VIN Decoder Australia: Free VIN Number Check

What is a vehicle VIN decoder Australia?

A vehicle VIN decoder Australia is a tool that decodes a vehicle’s identification number (VIN), extracting all the key details encrypted within it.

At first glance, a VIN number looks like a string of digits and capital letters. However, a high-quality vehicle VIN decoder can unlock extensive information about any vehicle by interpreting this code.

If you have a vehicle's identification number, VIN decoder Australia can reveal the car's manufacturer, model, features, and technical specifications. It essentially breaks down and analyses (“decodes”) the 17-character VIN, which holds essential details about the vehicle, from where it was made to its specifications and features.

Since the meaning of VIN characters can vary across manufacturers, models, and countries, decoding them manually can be complicated.

That's where our free VIN decoder comes in handy. Simply enter the VIN into the field above and click ‘Decode VIN’ to uncover essential information about any vehicle.

How to use VIN decoder Australia to do a VIN number check?

Using our free VIN decoder Australia is as simple as it can get:

• Enter your vehicle’s 17-character VIN number into the Enter VIN number field;
• Click Decode VIN.

In most cases, the VIN decoder Australia will provide some basic information for free. This info should be enough to:

• Check whether the VIN number is real;
• Confirm the VIN number corresponds to the vehicle you’re checking;
• Help you decode the number by breaking it down into parts.

To access more details about the vehicle, such as mileage records, damages, old photos, and theft records, you can get a full carVertical car history report.

carVertical free VIN decoder Australia helps check a car VIN number and learn a vehicle history, including its real mileage, if it had any accidents or has been stolen.

carVertical full history report offers a fast and easy way to find out about already mentioned facts (like accidents or odometer readings), also see car’s archive photos, spotted activity, maintenance, equipment, model bugs (for example, Common EGR failure on TDI engines or Manual transmission failure, etc.) or even a VIN number location.

VIN number meaning

A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique code that identifies nearly every vehicle in the world. While car manufacturers began using VIN numbers in the mid-20th century, there were no strict standards, so each manufacturer had its own format with varying lengths and meanings.

In 1981, a new standard was introduced, requiring VIN numbers to be 17 characters long and excluding the letters O (o), I (i), and Q (q) to prevent confusion with numbers 0, 1, and 9.

A car VIN number is divided into sections, each containing specific information about the vehicle's year of manufacture, country of origin, features, and options list. While decoding a VIN can be tricky, using a free VIN decoder like ours makes it easier to uncover this data.

More crucially, decoding a VIN number allows access to global databases, which is especially valuable when buying a used vehicle. This helps buyers avoid scams such as mileage rollbacks, hidden damages, and other potential issues.

How to decode the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)?

The VIN number consists of 17 characters that are divided into multiple sections. Technically, you can check VIN number without using a decoder because every character has a fixed meaning.

World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)

The first section, called the WMI code (World Manufacturer Identifier), consists of three characters.

• The first character represents the country of origin, ranging from "1" (for the US) to "Z" (for Italy).
• The second character indicates the vehicle brand. For instance, "A" stands for Audi, "B" for BMW, and "N" for Nissan. However, the same letter can sometimes represent different brands or countries. For example, "A" might denote British manufacturers, and "R" could also signify Audi. This is why the third character in the WMI section is necessary for clarification.
• The final character identifies the manufacturer’s division or the vehicle's body type, whether it’s a sedan, convertible, SUV, or another variant.

The structure of the WMI section differs slightly for vehicles that aren’t mass-produced.

Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

The second section, known as the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS), is made up of five characters. These characters provide details about the engine size and type, braking system, vehicle series, model, and body style. Each character signifies different features, and their interpretation varies by manufacturer.

Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS)

The last nine characters make up the Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS), and the details in this section vary depending on whether the manufacturer is American, European, or Asian.

• With Australian vehicles, the VIS is required to provide a "clear identification of a particular vehicle."

It’s common for vehicles to share the same configuration and assembly location, so the serial number often becomes the only unique part of their VIN number.

Determining the model year without a reference chart can be tricky. For example, "1" represents 2001, "2" is 2002, but "A" stands for 2010, and "B" for 2011.

Every assembly plant uses its own code, so it's essential to identify the character and look it up for precise information.

Check digit

This is the shortest section, containing only one character – the "check digit." This digit is generated through a mathematical calculation using all the other VIN number characters.

If any character in the VIN number is incorrect or altered, the check digit won’t match. It’s possible to calculate the check digit yourself without needing to perform a full VIN number search.

Australian vehicles, like those in most regions following international standards, use the 9th position for the check digit.

Where is the VIN number on a car?

