Honda VIN decoder
Free Honda VIN Decoder to check car history and specifications.
What is Honda VIN?
Honda VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number, is a unique code every vehicle gets during manufacturing. It consists of 17 characters, each of which has its meaning, and can help you learn more about your current car or one you’re about to buy.
Different sections of the Honda VIN hold general information about the vehicle’s origin and specifications, including manufacturer, model year, vehicle type, assembly plant, and specific features (e.g., engine, body style, etc.).
Moreover, as the VIN is also used to record various events that happen during the car’s lifespan (accidents, damages, MOTs, theft, etc.), a VIN decoder can help uncover the car’s history, which is especially important if you’re buying a used Honda.
Honda is a well-known international brand primarily recognized for producing cars, motorcycles, and power equipment. It was established in 1946 by Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa in Japan and started as a small company building motorized bicycles. Now, it’s expanded its operations into various industries and become one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers.
Where to search for the VIN?
A vehicle’s VIN number is located in multiple places and can depend on the brand. However, there are specific common locations where the VIN is usually found in most vehicles.
Here’s where you can find the VIN in Hondas:
- Dashboard. Most car manufacturers, including Honda, place the VIN on the dashboard. Look for a small metal plate or a transparent sticker containing letters and numbers, which should be visible through the windshield on the driver’s side.
- Driver’s side door pillar. If you can’t find the VIN on the dashboard, check the driver’s side door pillar – you should be able to find the VIN on the certification label.
- Under the hood. The VIN can also be stamped on the engine compartment bulkhead.
- The front end of a frame. Some Hondas might have their VINs placed on the inner front wheel arch.
- Vehicle documentation. The VIN is usually mentioned in the car's registration documents, insurance papers, and the vehicle's title. Check any of those if you cannot locate the VIN on the car itself.
What is Honda VIN decoder?
The VIN serves several different purposes. It acts as an identifier for a vehicle and is used in registrations, insurance, and legal documents. Moreover, the VIN helps track a vehicle’s history, and you can perform a VIN lookup to learn more about your current or future car’s past.
For instance, you can learn about accidents, ownership history, mileage discrepancies, title changes, and more by getting a vehicle history report. Such information is crucial for buyers considering a used vehicle. If you’re selling, you can use a vehicle history report for transparency, improving your chances of sealing the deal.
All you need to do is enter the car’s VIN into the VIN decoder. Remember that if a seller refuses to share the VIN, there’s probably something he doesn’t want you to know.
How accurate is the information provided by the Honda VIN decoder?
carVertical gathers and processes information from over 900 reputable global data sources, including state registries, insurance companies, auto repair shops, and more. Therefore, using the Honda VIN decoder and getting a history report is a great way to identify a car’s potential weak spots before buying it or earn a buyer’s trust when selling.
How to decode a VIN number - Honda VIN breakdown
A Honda VIN consists of four sections – World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS), Security Check Digit, and Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS). Each section provides specific information about the vehicle.
While decoding is much simpler with a decoder, understanding the meaning of VIN characters can help you make a few quick insights about the car.
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
The World Manufacturer Identifier section is the first three characters of the VIN. Knowing what each of them means lets you learn about the vehicle’s country of origin, manufacturer, and type.
1st digit – country of origin
VIN code | Description |
1 | USA |
2 | Canada |
3 | Mexico |
4 | USA |
5 | USA |
6 | Australia |
7A-7E | New Zealand |
7F-70 | USA |
8A-8E | Argentina |
9A-9E, 93–99 | Brazil |
AA through AH | South Africa |
J | Japan |
L | China |
MA-ME, MY-M0 | India |
MF-MK | Indonesia |
ML-MR | Thailand |
NL-NR | Turkey |
PA-PE | Philippines |
PL-PR | Malaysia |
RF-RK | Taiwan |
RL-RP | Vietnam |
S | UK |
VF-VR | France |
VS-VW | Spain |
W | Germany |
Z | Italy |
2nd digit – manufacturer
VIN code | Description |
H | Honda |
A | Isuzu Motors Ltd., Acura MPV |
C | Honda de Mexico Honda MPV |
F | Honda Manufacturing of Alabama Honda/Acura MPV or Honda Truck |
F | Honda Manufacturing of Indiana Honda MPV |
J | Honda of America Mfg. Honda/Acura MPV |
K | Honda Manufacturing of Alabama Honda car |
S | Subaru Isuzu Automotive (SIA) Honda MPV |
7 | Honda of America Mfg. ATV |
9 | Honda of America Mfg. Acura car |
9 | Honda Manufacturing of Indiana Honda/Acura car |
3rd digit – vehicle type
VIN code | Description |
1 | Truck, built in Japan |
2 | Motorcycle, built in Japan/Brazil |
3 | ATV, built in Japan |
4 | Acura Passenger car, built in Japan |
6 | Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in USA (OH) |
