{"id":1412,"date":"2026-10-30T15:37:06","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T14:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/?p=1412"},"modified":"2026-10-30T15:37:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T14:37:07","slug":"vin-country-codes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/vin-country-codes\/","title":{"rendered":"VIN Country Codes: Where was your Car Made?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your car\u2019s VIN can tell you where it came from. Just check the first two characters to identify its country of origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this guide, we\u2019ll cover <strong>VIN country codes<\/strong>, the full country list, and how to find where your car was actually built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/\"><strong>Vincario<\/strong><\/a> <strong>checks VINs for free.<\/strong> Get vehicle origin, factory, specs, and theft status with 3 free reports monthly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The first two VIN characters<\/strong> usually indicate the country of origin, while the 11th helps identify the assembly plant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>US VINs often start with 1, 4, 5, or 7.<\/strong> Newer vehicles increasingly use 7.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The US has the most VIN country codes. <strong>127, compared to China&#8217;s 66.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a VIN country code?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VIN country code is the first one or two characters of a <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/what-is-a-vin-number\/\">17-character VIN<\/a>. Together with the 3rd character, they form the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). The part that names the maker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SAE International hands out these codes on behalf of ISO. Every car sold since 1981 uses the system, so the country code works the same on a 1985 pickup and a 2026 EV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"529\" src=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-1024x529.webp\" alt=\"what country is vin\" class=\"wp-image-1421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-1024x529.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-300x155.webp 300w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-767x396.webp 767w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-1536x793.webp 1536w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-541x279.webp 541w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-1083x559.webp 1083w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-790x408.webp 790w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin-1228x634.webp 1228w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/what-country-is-vin.webp 1860w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which digit of the VIN is the country?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>1st character<\/strong> shows the region or, for big producers, the country. The <strong>2nd character<\/strong> pins down the exact country inside that region. The <strong>3rd<\/strong> adds the manufacturer. The <strong>11th<\/strong> shows the assembly plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1016\" src=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy.webp\" alt=\"VIN country code anatomy\" class=\"wp-image-1413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy.webp 2400w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-300x127.webp 300w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-1024x433.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-768x325.webp 768w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-1536x650.webp 1536w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-2048x867.webp 2048w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-542x229.webp 542w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-1084x459.webp 1084w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-792x335.webp 792w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-anatomy-1230x521.webp 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Example<\/strong>: <strong>1HGCM82633A004352<\/strong> is a Honda Accord. The first character, 1, indicates the USA; 1HG identifies a Honda built in America; and A in position 11 identifies the Marysville plant in Ohio. It&#8217;s a Japanese brand, but this particular car was built in America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to find the VIN country code<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Find the VIN.<\/strong> Look at the dashboard through the windshield, the driver&#8217;s door jamb or the registration. A <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-ocr-scanner\/\">VIN OCR scanner<\/a> reads it from a photo without typos.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Read the first two characters<\/strong> and match them with the list below.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check position 11<\/strong> if you need the exact factory, not only the country.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Decode it.<\/strong> A <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/\">free VIN decoder<\/a> returns country, maker and plant in one step, so you don&#8217;t have to work through tables.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Tip<\/strong>: In the US, the window sticker (Monroney label) lists the final assembly point and the country of origin of the engine and transmission. The VIN only shows where the car was assembled, not where the parts came from.