BMW VIN Decoder

List of BMW Models

• 1 Series
• 2 Series
• 3 Series
• 4 Series
• 5 Series
• 6 Series
• 7 Series
• 8 Series
• Alpina
• F10
• F30
• i3
• i4
• i8
• ix
• M1
• M2
• M3
• M4
• M5
• M6
• M7
• M8
• X1
• X2
• X3
• X4
• X5
• X6
• X7
• Z1
• Z3
• Z4
• Z8
• 320
• 325
• 328
• 330

BMW VIN Number Lookup

When you’re spending money on a used luxury vehicle, authenticity is important. Is the car you’re looking at really an “M” model, or does it just have some extra badges? Does it have the correct engine and the right equipment? While there are several BMW VIN decoder options, our free decoder is the easiest to use. Just type the VIN number into the search box, and you’ll get a VIN report that organizes all of its information in an easy to read format.

The VIN is also invaluable for repairing and upgrading your BMW. Trim and model information helps confirm the compatibility of replacement parts. If there are running changes over a model’s life, the serial number can be used to determine which parts were used on your vehicle. Using our BMW decoder, VIN information is just a click away.

Best of all, you can use our BMW VIN decoder free of charge. Want to know more? By ordering a full VIN report, you can find out about the vehicle’s history. This draws on official information from state and private agencies, telling you about previous owners, accidents, police reports and more.

Where to Search for the VIN?

Here’s where you can find the VIN on your BMW car or crossover:

• Stand in front of the driver’s door and look through the windshield. You should see the VIN printed on the corner of the dashboard.
• Open the driver’s side door. Look for a black sticker on the side or front of the B pillar. This sticker lists the weight limits of the vehicle, as well as the manufacturing date. The VIN is printed directly above a bar code. If you don’t see the sticker here, check the B pillar on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
• Open the hood. The VIN number is etched into the body, usually on the front or the top of the passenger’s side strut tower. On some vehicles, you may also find it etched into the top of the inner fender well, directly behind the strut tower.
• Remove the rear license plate. Behind the plate, you’ll find the VIN printed on a sticker.
• On most BMWs, the VIN is also stamped into the floor pan below the front passenger’s seat. There will be a small carpet flap you can lift to see it.

Here’s where you can find the VIN on your BMW motorcycle:

• Look at the frame, below the rear brake lever, below the left side of the gas tank or air box, and next to the headlight. There should be a VIN plate or sticker on one of these locations.
• On fully-faired motorcycles, look for a small tag hanging down from the bottom of the frame.
• Lift up the seat, and look for a sticker next to the battery.

With both motorcycles and cars, you can also find the VIN number on any official documents you have with the vehicle. The VIN is used on titles and insurance policies to identify the vehicle. Repair shops may also list the VIN on receipts.

Comprehensive VIN Decoder Guide

Both cars and motorcycles have a 17 digit VIN that follows the same basic format. Here’s the type of information you’ll find when you look up this number.

The first three characters are the manufacturer identifier:

• The first character is the country where the vehicle was manufactured. A “W” is used on vehicles built in Germany, while a “4” or “5” is used on vehicles built in the U.S.
• The second character is the make. While most makes have a single character for all models, BMW uses two characters. “B” is for BMW Germany, while “U” is for BMW USA.
• The third character is the vehicle type. “A” and “S” are used for passenger vehicles. “A” and “X” are used for utility vehicles. A “1” is used on motorcycles.

Characters 4 through 8 identify the type of vehicle:

• The fourth character is the model line. These characters are frequently reused. For example, an “A” could be any number of 3-Series models built from the late 80s to the early 2000s.
• The fifth character is the series. This character is frequently reused. An “A” in this position could be one of several 318 or 325 models produced in the late 80s or early 90s, or it could be an X5.
• The sixth character is the body type. Again, this digit is frequently reused. A “1” in this position could be a 3 Series, a 5 Series, an M6, an 8 Series or a Z8.
• The seventh digit is the vehicle type. “3”, “4”, and “7” are used for passenger vehicles, including both cars and SUVs.
• On most vehicles, the eighth character is the safety restraint system. “0” is for manual seat belts only. “1” is for a driver’s side air bag. “2” and “3” are for driver and passenger side air bags. “4” is for an advanced driver and passenger air bag. On a few vehicles, this indicates the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR.

Character 9 is a check digit. This is generated using a formula that accounts for other characters in the VIN. If the result of the formula isn’t the same as this character, there’s something wrong with the VIN. This reduces data entry errors.

Character 10 is the model year. This alternates between letters and numbers. Letters “O” and “Q” aren’t used, so they aren’t confused with the number “0”. Digits 1-9 were last used from 2001 to 2009. 2023 models use “P” for their year code.

Character 11 is the plant where the vehicle was assembled:

Characters 12 through 17 are the vehicle’s production number. These digits are reused, but no vehicle will have the same production number and matching characters for the rest of the VIN.