6 | Honda Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built by SIA in the USA |
8 | Acura Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in the USA (OH) |
8 | ATV, built in the USA |
A | Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in the USA (IN) |
A | Passenger car, built in Turkey |
B | Passenger car, built in the USA (AL) |
C | Motorcycle, built in Italy |
E | Acura Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built by Isuzu in Japan |
M | Passenger car, built in Japan |
F | Motorcycle/ATV/UTV, Built in the USA |
G | Passenger car, built in the USA (OH)/Canada/Mexico |
H | Acura Passenger car, built in Canada |
H | Passenger car, built in the United Kingdom/Brazil |
J | Truck, built in Canada |
K | Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in Canada |
L | Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in Japan |
M | Passenger car, built in Japan |
N | Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in the USA (AL) |
N | Acura Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in Canada |
P | Truck, built in AL, USA |
R | Acura Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in the USA (AL) |
S | Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in the United Kingdom |
U | Acura Passenger car, built in the USA (OH) |
V | Acura Passenger car, built in the USA (IN) |
X | Passenger car, built in the USA (IN) |
Z | Multipurpose passenger vehicle, built in Mexico |
Based on the descriptions above, here are some WMI examples that you may expect to find in Honda VINs:
WMI | Manufacturer | Vehicle type |
1HG | Honda of America Mfg., Inc. | Honda, Passenger car |
19U | Honda of America Mfg., Inc. | Acura, Passenger car |
2HG | Honda of Canada Mfg., Inc. | Honda, Passenger car |
3HG | Honda de México S.A. de C.V. | Honda, Passenger car |
478 | Honda of America Mfg., Inc. | Honda, All-Terrain vehicle (ATV) |
8CH | Honda Motor de Argentina S.A. | Honda, Motorcycle |
93H | Honda Automoveis do Brasil Ltda. | Honda, Passenger car |
7A3 | Honda New Zealand | Honda, Passenger car |
LAL | Sundiro Honda Motorcycle Co., Ltd. | Honda, Motorcycle |
LHG | GAC Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. | Honda, Passenger car |
LUC | Honda Automobile (China) Co., Ltd. | Honda, Passenger car |
MAK | Honda Cars India Ltd. | Honda, Passenger car |
MRH | Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. | Honda, Passenger car |
NFB | Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan Ltd. | Honda, Passenger car |
SHH | Honda of the UK Mfg., Ltd. | Honda, Passenger car |
VTM | Montesa Honda S.A. | Honda, Motorcycle |
YC1 | Honda Belgium NV | Honda, Motorcycle |
ZDC | Honda Italia Industriale SpA | Honda, Motorcycle |
Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
The fourth to eighth character of the Honda VIN is the Vehicle Descriptor Section. It encodes such information as the vehicle model (4th-6th characters), body type and transmission (7th character), and grade and restraint system (8th character).
This portion of the VIN contains the most significant differences over the years. Therefore, let’s explore only the 2000-present Hondas and Acuras as examples.
4th-6th characters – model
Some examples of VIN codes for Honda (2000-present) models:
VIN code | Description |
AP1 | S2000, 2.0L VTEC F20 engine 2000-2003 |
AP2 | S2000, 2.2L VTEC F22 engine 2004-2009 |
BB6 | Prelude, 2.2L VTEC H22 engine 2000-2001 |
CF8 | Accord DX 4 Door 2.3L SOHC 2000-2002 |
CG1 | Accord 4 Door V6 3.0L SOHC VTEC V6 2000-2002 |
CG2 | Accord 2 Door V6 3.0L SOHC VTEC V6 2000-2002 |
CG6 | Accord 4 Door 2.3L VTEC ULEV 2000-2002 |
CR5 | Accord Plug-in Hybrid 4 Door 2.0L i-VTEC + electric 2014 |
EJ6 | Civic 2/3/4 Door 1.6L SOHC 2000 |
EJ7 | Civic HX 2 Door 1.6L SOHC VTEC-E 2000 |
EM2 | Civic 2 Door, 1.7L SOHC D17A1 2001-2005 |
FA3 | Civic Hybrid 4 Door 1.3L SOHC i-VTEC + electric 2006-2011 |
FC1 | Civic 4 Door 1.5L DOHC VTC turbo 2016-2021 |
RD1 | CR-V (4 Wheel drive) 2000-2001 |
RE4 | CR-V (4 Wheel drive) 2007-2011 |
RM3 | CR-V (2 Wheel drive) 2012-2016 |
RT6 | CR-V Hybrid (4 Wheel drive) 2.0L DOHC i-VTEC + electric 2020-2022 |
TF1 | Crosstour (2 Wheel drive) 3.5L SOHC i-VTEC V6 2012-2015 |
YF7 | Passport (2 Wheel drive) 2019-2022 |
ZC4 | Clarity Fuel Cell, Hydrogen fuel cell, 174 hp, 2017-2021 |
ZE4 | Insight, 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC + electric Hybrid, 2019-2022 |
Some examples of VIN codes for Accura (2000-present) models:
VIN code | Description |
CU2 | TSX 4-door 2.4 liter DOHC i-VTEC 2009-2014 |
CU4 | TSX 4-door 3.5 liter SOHC VTEC V6 2010-2014 |
DB8 | Integra GS-R 4-door 1.8 liter DOHC VTEC B18C1 engine 2000-2001 |
DE1 | ILX 2.0 liter SOHC i-VTEC 2013-2015 |
DE2 | ILX 2.4 liter DOHC i-VTEC 2013-2022 |
DE3 | ILX Hybrid 1.5 liter SOHC i-VTEC + electric 2013-2014 |
KC1 | RLX 3.5 liter SOHC i-VTEC V6 2014-2020 |
NC1 | NSX 3.5 liter DOHC VTC twin-turbo V6 + electric (All-Wheel Drive) 2017-2022 |
TB1 | RDX (All-Wheel Drive) 2.3 liter DOHC i-VTEC turbo 4-cylinder 2007-2012 |
UA7 | TL Type S 3.5 liter SOHC VTEC V6 2007-2008 |
YB1 | ZDX (All-Wheel Drive) 3.7 liter SOHC VTEC V6 2010-2013 |
YD4 | MDX (All-Wheel Drive) 3.5 liter SOHC i-VTEC V6 2014-2020 |
7th character – body type and transmission
In VINs of Hondas over 35 years old, this section (7th character) only denotes the body type. It indicates both body type and transmission for the remaining years and all Acuras.
