How to Read a VIN Number Like a Pro
From understanding the VIN number breakdown to uncovering a vehicle’s history,...
A Toyota VIN decoder reads the 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) and returns the model year, engine, body style and assembly plant. Enter a Toyota VIN below to decode it free and run a free Toyota VIN check for open recalls.
Looking for the VIN?
Here is where you'll find it:
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Title records from the U.S. Department of Justice system
35,614,115 Toyota VINs
in the EpicVIN database · data as of August 30, 2026
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More than 350 million VIN records checked
Decode without an account
Open recalls from NHTSA in the same result
Find the 17-character VIN on the dashboard, door jamb or title. Enter your VIN in the search box above, then read the results position by position. The first three characters identify the manufacturer; the 10th gives the model year.
The VIN can be found in three places:
Some Toyotas also have a VIN stamped on the vehicle body or chassis. The location varies by model and year. The engine serial number is separate from the VIN.
Type the full VIN, all 17 characters, into the search box above to decode your Toyota VIN. Entering it takes seconds, and the VIN lookup tool requires no account.
The decoded vehicle description includes production details. Where encoded, the VIN decoder shows the model year, engine type, transmission, trim level, body style, drivetrain and assembly plant, alongside any open recalls. Use the VIN structure breakdown below to understand the characters.
Every Toyota VIN is a standardized 17-character alphanumeric code divided into three sections: the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), digits 1–3; Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS), digits 4–9; and Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS), digits 10–17.
The letters I, O and Q are not used in a VIN to avoid confusion with numbers such as 1 and 0. Every VIN identifies one specific vehicle. The VIN format is defined by 49 CFR Part 565 and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard ISO 3779.
To decode a VIN manually, read it position by position as a string of 17 letters and numbers. The engine number stamped on the engine block is a separate number, not the VIN.
Since 1981, every vehicle sold in the U.S. has had a 17-character VIN. Older Toyotas have shorter serial numbers, which can be researched with the classic car VIN lookup.
| WMI | Vehicle type | Country of manufacture |
|---|---|---|
| 1NX | passenger car, NUMMI joint venture, Fremont | United States |
| 2T1 | passenger car | Canada |
| 2T3 | SUV / MPV | Canada |
| 3MY | passenger car, Toyota Yaris built by Mazda in Mexico | Mexico |
| 3TM | truck | Mexico |
| 3TY | truck | Mexico |
| 4T1 | passenger car | United States |
| 4T3 | SUV / MPV | United States |
| 4T4 | passenger car | United States |
| 4TA | truck | United States |
| 5TB | truck | United States |
| 5TD | SUV / MPV | United States |
| 5TE | truck | United States |
| 5TF | truck | United States |
| 5YF | passenger car | United States |
| 7MM | SUV / MPV, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, Huntsville | United States |
| 7MU | SUV / MPV, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, Huntsville | United States |
| 7SV | SUV / MPV | United States |
| JF1 | passenger car, Toyota models built by Subaru (for example the 86 / GR86) | Japan |
| JT2 | passenger car | Japan |
| JT3 | SUV / MPV | Japan |
| JT4 | truck | Japan |
| JT5 | passenger car | Japan |
| JTD | passenger car | Japan |
| JTE | SUV / MPV | Japan |
| JTK | passenger car | Japan |
| JTL | SUV / MPV | Japan |
| JTM | SUV / MPV | Japan |
| JTN | passenger car | Japan |
| NMT | passenger car | Turkey |
| SB1 | passenger car | United Kingdom |
| VNK | passenger car | France |
| WZ1 | passenger car, Toyota GR Supra (2020 and later), built by Magna Steyr in Graz | Austria |
| Plant code | Assembly plant | Country |
|---|---|---|
| U | Georgetown, Kentucky | United States |
| S | Princeton, Indiana | United States |
| X | San Antonio, Texas | United States |
| P | Blue Springs, Mississippi | United States |
| R | Lafayette, Indiana | United States |
| N | Huntsville, Alabama | United States |
| V | Huntsville (Madison), Alabama | United States |
| Z | Fremont, California | United States |
| C | Cambridge, Ontario | Canada |
| W | Woodstock, Ontario | Canada |
| M | Tijuana, Baja California | Mexico |
| T | Apaseo el Grande, Guanajuato | Mexico |
| J | Toyota City, Aichi | Japan |
| 5 | Tahara, Aichi | Japan |
| 1 | Kanegasaki, Iwate | Japan |
| K | Hamura, Tokyo | Japan |
| Model year (digit 10) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A–Y, 1–9 | A = 2010, B = 2011 … R = 2024, S = 2025, T = 2026; digits 1–9 = 2001–2009 |
Here is an example VIN: a real Toyota VIN from this page, decoded with the NHTSA vPIC decoder. JTME6RFV8RJ061504 identifies a 2024 Toyota RAV4 XSE hybrid sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2.5 L 4-cyl A25A-FXS gasoline engine, built in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan.
| Position | Characters | What it encodes | This VIN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | JTM | Manufacturer (WMI) | Toyota, SUV / MPV, Japan |
| 4–8 | E6RFV | Vehicle attributes (VDS) | RAV4, XSE, 2.5 L 4-cyl A25A-FXS, hybrid powertrain |
| 9 | 8 | Check digit | valid (vPIC) |
| 10 | R | Model year | 2024 |
| 11 | J | Assembly plant | Toyota City, Aichi, Japan |
| 12–17 | 061504 | Serial number | production sequence |
Decoded with NHTSA vPIC on September 28, 2026. This is one real VIN, not a fleet average.