Since the VIN number is essential for maintaining records and performing a VIN check, you have to know where to find it. The VIN number is always placed in secure spots on the vehicle to prevent accidental damage or removal. Here are the most common VIN number locations:

• Under the hood – the VIN is often located in front of the engine block.
• Dashboard on the driver’s side – step outside the vehicle and check behind the windshield for the VIN.
• Driver’s side door pillar – open the driver’s door and check for a VIN plate on the inside of the door pillar.
• The front end of the frame – for older cars, the VIN number is often found on the inner front wheel arch.
• Firewall – in some older vehicles, the VIN number can be found on the firewall, positioned between the cabin and the engine bay.

In addition to these on-car locations, you can also find the VIN number on your vehicle registration documents and insurance certificate. Just remember, all VIN numbers should match across these records.

International VIN Decoder

The VIN number is just one of several ways to identify a vehicle.

Having multiple ways to identify a vehicle is crucial, especially for detecting different types of fraud. That being said, the ISO standard VIN remains the most reliable method for vehicle identification.

Old VIN numbers

Our free VIN decoder Australia cannot process older VIN formats due to variations in their structure. Vehicles produced between 1954 and 1981 used different VIN formats, so you’ll need a specialized VIN check tool to decode them.

With that said, pre-1981 vehicles can still be stolen, damaged, or written off like any modern vehicle. Therefore, old VIN numbers are still important to check.

Frame or chassis number (particularly in Japan)

VIN numbers are less common in Japan, where vehicles often use chassis or frame numbers instead. These numbers follow a different format from the standard 17-character VIN.

Standard VIN decoders cannot interpret the chassis or frame numbers found on Japanese vehicles, so you'll need a specialized decoder for those formats.

In Australia, the 17-character VIN number is the standard vehicle identification method, but for older or imported vehicles, particularly from Japan, you may encounter chassis or frame numbers instead.

License plate numbers

In most countries, vehicles must be registered to legally drive on public roads, resulting in databases that store vehicle information linked to license plate numbers. License plate checks are often free, but availability and cost depend entirely on the specific country.

These checks typically provide basic details, such as the vehicle’s make, model, title status, and insurance information. However, license plate checks are generally not very helpful in cross-border situations.

Decoding VIN numbers: why is it important to do a VIN number check?

There are several important reasons to perform a VIN number check. They depend on the situation.

You might opt for a free VIN decoder Australia check to:

• Help decode the VIN number manually
• Confirm that the VIN matches the vehicle
• Check basic specifications information

Performing a VIN number check for a full vehicle history report is essential if you’re:

• A car owner – discover any potential weak spots or simply satisfy your curiosity.
• Selling a used car – buyers appreciate transparency, so providing a history report helps build trust from the start.
• Buying a used car – uncover damages, mileage rollbacks, and other crucial information. This can help you avoid bad deals or help to negotiate the price.

Free VIN number search vs Full Vehicle History Report

The carVertical VIN number checker scans dealer, repair shop databases, car sales reports, rental companies worldwide and provides you with all kinds of information from regular mileage checks to photos of damages.

A free VIN decoder Australia offers basic details about a vehicle, including:

• Model
• Manufacturer
• Year
• VIN breakdown
• Basic equipment info

Here’s what you may learn about from a full carVertical vehicle history report:

• Mileage rollbacks
• Theft records from law enforcement agencies
• Damages (sometimes, even photos after accidents)
• Registration and inspection dates
• Vehicle’s title info (was it used as a taxi, rental, police vehicle, etc.; has it suffered water damage, and so on)
• Original equipment
• Specific model problems and recalls
• Country of origin, model year

You can see what a VIN number check can tell about your car in our sample vehicle’s history report.

Meanwhile, the free VIN decoder Australia may tell you the car’s:

• Manufacturer
• Model
• Year
• Basic equipment info
• VIN breakdown

Don’t risk your own safety when buying a used car – put its VIN code in our free VIN decoder Australia and unveil potential safety issues and problems right away.

Why does a full vehicle history report cost money?

If you’ve used car history reports and free VIN decoders, you likely understand the difference in the amount of information each provides. The reason is simple – most detailed information comes at a cost.

A free VIN decoder Australia primarily offers data that’s publicly accessible. We can always provide the car’s make, model, and year of manufacture. In some instances, we can also retrieve additional data, such as basic vehicle specifications. Technically, you could search the internet for this information yourself, but a free VIN decoder in Australia delivers it in seconds, saving you a lot of time.

The information our free VIN decoder Australia can uncover varies depending on the vehicle.

For a full vehicle history report, we access various paid databases globally. carVertical has established strong partnerships with auctions, insurance companies, manufacturers, and other institutions to gather the most valuable and reliable data.

This data is not only paid for but often inaccessible to the average individual.

Check car VIN number by make:

• Mercedes VIN Decoder Australia
• Toyota VIN Decoder Australia
• Volkswagen VIN Decoder Australia
• Audi VIN Decoder Australia
• Ford VIN Decoder Australia
• Nissan VIN Decoder Australia
• Jeep VIN Decoder Australia
• Lexus VIN Decoder Australia
• Dodge VIN Decoder Australia
• RAM VIN Decoder Australia
• Chevrolet VIN Decoder Australia