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VIN country codes by first character<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the quick lookup most people need. <strong>One character, one region:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1288\" src=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char.webp\" alt=\"VIN country codes by first character chart:\" class=\"wp-image-1414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char.webp 2400w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-300x161.webp 300w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-1024x550.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-768x412.webp 768w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-1536x824.webp 1536w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-2048x1099.webp 2048w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-542x291.webp 542w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-1084x582.webp 1084w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-792x425.webp 792w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-first-char-1230x660.webp 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>First character<\/th><th>Country<\/th><th>Real examples<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>1, 4, 5<\/strong><\/td><td>United States<\/td><td>1HG Honda Ohio, 4T1 Toyota Kentucky, 5UX BMW South Carolina, 5YJ Tesla California<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>7<\/strong><\/td><td>United States (7F-70), formerly New Zealand (7A-7E)<\/td><td>7SA Tesla Model Y, 7G2 Cybertruck, 7FC Rivian, 7JR Volvo South Carolina<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2<\/strong><\/td><td>Canada<\/td><td>2HG Honda Civic, 2T3 Toyota RAV4, 2C4 Chrysler Pacifica<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>3<\/strong><\/td><td>Mexico<\/td><td>3VW Volkswagen Jetta, 3N1 Nissan Sentra, 3TM Toyota Tacoma<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>J<\/strong><\/td><td>Japan<\/td><td>JT Toyota, JH Honda, JN Nissan, JM Mazda, JF Subaru<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>K<\/strong><\/td><td>South Korea (KL-KR), Israel (KF-KH)<\/td><td>KM Hyundai, KN Kia, KL Chevrolet Trax<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>L, H<\/strong><\/td><td>China<\/td><td>LRW Tesla Shanghai, LYV Volvo, LPS Polestar<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>W<\/strong><\/td><td>Germany<\/td><td>WBA BMW, WAU Audi, WVW Volkswagen, WP0 Porsche, W1K Mercedes-Benz<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>S<\/strong><\/td><td>United Kingdom (SA-SM)<\/td><td>SAL Land Rover, SAJ Jaguar, SCB Bentley<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>V<\/strong><\/td><td>France, Spain, Austria<\/td><td>VF3 Peugeot, VSS SEAT, VBK KTM<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Y<\/strong><\/td><td>Sweden, Belgium, Finland<\/td><td>YV1 Volvo, YS3 Saab<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Z<\/strong><\/td><td>Italy (ZA-ZU)<\/td><td>ZFF Ferrari, ZAR Alfa Romeo, ZDM Ducati<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>M<\/strong><\/td><td>India, Indonesia, Thailand<\/td><td>MA3 Maruti Suzuki, MR0 Toyota Thailand<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>9<\/strong><\/td><td>Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay<\/td><td>9BW Volkswagen Brazil<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VIN country of origin list<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The full VIN country code list by region, based on current SAE allocations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Region<\/th><th>Country and codes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>North America<\/strong><\/td><td>United States 1, 4, 5, 7F-70 \u00b7 Canada 2 \u00b7 Mexico 3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Asia<\/strong><\/td><td>China H, L \u00b7 Japan J \u00b7 South Korea KL-KR \u00b7 Israel KF-KH \u00b7 India MA-ME, MY-M0 \u00b7 Indonesia MF-MK \u00b7 Thailand ML-MR \u00b7 Myanmar MS \u00b7 Kazakhstan MX \u00b7 Pakistan NF-NG \u00b7 Turkey NL-NR \u00b7 Uzbekistan NS-NT \u00b7 Philippines PA-PC \u00b7 Singapore PF-PG \u00b7 Malaysia PL-PR \u00b7 Bangladesh PS-PT \u00b7 Cambodia PV \u00b7 UAE RA-RB \u00b7 Taiwan RF-RK \u00b7 Vietnam RL-RN \u00b7 Saudi Arabia RS-RT \u00b7 Hong Kong R1-R7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Europe<\/strong><\/td><td>UK SA-SM \u00b7 Germany W, SN-ST \u00b7 Poland SU-SZ \u00b7 Switzerland TA-TH \u00b7 Czech Republic TJ-TP \u00b7 Hungary TR-TV \u00b7 Portugal TW-T2 \u00b7 Denmark UH-UM \u00b7 Ireland UN-UR \u00b7 Romania UU-UX \u00b7 North Macedonia U1-U2 \u00b7 Slovakia U5-U7 \u00b7 Austria VA-VE \u00b7 France VF-VR, VX-V2 \u00b7 Spain VS-VW \u00b7 Croatia V3-V5 \u00b7 Estonia V6-V8 \u00b7 Bulgaria XA-XC \u00b7 Greece XF-XH \u00b7 Netherlands XL-XR \u00b7 Luxembourg XX-XY \u00b7 Belgium YA-YE \u00b7 Finland YF-YK \u00b7 Sweden YS-YW \u00b7 Norway YX-Y2 \u00b7 Belarus Y3-Y5 \u00b7 Ukraine Y6-Y8 \u00b7 Italy ZA-ZU \u00b7 Slovenia ZX-ZZ \u00b7 Lithuania Z3-Z5 \u00b7 Russia E, RU-RW, XS-XW, XZ-X0, Z6-Z0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Africa<\/strong><\/td><td>South Africa AA-AH \u00b7 Kenya BF-BG \u00b7 Uganda BU \u00b7 Egypt CA-CB \u00b7 Morocco DF-DK<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Oceania<\/strong><\/td><td>Australia 6A-6X \u00b7 New Zealand 6Y-61 (formerly 7A-7E)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>South America<\/strong><\/td><td>Argentina 8A-8E \u00b7 Chile 8F-8G \u00b7 Ecuador 8L-8N \u00b7 Peru 8S-8T \u00b7 Venezuela 8X-8Z \u00b7 Bolivia 82 \u00b7 Costa Rica 84 \u00b7 Brazil 9A-9E, 91-90 \u00b7 Colombia 9F-9G \u00b7 Uruguay 9S-9V<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Note<\/strong>: Ranges follow the VIN alphabet, which skips I, O and Q. So SA-SM means SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ, SK, SL, SM.