Only in part. The VIN identifies the model year, engine and body style, but not the full build list of factory-installed features and options, including standard equipment. Enter the 17-character VIN through toyota.com to view the build year, color, technical specifications and factory- or port-installed equipment. You can print the results from your browser.
Yes. The basic Toyota VIN check on EpicVIN is free and needs no account to access. It decodes the VIN, lists open recalls and flags accident history, odometer problems and theft reports. The full vehicle history report will allow you to see the detailed information behind each flag.
Year 2024
Make TOYOTA
Model RAV4
Fuel Type Gasoline
Engine 2.5L In-Line A25A-FXS
Made in JAPAN
The NHTSA recall lookup and NICB VINCheck are also free. A full EpicVIN report costs $24.99 for one VIN. Buyers and sellers of a new or used vehicle can run the same check to confirm its model and engine against the listing.
Of the 35,614,115 Toyota VINs in the EpicVIN database, 24.1% (about 1 in 4) have at least one serious history event: a salvage auction, a branded title, flood, fire, theft or an odometer problem. That is close to the 21.2% median for makes with a similar fleet age.
| Metric | Toyota VINs in the EpicVIN database | Context |
|---|---|---|
| VINs in the database | 35,614,115 | 2nd largest of 46 passenger makes |
| Average age | 10.7 years | Median model year 2016 |
| Typical mileage | 59,025 mi | Median last odometer reading |
| Miles per year | 12,010 | VINs with two dated readings |
| Serious history event | 24.1% | Peer median 21.2% |
| Salvage or junk title | 15.4% | On an auction lot or listing |
| Moved between states | 8.5% | Peer median 14.4% |
By body type, 36.9% of Toyota VINs decode as sedans and 33.2% as sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Only 8.5% of Toyota VINs were recorded in more than one state, compared with the 14.4% median for makes of similar fleet age.
Peers are 17 passenger makes with an average fleet age within 1.5 years of Toyota. All shares refer to Toyota VINs in the EpicVIN database. Source: EpicVIN Vehicle Data Research. Data as of August 2026.
Recall checks are free. Enter the VIN above or use the NHTSA recall lookup to find open safety recalls for that Toyota. For additional service campaigns, use Toyota's official recall lookup. Among the Toyota VINs we track, an average of 3.75 NHTSA recall campaigns are on file per model year, compared with a peer median of 2.94.
NHTSA recall campaigns: 3.75 per model year · Peer median: 2.94
A campaign recorded for a model year does not mean the repair is still open on a particular vehicle. Check the VIN itself. Toyota also offers a recall lookup on toyota.com. You can check Toyota warranty coverage by VIN through the Toyota warranty lookup.
The VIN identifies the build plant and country of origin. The first character indicates the country of manufacture (J for Japan; 4 or 5 for the United States; 2 for Canada), while digit 11 identifies the assembly plant. In the EpicVIN database, 53% of Toyota VINs were built in the United States, 25.7% in Japan, 14.0% in Canada and 6.2% in Mexico.
Collision damage is the most frequently recorded type, appearing in 18.1% of Toyota VINs, followed by all-over damage at 1.1%. Toyota VINs appear most often in listings or sales records from California (11.9%), followed by Texas and Florida.
| Damage type | Share of Toyota VINs |
|---|---|
| Collision | 18.1% |
| All over | 1.1% |
| Mechanical | 0.7% |
| State VIN check | Share of Toyota VINs |
|---|---|
| VIN check in California | 11.9% |
| VIN check in Texas | 8.3% |
| VIN check in Florida | 7.6% |
| VIN check in New York | 3.4% |
| VIN check in North Carolina | 3.4% |
A VIN can have several recorded damage types and appear in several states. Source: EpicVIN Vehicle Data Research. Data as of August 2026.
Each model page provides VIN codes and statistics for those Toyota models.
Related decoders: Lexus VIN decoder.
The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). Toyota VINs may begin with JTD, 4T1, 5TD or 2T1. JTD identifies Toyota passenger cars built in Japan.
Yes. EpicVIN's basic Toyota VIN lookup is free and requires no account. It shows the model year, engine, assembly plant and open recalls. The full history report costs $24.99.
Yes. In a 17-digit VIN, the 10th character identifies the model year: R means 2024, and S means 2025. Year codes follow a 30-year cycle; I, O, Q, U and Z are not used as year codes.
Start with the free VIN check above for open recalls and accident or theft flags. Then use the full vehicle history report for title brands, damage photos and odometer records.
A Toyota VIN starting with 5 indicates manufacture in the United States. Examples include 5TD, 5TF and 5YF. The 11th character identifies the specific assembly plant.
Yes: Toyota Vehicle Specification on toyota.com lists the vehicle specs, safety features and installed options by VIN for free, including the optional equipment fitted at the factory or port, for gasoline and hybrid models alike.
For Toyotas built for the United States and Canada, the chassis number on the title and door label is the 17-character VIN. The engine number stamped on the engine block is separate.
Check the certification label inside the driver's door jamb, or ask a Toyota dealer, for the month and year of manufacture. The VIN itself identifies the model year, which may differ from the build date.
Yes. Engine information is encoded in the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS), digits 4–8. A Toyota VIN decoder can return the engine type, displacement and cylinder count.
A VIN decode provides accurate factory data, not the vehicle's history after sale. Detailed title history, damage records and odometer history are available in the full report. The statistics above draw on auction and listing records, which are proxies rather than state title registries. Owner names remain private under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA).
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