Here are some examples of the 7th character in the Honda VIN (2010-present):
VIN code | Description |
A | 2 Door Coupe, Manual |
B | 2 Door Coupe, Automatic |
C | 3-Door Hatchback, Manual |
D | 3-Door Hatchback, Auto |
E | 4-Door Sedan, Manual |
F | 4-Door Sedan, Automatic |
G | 5-Door Hatchback, Manual |
H | 5-Door Hatchback, Automatic |
And Acuras (2010-present):
VIN code | Description |
B | 2 Door Coupe, Automatic |
E | 4-Door Sedan, Manual |
F | 4-Door Sedan, Automatic |
G | 5-Door Hatchback, Manual |
H | 5-Door Hatchback or Wagon, Automatic |
8th character – grade and restraint system
Similarly to the previous section, the 8th character in the Honda VIN – grade and restraint system – has not been consistent over the years. Therefore, let’s explore only the latest (2010-present) descriptions.
Some examples of the 8th character and its meaning in Hondas:
VIN code | Description |
0 | Accord EX w/Honda Sensing 4-door (16-17) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic EX-L 2-door (12-15) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Passport Elite (20-23) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags |
1 | Accord Sport Special Edition 4-door (17) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Accord Hybrid 4-door (18-19) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags; Insight LX (20-21) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags |
2 | Civic DX 2/4-door (10-12) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic Hybrid 4-door (10-15) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic LX 4-door (22-24) with Dual Airbags & Front and Rear Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
3 | Accord LX 4-door (10-17) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic EX-T 2/4-door (16-18) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Accord EX 4-door (23) with Dual Airbags & Front and Rear Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
4 | Accord LX-P 4-door (10-12) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic EX-T w/Honda Sensing 4-door (16-18) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; CR-V EX (23-24) with Dual Airbags & Front and Rear Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
5 | Accord Hybrid EX-L 4-door (14-15, 17) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic LX 2-door (12-18) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic Si 2/4-door (20) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags |
6 | Accord SE 4-door (11-12) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic HF 4-door (12-15) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic LX 2-door (20) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags |
7 | Civic SE 4-door (15) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic EX-L w/Navigation 5-door (17-18) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; CR-V Special Edition (21-22) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags |
8 | Accord EX-L V6 2/4-door (10-17) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic Sport 2/4-door (19) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; Civic EX-L 5-door (20-21) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags |
9 | Accord Hybrid Touring 4-door (18-19) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags; CR-V Touring (15-19) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; CR-V Hybrid Touring (20-22) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags |
Some examples of the 8th character and its meaning in Acuras:
VIN code | Description |
0 | NSX ('17-'19) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag; NSX Type S ('22) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag |
2 | TL ('10-'14) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; RDX ('10-'12) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags’Integra ('23-'24) with Dual Airbags & Front and Rear Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
3 | TL Special Edition ('13-'14) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; MDX ('22-'24) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
4 | ILX Special Edition ('18) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; MDX w/Technology Package ('22-'24) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
5 | RLX P-AWS ('18-'19) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag; TLX A-Spec ('21-'23) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
6 | TSX wagon w/Technology Package ('11-'14) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; TLX A-Spec ('20) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag |
7 | ILX w/Technology Package ('13-'15) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags; MDX Sport Hybrid w/Advance Package ('20) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag |
8 | MDX w/Advance Package & Entertainment Package ('14-'15) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag; TLX w/Advance Package ('20) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag |
9 | RLX w/Advance Package ('14-'17) with Dual Airbags & Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Driver-side Knee Airbag; Integra Type S ('24) with Dual Airbags & Front and Rear Side Airbags & Side Curtain Airbags & Dual Front Knee Airbags |
Security Check Digit
The Security Check Digit (9th character in the Honda VIN) is created to detect errors and safeguard against tampering within the VIN system rather than convey vehicle-specific information.