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which countries own the most VIN codes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We counted every two-character combination in the SAE allocation table. There are 1,089 possible pairs <strong>(33 \u00d7 33 allowed characters)<\/strong>. 699 of them belong to 73 countries. The rest are still free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1750\" src=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity.webp\" alt=\"Number of VIN country codes assigned per country\" class=\"wp-image-1415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity.webp 2400w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-300x219.webp 300w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-1024x747.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-768x560.webp 768w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-1536x1120.webp 1536w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-2048x1493.webp 2048w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-542x395.webp 542w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-1084x790.webp 1084w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-792x578.webp 792w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-capacity-1230x897.webp 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The US leads with 127 pairs and is the only country assigned three complete first-character ranges plus most of a fourth. <strong>That fourth one is new.<\/strong> American plants used up so many codes in the 1, 4 and 5 ranges that SAE opened 7F-70 for the US, which is why a Tesla Model Y or a Rivian R1T now starts with 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japan, one of the biggest car producers in the world, has only J. Each Japanese brand simply packs more models under one WMI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Same brand, different country<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first character follows the factory, <strong>not the brand&#8217;s home country.<\/strong> That&#8217;s why the same model can carry two different country codes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1326\" src=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands.webp\" alt=\"Same car brand with different VIN country codes\" class=\"wp-image-1416\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands.webp 2400w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-300x166.webp 300w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-1024x566.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-768x424.webp 768w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-1536x849.webp 1536w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-2048x1132.webp 2048w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-542x299.webp 542w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-1084x599.webp 1084w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-792x438.webp 792w, https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/vin-country-codes-brands-1230x680.webp 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Toyota:<\/strong> JT Japan, 4T or 5T USA (Camry from Kentucky, Tundra from Texas), 2T Canada (RAV4), 3TM Mexico (Tacoma). Check yours with the <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/toyota\/\">Toyota VIN decoder<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Honda:<\/strong> JH Japan, 1H or 5J USA (Ohio, Alabama), 2H Canada, 3H Mexico. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/honda\/\">Honda VIN decoder<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nissan:<\/strong> JN Japan, 1N or 5N USA (Tennessee, Mississippi), 3N Mexico. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/nissan\/\">Nissan VIN decoder<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>BMW:<\/strong> WBA Germany, 5UX USA for X3, X5 and X7 from Spartanburg. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/bmw\/\">BMW VIN decoder<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mercedes-Benz:<\/strong> W1K and W1N Germany (WDD and WDC on older cars), 4JG USA for SUVs from Alabama. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/mercedes-benz\/\">Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tesla:<\/strong> 5YJ and 7SA USA, 7G2 Cybertruck, LRW China, XP7 Germany. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/tesla\/\">Tesla VIN decoder<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Volvo:<\/strong> YV1 Sweden, 7JR USA, LYV China. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/volvo\/\">Volvo VIN decoder<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hyundai and Kia:<\/strong> KM and KN Korea, 5NP Hyundai Alabama, 5XY Kia Georgia. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/hyundai\/\">Hyundai<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/kia\/\">Kia<\/a> decoders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Volkswagen:<\/strong> WVW Germany, 1VW and 1V2 USA (Passat and Atlas from Chattanooga), 3VW Mexico. <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/volkswagen\/\">Volkswagen VIN decoder<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When the VIN country isn&#8217;t the assembly country<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Most lists skip this.<\/strong> The country code identifies the country associated with the WMI, which is usually, but not always, the country of assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Toyota GR Supra<\/strong> starts with <strong>WZ1<\/strong>, a German code. It&#8217;s built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, on a BMW platform.