They’ll direct you on your state’s process for getting a replacement VIN plate, which will probably involve having the car inspected by an official (often from highway patrol) and having the VIN plate mounted by a specific, approved car shop. Make sure you have the paperwork to prove the car is legally yours. If you recently purchased the car and the VIN is missing, you’ll need to start at your state’s DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). Finally, you can ask your local police for help-most have officers trained to locate VINs, even if it’s in an uncommon spot on your car. Typically, it will be in the same place for all models produced in the same year. You can also call the manufacturer and ask where it is. If you have the owner’s manual, it should have information about where the VIN is located for that particular make and model. If you can’t find the VIN and don’t think it was stolen, there are three great resources to check. Stolen VINs are often used to replace the VIN on a stolen vehicle. However, if your VIN goes missing, report it to the police. First, if you own the car, it should be on your registration, insurance, and car title. If you’ve checked all these places and still can’t find your VIN, there are a few other places to check.

Older cars will usually have the VIN affixed to the frame of the car behind the driver’s side front wheel. In most cars, you will see it through the windshield on the driver’s side of the dashboard, but you can also check the driver’s side door and the engine block. But if your car is ever stolen, the VIN can help ensure nobody else registers a car that belongs to you. You’ll be down a car and the money you spent on it. You don’t want to buy a car and then find out at the DMV that it doesn’t actually belong to you. Looking up the VIN can also let you know if a car or its parts have been reported stolen. Checking the VIN will let you know if a car has damage from accidents or due to natural disasters like floods. Damage on cars isn’t always obvious, especially if the car has been fixed up, but this damage can still make the car unreliable. Are you purchasing a used car? You can use a service like CarFax to look up the car’s history, which can save you time, money, and frustration down the line. Driver’s door - Check for a sticker near the latch Why does my VIN matter?Įach VIN is unique, so you can use a VIN to find vital information about a car.

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