The 10th digit is your vehicle's model year
The 10th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a single letter or number that represents the year your vehicle was manufactured. This digit sits in the 10th position when you read the VIN from left to right across all 17 characters. It is one of the most straightforward pieces of information encoded in your VIN, and you can use it to confirm your car's age or to cross-check information on your title or registration.
The year code does not follow a straightforward 1-to-12 pattern. Instead, manufacturers use a repeating cycle of 30 years, cycling through letters and numbers in a specific order. The cycle runs from 1980 to 2009, then repeats. This means a car from 1980 and a car from 2010 both show the same letter in the 10th position — but you can tell them apart by looking at the first three digits of the VIN, which identify the manufacturer and type of vehicle.
Knowing your model year from the VIN is useful when you are buying a used car, verifying repair records, checking warranty coverage, or confirming that parts will fit. It also helps you spot inconsistencies if a seller claims a car is newer or older than the VIN indicates.
Key Takeaways
- The 10th digit of your VIN is a letter or number that tells you the model year your vehicle was built.
- The year code repeats every 30 years, so you must look at the first three digits (the manufacturer section) to confirm the actual decade.
- You can find a complete year code chart online or in your vehicle's owner manual to decode any VIN quickly.
- The model year from the VIN may differ from the calendar year if the vehicle was built late in one year but sold the following year.
How the 10th digit year code works
The year code uses letters A through Y (skipping I and O to avoid confusion with numbers 1 and 0) and numbers 1 through 9. The sequence starts with A for 1980 and continues through Y for 2000, then begins again with 1 for 2001 and continues through 9 for 2009. After 2009, the cycle repeats: A is 2010, B is 2011, and so on.
This 30-year cycle means that a 1990 vehicle and a 2020 vehicle will both show the letter A in the 10th position. To tell them apart, you look at the first three digits of the VIN. The first digit identifies the country of origin (1, 4, or 5 for North America; 2 for Canada; 3 for Mexico; J for Japan; W for Germany; and so on). The second and third digits, combined with the first, identify the manufacturer and vehicle type. A 1990 Honda Civic and a 2020 Honda Civic will have different manufacturer codes in positions 1 through 3, even though both show A in position 10.
The complete year code chart
| 10th Digit | Model Years |
|---|---|
| A | 1980, 2010 |
| B | 1981, 2011 |
| C | 1982, 2012 |
| D | 1983, 2013 |
| E | 1984, 2014 |
| F | 1985, 2015 |
| G | 1986, 2016 |
| H | 1987, 2017 |
| J | 1988, 2018 |
| K | 1989, 2019 |
| L | 1990, 2020 |
| M | 1991, 2021 |
| N | 1992, 2022 |
| P | 1993, 2023 |
| R | 1994, 2024 |
| S | 1995, 2025 |
| T | 1996, 2026 |
| V | 1997, 2027 |
| W | 1998, 2028 |
| X | 1999, 2029 |
| Y | 2000, 2030 |
| 1 | 2001, 2031 |
| 2 | 2002, 2032 |
| 3 | 2003, 2033 |
| 4 | 2004, 2034 |
| 5 | 2005, 2035 |
| 6 | 2006, 2036 |
| 7 | 2007, 2037 |
| 8 | 2008, 2038 |
| 9 | 2009, 2039 |
Notice that the letter I is skipped (jumping from H to J) and the letter O is skipped (jumping from N to P). Manufacturers omit these letters because they can be confused with the numbers 1 and 0 when reading a VIN quickly or in poor lighting.
Why model year matters when buying or maintaining a vehicle
The model year from your VIN affects several practical decisions. Parts compatibility depends on it — a transmission designed for a 2015 model may not fit a 2016 model of the same make and model, even though the difference is only one year. Warranty coverage also hinges on model year; some warranties run from the model year rather than the purchase date, so a 2020 model purchased in 2023 may have less remaining coverage than you expect.
Insurance rates and registration fees sometimes vary by model year. Older vehicles may may have access to for different insurance categories or lower registration costs in some states. When you are shopping for a used car, the model year helps you research recalls, common problems, and repair costs specific to that year's production run. A particular model year may have had a defective part that was corrected in later years, or it may have been the first year a major redesign was introduced.
Model year versus calendar year
The model year printed on your VIN may not match the calendar year in which you bought the car. Manufacturers often begin production of next year's models in the fall or early winter of the current year. A car built in October 2024 might be labeled a 2025 model, even though it was manufactured in 2024. This is standard practice across the industry and does not indicate an error.
When you look at your title, registration, or insurance documents, they may show a different year than the one you see on the vehicle itself or in the VIN. The title typically reflects the model year from the VIN, not the year you purchased it. If there is a discrepancy between your title and the VIN, contact your state's Department of Motor Vehicles to verify which is correct.
How to locate and read your VIN
Your VIN is printed on multiple places on your vehicle. The most common location is on a metal plate on the driver's side dashboard, visible through the windshield from outside the car. You can also find it on your title, registration, insurance card, and maintenance records. The VIN is always 17 characters long, and the characters are always in the same order.
To find the model year, count 10 positions from the left. The 10th character is your year code. Write down that single letter or number, then cross-reference it with the chart above. If you are unsure whether you are looking at a 1980s or 2010s vehicle, check the first digit — 1, 4, or 5 indicates a North American vehicle, and the specific manufacturer code in positions 2 and 3 will narrow it down further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the 10th digit tell me the exact month my car was built?
No. The 10th digit only shows the model year, not the month. The 9th digit (the check digit) and other positions in the VIN contain manufacturing information, but they do not directly indicate the month. Your vehicle's door jamb label or build sheet may show the actual production month if you need that level of detail.
What if the 10th digit on my VIN does not match my title?
Contact your state's Department of Motor Vehicles when ready. A mismatch could indicate a clerical error on your title, a VIN that has been altered, or a vehicle with a salvage or rebuilt title. Do not ignore this discrepancy, as it can affect insurance coverage, resale value, and your legal ownership of the vehicle.
Does the model year from the VIN affect my vehicle's warranty?
Yes. Most manufacturer warranties run from the model year, not the purchase date. A 2020 model purchased in 2024 may have less warranty coverage remaining than a 2024 model purchased the same day. Check your warranty documents or contact the manufacturer to confirm how much coverage remains based on your model year.
If I see the same letter in the 10th position on two different cars, are they the same age?
Not necessarily. The year code repeats every 30 years, so an L in the 10th position could mean 1990 or 2020. Look at the first three digits to identify the manufacturer and vehicle type. If the first three digits are different, the cars were built in different decades even though they share the same year code letter.