VIN & V5C
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Also known as: chassis number
17-character unique identifier assigned to a vehicle at manufacture. Stamped on the chassis, etched into glass and stored in the ECU.
Since 1981 VINs follow ISO 3779: characters 1–3 identify the manufacturer (the World Manufacturer Identifier), 4–9 describe the vehicle, and 10–17 identify the individual unit, with the 10th character indicating the model year on most manufacturers.
On a modern car the VIN appears in multiple locations: a windscreen plate visible from outside, a manufacturer's plate riveted to the body (often in the door shut or under the bonnet), the stamped chassis number, and electronically in the engine ECU and body control module. All must agree.