Car make · Germany · United States · 1991–2014

BMW VIN Decoder

Enter a BMW VIN to read its model year, model, trim, engine and factory specs. The lamps check the format as you type.

BMW

MAKE DATA

Countries: Germany · United StatesFrom the WMI codes below
WMI: WBA · 5UX · WBS · WBX · 5YM · 4US …7 maker codes in our patterns
Models: 30 VIN patterns listed below
Years: 1991–2014Sample years in the table
Check digit: North American, position 9

/bmw-vin-decoder

01About

About BMW

BMW is short for for Bayerische Motoren Werke AG -- or, in British, Bavarian Motor Works. Anything you refer to it as, the German-based company is among the world's respected car manufacturers, famous for crafting luxury cars and Sports utility vehicles that provide superior amounts of driving enjoyment.

Unlike some opinions, BMW doesn't are a symbol of Best Motors on the planet company. Sure, BMW-top quality automobiles are regarded as to be a few of the couple of engineering forms near to perfection, however the letters are a symbol of something less boisterous and much more good-natured: Bayerische Motoren Werke or Bavarian Motor Works.

The 2000s introduced a midsize Vehicle (the X5) in addition to a compact Vehicle (the X3) as BMW became a member of the new-selling segment. Since that time, BMW has changed the Z3 using the Z4, introduced the compact 1 Series, created hybrid versions of the couple of models and first showed the X6 fastback crossover. The organization has additionally broadened its empire to include Small and Comes-Royce and is constantly on the build motorcycles, something it has been doing because the 20's.

Over time by, BMW got larger and larger and, shortly prior to the Wold War II outbreak, required over more industrial facilities near Berlin. More motor sport wins would follow, with Baron Fritz Huschke von Kanstein winning the Mille Miglia race in nineteen forties.

02Models

BMW VIN patterns

One sample year per model. The pattern is VIN positions 1–8 and 10–11: everything except the check digit and the serial.

BMW models 1 Series to ALPINA B7
Model	Year	VIN pattern
1 Series	2013	`WBAUL7C5·DV`
3 Series	2001	`WBAAV534·1F`
3 Series Gran Turismo	2014	`WBA3X5C5·ED`
4 Series	2014	`WBA3N5C5·EF`
5 Series	2006	`WBANF335·6C`
5 Series Gran Turismo	2013	`WBASN0C5·DD`
6 Series	2013	`WBAYP9C5·DD`
6 Series Gran Coupe	2014	`WBA6B2C5·ED`
7 Series	1995	`WBAGJ632·SD`
8 Series	1991	`WBAEG231·MC`
ActiveHybrid 5	2014	`WBA5E1C5·ED`
ActiveHybrid 7	2012	`WBAKX8C5·CC`
ActiveHybrid X6	2011	`5UXFH0C5·BL`
Alpina	2003	`WBAEJ134·3A`
ALPINA B7	2007	`WBAHL835·7D`

BMW models M to Z8
Model	Year	VIN pattern
M	2000	`WBSCK934·YL`
M3	1991	`WBSAK031·MA`
M5	2013	`WBSFV9C5·DD`
M6	2006	`WBSEH934·6B`
M6 Gran Coupe	2014	`WBS6C9C5·ED`
X1	2014	`WBAVM5C5·EV`
X3	2005	`WBXPA734·5W`
X5	2008	`5UXFE435·8L`
X5 M	2012	`5YMGY0C5·CL`
X6	2011	`5UXFG2C5·BL`
X6 M	2014	`5YMGZ0C5·E0`
Z3	1998	`4USCJ333·WL`
Z4	2006	`4USDU534·6L`
Z4 M	2008	`5UMBT935·8L`
Z8	2002	`WBAEJ134·2A`

WBA maker code (WMI) · UL7C5 vehicle descriptor · D model-year code · V plant code. The check digit (position 9) sits where the dot is.

03Location

Where to find a BMW VIN

Dashboard tagDriver's side, at the base of the windshield. Read it from outside the car.
Door jamb stickerOpen the driver's door and look at the frame.
PaperworkTitle, registration and insurance card all carry the full VIN.

04Breakdown

How a BMW VIN breaks down

The 2014 3 Series Gran Turismo pattern from the table, WBA3X5C5·ED, position by position. A VIN has 17 characters and never uses I, O or Q.

2014 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo · VIN pattern? = check digit · # = serial

1–3 · WMIMaker & countryWBA · BMW, Germany

4–8 · VDSModel, body, engine3X5C5 · 3 Series Gran Turismo

9CheckCalc.

10YearE · 2014

11PlantD

12–17 · SerialUnique to this vehicleNot in the pattern

WMI · 1–3WBA, WBS, WBX for Germany; 5UX, 5YM, 4US… for United States.

VDS · 4–8Model, body and engine. The decoder turns these into specs.

CHECK · 9Worked out from the other 16 characters. A typo breaks it.

YEAR · 10E is 2014 here. In the table, D is 2013 and 1 is 2001.

PLANT · 11The factory that assembled the car.

SERIAL · 12–17Unique to each vehicle, so it isn't part of the pattern.

05API

Decode BMW VINs in your app

22 fields per decode: year, model, trim, engine, dimensions, mpg, features
Salvage checks and US plate lookups on the same key
BASIC $0, PRO $69, ULTRA $99 a month, billed by RapidAPI

Get API key API docs

GET/v2.0/decode_vin

import os, requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://vindecoder.p.rapidapi.com/v2.0/decode_vin",
    params={"vin": "<BMW VIN>"},
    headers={
        "X-RapidAPI-Key": os.environ["RAPIDAPI_KEY"],
        "X-RapidAPI-Host": "vindecoder.p.rapidapi.com",
    },
    timeout=10,
)
spec = r.json()["specification"]
# spec["year"], spec["model"], spec["engine"] …

const url = new URL("https://vindecoder.p.rapidapi.com/v2.0/decode_vin");
url.searchParams.set("vin", "<BMW VIN>");

const res = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
    "X-RapidAPI-Key": process.env.RAPIDAPI_KEY,
    "X-RapidAPI-Host": "vindecoder.p.rapidapi.com",
  },
});
const data = await res.json();
if (data.success) console.log(data.specification);

curl -G "https://vindecoder.p.rapidapi.com/v2.0/decode_vin" \
  --data "vin=<BMW VIN>" \
  -H "X-RapidAPI-Key: $RAPIDAPI_KEY" \
  -H "X-RapidAPI-Host: vindecoder.p.rapidapi.com"

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