The Security Check Digit is calculated using a dedicated algorithm known as the VIN formula. This formula uses the 16 remaining characters of the VIN, assigning distinct weights to each character. The Check Digit is derived based on the sum of these weighted values.
Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS)
The Vehicle Identifier Section is the remaining characters (10th-17th) of the Honda VIN.
The 10th character is the model year. The common practice is that the model year encoding uses letters from the Latin alphabet, excluding “I,” “O,” “Q,” “U,” and “Z” to avoid confusion with numbers or other letters.
Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
A | 1980 | L | 1990 | Y | 2000 | A | 2010 | L | 2020 | Y | 2030 |
B | 1981 | M | 1991 | 1 | 2001 | B | 2011 | M | 2021 | 1 | 2031 |
C | 1982 | N | 1992 | 2 | 2002 | C | 2012 | N | 2022 | 2 | 2032 |
D | 1983 | P | 1993 | 3 | 2003 | D | 2013 | P | 2023 | 3 | 2033 |
E | 1984 | R | 1994 | 4 | 2004 | E | 2014 | R | 2024 | 4 | 2034 |
F | 1985 | S | 1995 | 5 | 2005 | F | 2015 | S | 2025 | 5 | 2035 |
G | 1986 | T | 1996 | 6 | 2006 | G | 2016 | T | 2026 | 6 | 2036 |
H | 1987 | V | 1997 | 7 | 2007 | H | 2017 | V | 2027 | 7 | 2037 |
J | 1988 | W | 1998 | 8 | 2008 | J | 2018 | W | 2028 | 8 | 2038 |
K | 1989 | X | 1999 | 9 | 2009 | K | 2019 | X | 2029 | 9 | 2039 |
The 11th character represents the assembly plant. Here are some examples that Honda uses to encode their assembly plants:
VIN code | Assembly plant |
A | Marysville, Ohio, USA (Marysville Auto/Motorcycle Plants) (Motorcycle plant closed 2009) |
B | Lincoln, Alabama, USA |
C | Sayama, Saitama prefecture, Japan (Vehicle production ended 2022) |
D | El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico (Motorcycle Plant) |
E | Greensburg, Indiana, USA |
F | Pingtung, Taiwan; Atessa, Italy (Motorcycle Plant) |
G | El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico (Auto Plant) (Auto production ended 2020) |
H | Alliston, Ontario, Canada |
J | Karawang, West Java, Indonesia (Auto Plant) |
2 | Karawang, West Java, Indonesia (Auto Plant) |
4 | Timmonsville, South Carolina, USA (ATV/UTV plant) |
5 | Bangkok, Thailand (Motorcycle Plant) |
12th to 17th character is a serial or production number that is unique to every vehicle.
Is a Honda VIN decoder available for a free VIN check?
You can use the Honda VIN decoder for free to check the legitimacy of the VIN and get some general information about a vehicle, such as manufacturer, engine type, model year, and more.
However, to better understand the vehicle’s past and condition (especially before buying), it’s recommended to get a full vehicle history report, which requires a fee. Vehicle history reports contain information from governmental registries, manufacturers’ databases, law enforcement databases, and similar – sources that are not available to a regular person and charge for data.
List of Honda models
- Honda Brio
- Honda City
- Honda Civic
- Honda Integra
- Honda e
- Honda Fit/Jazz
- Honda Accord
- Honda Inspire
- Honda Amaze
- Honda Crider
- Honda Envix
- Honda Freed
- Honda Mobilio
- Honda Odyssey/Elysion
- Honda Stepwgn
- Honda Avancier/UR-V
- Honda BR-V
- Honda CR-V/Breeze
- Honda Elevate/WR-V
- Honda HR-V
- Honda Passport
- Honda Pilot
- Honda Prologue
- Honda WR-V
- Honda ZR-V
- Honda Ridgeline
- Honda Civic Type R
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