VIN check digit calculator
Paste a VIN to see whether its 9th character checks out, with every step of the math shown.
How the check digit works
- Convert each character to a number. Digits stay the same; letters use the table below.
- Multiply each value by its position weight:
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 10 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2. - Add the 17 products together.
- Divide by 11. The remainder is the check digit (10 is written as
X). - Compare it with the 9th character of the VIN.
| Letters | Value |
|---|---|
| A, J | 1 |
| B, K, S | 2 |
| C, L, T | 3 |
| D, M, U | 4 |
| E, N, V | 5 |
| F, W | 6 |
| G, P, X | 7 |
| H, Y | 8 |
| R, Z | 9 |
Questions
What is a VIN check digit?
The 9th character of a North American VIN. It's calculated from the other 16 characters, so a mistyped VIN almost always fails the check.
How is the VIN check digit calculated?
Convert each character to a number (letters use a fixed table), multiply each by its position weight (8,7,6,5,4,3,2,10,0,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2), add them up, and divide by 11. The remainder is the check digit; a remainder of 10 is written X.
Does every VIN have a check digit?
VINs for vehicles sold in North America since 1981 do. Many European and Asian market VINs don't use position 9 as a check digit.
My VIN fails the check. What does that mean?
Usually a typo, often an O typed for 0 or an I for 1 (VINs never use I, O or Q). Check the VIN plate on the dashboard and the door jamb. A genuine VIN that fails the check can be a sign of tampering.