Tesla VIN Decoder: Free Model 3, Model Y & Model S Lookup
Enter a 17-character Tesla VIN to read the model, motor configuration, model year and factory from NHTSA data. Free, no account needed.
For a used Tesla, the drive configuration is the detail that matters most. Single-motor, dual-motor and Performance cars look identical in photos, and the price gap between them is thousands of dollars. Position 8 of the VIN records how many motors the car was built with, and that cannot be changed over the air. Enter the VIN above and the decoder reads it against NHTSA's vPIC database using Tesla's own filing. Because Tesla has no dealers and no window sticker in the glove box, the VIN is often the only factory record a private buyer can check.
5YJ, 7SA and 7G2: Tesla's WMIs
| WMI | What vPIC registers it for |
|---|---|
5YJ | Tesla passenger cars built in the US (Model S, Model 3, earlier Model X and Model Y) |
7SA | Tesla multipurpose vehicles built in the US (Model Y and Model X, registered from 2021) |
7G2 | Tesla trucks built in the US (Cybertruck) |
SFZ | Tesla Roadster (first generation, built in the UK) |
LRW | Teslas built in Shanghai, China |
XP7 | Teslas built in Berlin, Germany |
The 7SA prefix is newer, so a Model Y with either 5YJ or 7SA can be normal depending on its build date. US-market cars from Shanghai or Berlin are uncommon, so an LRW or XP7 VIN on a car sold as new in the US deserves a question. Position 4 is the model: S, 3, X or Y, and C for the Cybertruck.
Position 8: single motor, dual motor or Performance
Positions 5 and 6 cover body type and restraint systems. Position 7 shows the power source, and on current Teslas it is E for electric. Position 8 is the motor and drive configuration, which vPIC stores in its drive-unit field:
| Model 3 (5YJ3E1E…), position 8 | Drive unit |
|---|---|
A | Single motor |
B | Dual motor |
C | Dual motor, Performance |
| Model Y (7SAYGDE…), position 8 | Drive unit |
|---|---|
E | Dual motor |
F | Dual motor, Performance |
Position 8 confirms how many motors the car was built with. It does not confirm a paid acceleration boost, a battery replacement or software features, which Tesla adds or removes over the air. A "Long Range RWD" Model 3 is a single-motor car and should read A.
Position 11: Fremont, Austin or Reno
| Code | Plant |
|---|---|
F | Fremont, California |
A | Austin, Texas (Gigafactory Texas) |
N | Reno, Nevada, per vPIC |
A Model Y can be built in Fremont or Austin, so either F or A is normal for a US car. Austin-built Model Ys from 2022 and 2023 may have the structural 4680 battery pack, which affects repairability. The VIN does not say which pack is fitted. Ask for the service screen.
Position 10 letter to Tesla refresh
Tesla does not run model years the way Detroit does. Cars are built continuously and change mid-year, so the letter in position 10 is a coarse guide. This table pairs each letter with the hardware era it most often means:
| Letter | Model year | Model S and Model X | Model 3 | Model Y | Cybertruck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | 2012 | Model S deliveries begin | Not built | Not built | Not built |
G | 2016 | Model X first full year; Model S front-end refresh; Autopilot 2 hardware from late 2016 | Not built | Not built | Not built |
H | 2017 | 100 kWh versions across the range | First deliveries (late 2017) | Not built | Not built |
K | 2019 | Raven drive units | Standard Range Plus added | Not built | Not built |
L | 2020 | Long Range Plus | Long Range and Performance | First deliveries, Fremont | Not built |
M | 2021 | Plaid refresh, yoke, new interior | Heat pump, new centre console | 7SA WMI appears | Not built |
N | 2022 | Plaid | Ryzen infotainment | Austin production begins (A) | Not built |
P | 2023 | Plaid | Last year of the original body | Hardware 4 cameras | Not built |
R | 2024 | Plaid | Highland redesign (new); Performance returns | Hardware 4 | First deliveries (late 2023), first model year |
S | 2025 | Plaid | Highland | Juniper redesign (new) | Rear-drive version added |
T | 2026 | Plaid | Highland | Juniper | In production |
Letters not shown carry the same hardware era as the row above them. Because build and model year can be months apart, confirm the build month on the door-pillar label and read the manufacturing date guide before you argue about a "2023" that was built in 2022.
Worked examples: a Model 3 and a Model Y
Illustrative only: 5YJ3E1EB8NF100001 is a made-up VIN with a valid check digit. It does not belong to a real car.
| Characters | Position | Decoded |
|---|---|---|
5YJ | 1–3 | Tesla passenger car, built in the US |
3 | 4 | Model 3 |
E1 | 5–6 | Body and restraint data |
E | 7 | Electric |
B | 8 | Dual motor |
8 | 9 | Check digit (valid) |
N | 10 | 2022 model year |
F | 11 | Fremont, California |
100001 | 12–17 | Production serial |
vPIC returns this sample as a 2022 Tesla Model 3, battery electric, dual motor, built in Fremont. A Model Y sample, 7SAYGDEEXPA100001, decodes as a 2023 dual-motor Model Y from Austin. If a seller advertised the Model 3 above as a Performance car, position 8 should read C, not B. Owners sometimes use the last six characters to estimate build order within a factory, but they do not encode a date.
