free tool)	Varies
Black Book® valuation	✓	No	Often extra
AI summary	✓	No	Rare
Subscription required	Never	Never	Often

Checked the specs? Now check the history.

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Toyota VIN decoder: frequently asked questions

On a plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side (visible from outside) and on a sticker on the driver's door jamb. It also appears on the title, registration, and insurance card, always confirm the paperwork matches the physical VIN.

Yes. Decoding reveals build specs, year, model, engine, plant, and is free using NHTSA data. A vehicle history report, which shows title, salvage, theft, and odometer records, is separate. TitlePull's full report is $9.99 one-time, no subscription.

No. The VIN only encodes how the vehicle was built. Accident, salvage, flood, theft, and odometer records live in databases like NMVTIS keyed to the VIN, you need a history report to see them.

It was built in Japan. 4T or 5T means the United States, 2T means Canada, and 3T means Mexico. The decoder above returns the registered plant for your exact VIN.

Position 10 is the year code, but codes repeat every 30 years. Check position 7: a letter means 2010 or newer; a digit means 2009 or older.

Yes, both regularly appear in NICB most-stolen rankings, largely due to their numbers on the road and parts demand. A history report shows whether a specific VIN has a reported theft record.

Mid-2000s Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia were subject to frame-corrosion campaigns; some received buybacks or frame replacements. Check the title for salvage or junk brands and inspect the frame on any truck of that era.

Toyotas hold value at high mileage, making them common rollback targets. The report lists the odometer reading at every title event, a mileage figure that drops over time is a red flag.

By the TitlePull Team · Published June 7, 2026 · Last updated July 29, 2026 · Fact-checked against NHTSA vPIC

Sources: NHTSA vPIC & 49 CFR Part 565 · NHTSA recall database · NICB theft data · HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute) · Mitchell · NMVTIS (U.S. Department of Justice).