Where To Find Your Car's VIN, On The Car And On Your V5C, And How To Use It For A Recall Check

Your car's VIN (vehicle identification number) is a 17-character code usually visible at the bottom of the windscreen, stamped on a plate inside the driver's door frame, and printed on your V5C logbook.¹² Manufacturers use it to confirm whether a recall applies to your exact car.

1. 1
   Base of the windscreenA small plate you can read from outside the car.
2. 2
   Door pillarA label on the pillar when you open a front door.
3. 3
   V5C logbookPrinted with the vehicle details as the VIN, chassis or frame number.
4. 4
   Service book or invoicesMost dealer paperwork prints the VIN.

Where The VIN Is On The Car

Check the windscreen base, the door pillar, the engine bay and the floor under the front seat. The exact locations vary by make.

The usual places are:

1. Bottom of the windscreen. A small plate visible from outside, usually on the passenger side.
2. Driver's door pillar. A label or plate seen when the door is open.
3. Engine bay. Stamped on the bulkhead or a chassis rail.
4. Under the front seat or carpet. Stamped into the floor on some models.

The handbook for your car shows the exact positions. If the numbers in different places do not match, stop and get advice before buying the car.

Where The VIN Is On The V5C

The VIN is printed in the vehicle details section of your V5C logbook, alongside the make, model and engine size, labelled as the VIN, chassis or frame number.²

1. 1
   VIN, chassis or frame numberThe 17 characters a dealer needs to confirm a recall.
2. 2
   Make and modelCheck they match the car and the recall notice.
3. 3
   Date of first registrationA guide to age; recalls go by build date, which can be earlier.
4. 4
   Registered keeper and addressRecall letters go here, so keep it up to date with DVLA.

The V5C also shows the keeper address that manufacturers use for recall letters, so it is worth checking that the address is up to date at the same time.³

What The 17 Characters Mean

The first three characters identify the manufacturer, the next six describe the vehicle, and the last eight identify the individual car.¹

The letters I, O and Q are never used, so they cannot be confused with 1 and 0.¹ If a VIN you have been given contains them, it has been copied wrongly.

Use Your VIN To Check For Recalls

Give your VIN to the manufacturer's recall line or a franchised dealer, because recalls often cover specific build dates or VIN ranges.

DVSA's recall list records the build dates each recall covers, but not individual VIN ranges, so the manufacturer's VIN check is the final word on whether your car is included. The steps are:

1. Run your registration through our car recall check to see the recalls that match your model and age.
2. Give the VIN to the manufacturer's recall line or a franchised dealer. Our manufacturer recall helplines page lists each number.
3. Book with a franchised dealer if a recall applies.

Personal imports are still covered by UK recalls, but the UK manufacturer may not hold the car's details, so the VIN check matters even more.³

Why The VIN Matters More Than The Registration

A car's registration can change, for example when a private plate is moved on or off it, but its VIN stays the same for life. Manufacturers record recalls against the VIN, which is why their helplines and dealers ask for it.

That makes the VIN the safer identifier in three situations: after a plate change, when a car has been imported, and when you are checking a car for a relative and only have its paperwork. You will also find the VIN on many other documents, such as the service book, insurance paperwork and some finance agreements, which helps if you are away from the car.

Caravans And Trailers

Touring caravans carry a 17-character CRiS VIN stamped on the chassis, etched on the windows and printed on a sticker inside the front window.⁴

Caravans have no DVLA registration, so the CRiS VIN is the way to check a recall with the manufacturer. Since 2016, the VIN has also been on a VIN chip sticker inside the front window and in the front locker.⁴ See caravan recalls and trailer recalls.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is The VIN The Same As The Chassis Number?

Yes. The V5C labels it as the VIN, chassis or frame number.²

The VIN Doesn't Match The V5C. What Should I Do?

Do not buy the car until the difference is explained. A mismatch can point to a cloned or stolen vehicle. See buying a used car with an outstanding recall for the full pre-purchase checks.

Can I Get The VIN From The Registration?

The full VIN is on the V5C and on the car itself. A franchised dealer can also find it from the registration.

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Data: DVSA vehicle recall data (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 15 October 2026.