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MINI<\/strong> built in Oxford, England, starts with <strong>WMW<\/strong>, a German BMW Group code, not a UK S code.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>BMW Z4<\/strong> starts with <strong>WBA<\/strong>, but it&#8217;s also assembled in Graz, Austria.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the exact factory matters, for import duties, recalls or resale, check position 11 or <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/\">decode the full VIN<\/a>. The plant code settles it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Motorcycle VIN country codes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Motorcycles <strong>use the same country codes as cars<\/strong>, so the list above works for them too. <strong>Common examples:<\/strong> 1HD Harley-Davidson (USA), JH2 Honda, JYA Yamaha and JKA Kawasaki (Japan), ZDM Ducati (Italy), WB1 BMW Motorrad (Germany), VBK KTM (Austria) and SMT Triumph (UK). Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/motorcycle-vin-decoder\/\">motorcycle VIN decoder<\/a> for model and plant details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chrysler Town and Country VIN, where was it Built?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most Town and Country minivans came from <strong>Windsor, Ontario<\/strong>, so their VIN starts with 2, for example 2C4 or 2A4. Some earlier model years were also built in <strong>Fenton, Missouri<\/strong>, and start with 1. Run the VIN through the <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/vin-decoder\/chrysler\/\">Chrysler VIN decoder<\/a> to see the plant for your exact year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final words<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Two characters, one answer.<\/strong> The first shows the region, the second the country, and position 11 the factory. Use the list when you&#8217;re curious, and decode the full VIN when the plant actually matters for a purchase, a tariff question or a recall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/\">Check any VIN with Vincario<\/a> for free: country of origin, plant, specs and theft status in one report.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. What digit of the VIN tells the country of manufacture?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The first character indicates the region or country, while the second helps narrow it down.<\/strong> Position 11 shows the exact plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. What country is a VIN starting with 5?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>United States.<\/strong> 5 belongs to the US, like 1 and 4. You&#8217;ll see it on many foreign brands built in America, for example 5UX BMW, 5YJ Tesla and 5NP Hyundai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. What country is a VIN starting with 7?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Most likely the United States.<\/strong> Codes 7F-70 were added for US plants, so 7SA Tesla, 7FC Rivian and 7JR Volvo are American-built. Older vehicles with 7A-7E were assigned to New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. What country is a VIN starting with 2, 3 or 4?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2 is Canada, 3 is Mexico and 4 is the United States.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. What country is a VIN starting with W, J, K or L?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>W is Germany, J is Japan, K is South Korea (or Israel for KF-KH) and L is China.<\/strong> H is also China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Does the VIN country code show where the parts come from?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>No.<\/strong> It shows where the vehicle was assembled. Engine and transmission origin is on the US window sticker, not in the VIN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Can I look up the country of origin by VIN for free?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yes.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/\">Vincario&#8217;s free VIN decoder<\/a> shows country of origin, maker and plant with 3 free reports every month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Is VIN a country?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>No.<\/strong> VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number. It&#8217;s a 17-character code, and only its first characters point to a country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Do motorcycles and trucks use the same VIN country codes?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yes.<\/strong> Cars, trucks, motorcycles and trailers all use the same country code system. See our <a href=\"https:\/\/vincario.com\/blog\/vin-number-example\/\">VIN number examples<\/a> for decoded VINs from several countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"How to read the VIN country code, the full VIN country of origin list, why new US VINs start with 7 and when the code is not the assembly country.","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_page_reading_time":"","csco_page_toc_navigation":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_volume":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uncategorized","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>VIN Country Codes (2026): Complete Country of Origin List<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Where was your car made? 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