Trailer VIN checker and decoder
Type or paste a 17-character VIN to check its check digit and see what each part means. Free, and it runs in your browser: nothing is sent anywhere.
✓ Check digit 3 is correct.
| Position | Characters | Part | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | 2X9 | World manufacturer identifier (WMI) | Identifies the manufacturer. Starting with 2: Canada. The 9 in position 3 marks a low-volume manufacturer (fewer than 1,000 vehicles a year). |
| 4–8 | ZAFCL | Vehicle descriptor | The manufacturer’s own codes. For a trailer: type, body, length, axles and similar, as set out in its VIN chart. |
| 9 | 3 | Check digit | Correct. It matches the calculation from the other 16 characters. |
| 10 | V | Model year | 1997 or 2027 (the code repeats every 30 years; the vehicle’s age tells you which). |
| 11 | 1 | Plant code | The manufacturer’s code for the plant that built it. |
| 12–14 | 123 | Manufacturer identifier | With a WMI ending in 9, these three characters identify the low-volume manufacturer. |
| 15–17 | 001 | Serial number | The production sequence number (up to 999 per model year). |
How to read a trailer VIN
Trailers sold in Canada and the US carry a 17-character VIN laid out under CMVSS 115 (49 CFR Part 565 in the US). The first three characters identify the manufacturer, the next five describe the trailer, the 9th is a check digit, the 10th is the model year, the 11th the plant, and the rest the manufacturer and serial number.
Want the detail? See the trailer VIN format, position by position, how the check digit is calculated and the model year codes chart.
Building trailers?
If you’re a manufacturer issuing your own VINs, here’s how to get set up in Canada. VINready then issues each VIN with the right check digit, model year and next serial, and prints the compliance label and NVIS to match.
Common questions
- How do I know if a trailer VIN is valid?
- A valid VIN has exactly 17 characters, never uses I, O or Q, and its 9th character (the check digit) matches a calculation from the other 16. Type it above: the checker does that calculation instantly.
- What year is my trailer from its VIN?
- The 10th character is the model year code. Each code stands for two years 30 years apart, for example V is 1997 or 2027, so the trailer’s age tells you which.
- Why does my trailer VIN have a 9 in the third position?
- A 9 in position 3 marks a low-volume manufacturer, one that builds fewer than 1,000 vehicles a year. Positions 12 to 14 then identify the manufacturer and only 15 to 17 are the serial number. Most small trailer builders use this layout.
- Can this tool tell me who built the trailer?
- It shows the manufacturer codes (the WMI, and for low-volume builders positions 12 to 14), but not the company name. What positions 4 to 8 mean is set out in each manufacturer’s own VIN chart.
- Is the VIN I type sent anywhere?
- No. The checker runs entirely in your browser; nothing you type leaves your device.