Reading the VIN from the touchscreen and the app
Teslas show the VIN in more places than most cars, and a buyer should compare at least two:
- Touchscreen. Tap Controls, then Software. The VIN is listed with the software version and the car's hardware revision, which the VIN itself does not encode.
- Door-pillar label. The certification label on the driver's B-pillar shows the VIN and the month and year of manufacture.
- Lower driver-side windshield. The plate is readable from outside.
- Tesla app, title and insurance card. Compare all 17 characters.
The Software screen is the one that answers the questions buyers actually ask: Autopilot hardware version, Full Self-Driving purchase status and whether a paid acceleration boost is active. None of those are in the VIN.
What a Tesla VIN cannot tell you
- Battery health. The VIN cannot show degradation, range loss or a replaced pack. Charge to 100 percent once and compare the displayed range with the original rating.
- Software features. Autopilot packages, FSD and acceleration upgrades can be added or removed after the car is built.
- Paint, wheels and interior. Not encoded. The original order confirmation lists them.
- Accident and title history. Salvage, rebuilt and flood titles come from state title records. Tesla can also restrict Supercharging on some salvage-titled cars, which is a reason to run the vehicle history check before you pay.
Tesla recalls
The decode result above lists the safety recalls NHTSA has on file for that Tesla model and year. Many are fixed over the air, but NHTSA still lists them, and the NHTSA recall lookup shows whether one remains open on this exact car. The Tesla app shows the same notices for owners.
Run the free NICB VIN check for theft and salvage records before you buy. Looking at other EVs? The Ford VIN decoder covers the Mustang Mach-E and the Chevy VIN decoder covers the Bolt.
Anatomy of a VIN, character by character
Every position has a job, set by the ISO 3779 standard and U.S. federal rule 49 CFR Part 565. Tap a section to see what it encodes.
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
The first character is the region or country of manufacture. The second is the manufacturer, and the third is usually the vehicle type or division. Low-volume makers (under 1,000 vehicles a year) use a 9 in position 3 and carry an extra code in positions 12–14.
Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
Five characters the manufacturer uses to describe the vehicle: model line, series, body type, engine and restraint system. Each maker defines its own scheme, which is why decoding needs a manufacturer database like NHTSA's vPIC.
Check digit
Each character is converted to a number, multiplied by a positional weight, summed and divided by 11. The remainder, 0–9 or X for 10, must equal position 9. A mismatch means a typo or a VIN that deserves a closer look.
Model year
One letter or digit maps to the model year and repeats every 30 years. For North American cars and light trucks, a digit in position 7 points to 1980–2009 and a letter points to 2010–2039. The full chart is below.
Assembly plant
The manufacturer's code for the factory that built the vehicle. It's useful for recall campaigns, which are often limited to one plant and date range.
Production sequence
The serial number of this vehicle on the production line. Combined with the first eleven characters it makes the VIN unique. For low-volume makers, positions 12–14 complete the manufacturer code.
VIN model year chart
The 10th character of every VIN. The letters I, O, Q, U and Z and the digit 0 are never used here.
- A19802010
- B19812011
- C19822012
- D19832013
- E19842014
- F19852015
- G19862016
- H19872017
- J19882018
- K19892019
- L19902020
- M19912021
- N19922022
- P19932023
- R19942024
- S19952025
- T19962026
- V19972027
- W19982028
- X19992029
- Y20002030
- 120012031
- 220022032
- 320032033
- 420042034
- 520052035
- 620062036
- 720072037
- 820082038
- 920092039
Which cycle? On North American cars and light trucks, check position 7. If it's a number the vehicle is from 1980–2009, and if it's a letter it's from 2010–2039. The highlighted code is the current calendar year.
Where to find the VIN on your car
Standing next to the car? Tap a spot. Check at least two of them. They should match exactly.
Look through the windshield at the lower corner in front of the steering wheel. A metal tag is riveted to the dash. It's the easiest spot to read from outside the car, and zooming in with your phone camera helps in bright sun.
Open the driver door and look at the B-pillar or the edge of the door. The safety certification sticker lists the VIN, often with a barcode you can scan with this site on Android Chrome.
Pop the hood and check the firewall, the front of the engine block or the radiator support. The location varies by maker. Older cars and many trucks have it stamped here.
On trucks, trailers and motorcycles the VIN is often stamped on the frame rail, near a rear wheel well, on a trailer tongue or on the steering head of a motorcycle.
Questions, answered
Free Tesla VIN decoder. Read the model, motor configuration, model year and factory (Fremont or Austin) from any Model 3, Model Y, Model S or Model X VIN.
How can I tell if a Tesla is dual motor from the VIN?
Check the 8th character. On a Model 3, A is single motor, B is dual motor and C is dual motor Performance. On a recent Model Y, E is dual motor and F is dual motor Performance.
Where is the VIN on a Tesla?
Through the lower driver-side windshield, on the certification label on the driver-side door pillar, in the car's touchscreen under Controls and Software, and in the Tesla app.
Was my Tesla built in Fremont or Austin?
Look at the 11th character. F is Fremont, California, and A is Austin, Texas. Model Y cars come from both plants, so either is normal.
Can a Tesla VIN show battery health or FSD?
No. The VIN records how the car was built. Battery degradation, software purchases such as FSD and acceleration upgrades are not encoded in it.
How do I check Tesla recalls by VIN?
The decode result lists recalls for that model and year. Many are fixed by over-the-air updates. For open recalls on one car, enter the VIN in the NHTSA recall lookup.