How a VIN encodes the model year
The tenth character of a VIN is the model year. There are 30 codes, so each one comes round again after 30 years: the character that meant 1993 means 2023.
The chart
The codes run through the letters, leaving out I, O, Q, U and Z, and then through the digits 1 to 9. Zero is never a year.
| Character | 1980 to 2009 | 2010 to 2039 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Which of the two years
On cars, multipurpose vehicles and light trucks, position 7 settles it. A digit in position 7 means the earlier cycle, 1980 to 2009. A letter means the later one, 2010 to 2039.
KM8K2CAB4PU001140 has P in position 10 and A in position 7, so it is a 2023. 1HGCM82633A004352 has 3 in position 10 and 2 in position 7, so it is a 2003.
Heavy trucks, buses, trailers and motorcycles do not follow the position 7 rule. For them this site tries both years against what the manufacturer filed and keeps the one that fits, preferring the later.
A model year is never more than two years ahead of the calendar. A code whose later year would be further ahead than that is read as the earlier year.
The model year is not the year the vehicle was built. A 2023 model is often built in 2022.
When position 10 is not a year
Some vehicles built for markets outside North America do not put the model year in position 10. If the character there is not one of the 30 codes, this site says the model year is unknown instead of guessing.