VIN model year codes (position 10)

The tenth character of a VIN encodes the vehicle's model year. The model year is the manufacturer's designation, which can differ from the calendar year in which the vehicle was built.

The 30-year cycle

Thirty characters are used in order: the letters A to Y without I, O, Q, U and Z, followed by the digits 1 to 9. The letters U and Z and the digit 0 never appear in position 10. After 30 years the sequence starts again, so every code stands for two possible years within the 1981–2039 span.

Telling the two cycles apart

The code alone cannot separate, say, 1990 from 2020 (both L). The regulation adds a rule for passenger cars, and for multipurpose passenger vehicles and trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) or less: if position 7 is a digit, the year falls in 1980–2009; if it is a letter, the year falls in 2010–2039. Heavier vehicles are not covered by that rule. The decoder on this site shows both candidates, applies the position-7 rule for light vehicles, and shows the model year resolved by NHTSA's vPIC when you request the full decode.

Current codes

Model year 2025 is S, 2026 is T and 2027 is V. Because the letter U is skipped, there is no “U” model year.