How to Decode a Honda VIN: One Civic, Three Countries
Here is the surprise in a Honda VIN: the same model can start with three completely different prefixes. A Civic can be built in Canada, in Indiana, or in Japan, and the first three characters tell you which. If you are shopping for a used Honda, that one fact can answer where it came from before you read a word of the listing.
The data below comes from NHTSA’s public vehicle database (vPIC), the same source our VIN Decoder uses for its “Real Vehicle Details”.
One Civic, Three Countries
These are three Civic sample VINs. Same model, same era, and every one decoded cleanly by NHTSA.
| Sample VIN | Year | Prefix | Built in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2HGFC2F5XGH123456 | 2016 Civic LX | 2HG | Alliston, Ontario, Canada |
| 19XFC2F57GE123456 | 2016 Civic LX | 19X | Greensburg, Indiana, USA |
| JHMFC1F37KX123456 | 2019 Civic EX | JHM | Yorii, Saitama, Japan |
The first character carries the country: 2 is Canada, 1 is the United States, J is Japan. Honda adds one more wrinkle: the Indiana-built Civic sample uses 19X, while the Accord samples below use 1HG. So a Civic does not have a single prefix, and a guess from the model alone can be wrong.
Same Factory, Different Third Character
The third character tells you the vehicle type. Look at two Honda samples built in the very same town, Lincoln, Alabama:
| Sample VIN | Prefix | Model | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5FNYF6H59GB123456 | 5FN | 2016 Pilot EX-L | SUV or multipurpose vehicle |
| 5FPYK1F58GB123456 | 5FP | 2016 Ridgeline | Truck |
Same plant, and even the same plant letter (B). Only the third character changes, from N to P, because one is an SUV and the other is a pickup.
Honda’s Manufacturer Codes
NHTSA lists these Honda prefixes. Acura, Honda’s luxury brand, has its own.
| Country | Codes | Type |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 1HG, 19X | Passenger car |
| USA | 5FN, 5J6, 7FA | SUV or multipurpose |
| USA | 5FP | Truck |
| Canada | 2HG | Passenger car |
| Canada | 2HK | SUV or multipurpose |
| Canada | 2HJ | Truck |
| Mexico | 3HG | Passenger car |
| Mexico | 3CZ | SUV or multipurpose |
| Japan | JHM | Passenger car |
| Japan | JHL | SUV or multipurpose |
| United Kingdom | SHH | Passenger car |
| USA, Japan | 1HF, JH2 | Motorcycle |
| Acura (USA) | 19U | Passenger car |
| Acura (Japan) | JH4 | Passenger car |
Our WMI code reference lists the same kind of table for other makers.
Eight Honda VINs, Decoded
These are sample VINs built for this guide, with placeholder serial numbers. They are not real cars. Each passes the check digit.
| Sample VIN | Year | Model | Engine | Built in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1HGCV1F35JA123456 | 2018 | Accord Sport | 1.5 L, 4-cyl | Marysville, Ohio |
| 1HGCR2F31GA123456 | 2016 | Accord LX | 2.4 L, 4-cyl | Marysville, Ohio |
| 2HGFC2F5XGH123456 | 2016 | Civic LX | 2.0 L, 4-cyl | Alliston, Ontario |
| 19XFC2F57GE123456 | 2016 | Civic LX | 2.0 L, 4-cyl | Greensburg, Indiana |
| JHMFC1F37KX123456 | 2019 | Civic EX | 1.5 L, 4-cyl | Yorii, Japan |
| 3HGGK5H50GM123456 | 2016 | Fit LX | 1.5 L, 4-cyl | Celaya, Mexico |
| 5FNYF6H59GB123456 | 2016 | Pilot EX-L | 3.5 L, 6-cyl | Lincoln, Alabama |
| 5FPYK1F58GB123456 | 2016 | Ridgeline | 3.5 L, 6-cyl | Lincoln, Alabama |
The two Accords share a factory and a prefix but not an engine. The 2018 has a 1.5 L engine and the 2016 has a 2.4 L, and the VIN captures that difference in positions 4 to 8.
Reading the Plant and Year Letters
Position 10 is the model year. In the samples it was G for 2016, J for 2018, and K for 2019, which matches our VIN model year codes chart. Position 11 is the plant: A for Marysville, H for Alliston, E for Greensburg, X for Yorii, M for Celaya, and B for Lincoln. Honda assigns plant letters per factory, so use these as examples and not a universal key.
Decoding One in Full
Take the Alliston Civic, 2HGFC2F5XGH123456:
| Positions | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 2HG | Honda passenger car, built in Canada |
| 4-8 | FC2F5 | Civic LX, 2.0 L four-cylinder |
| 9 | X | Check digit (a remainder of 10 is written as X) |
| 10 | G | Model year 2016 |
| 11 | H | Alliston plant |
| 12-17 | 123456 | Serial number |
The ninth character is calculated from the other sixteen. How to calculate a VIN check digit works through the arithmetic with a full example.
Try It Yourself
Paste any sample into the VIN Decoder and you get the same model and plant NHTSA returns. The VIN Validator confirms the number is correctly formed, and the Bulk VIN Validator checks a whole list of VINs at once.
NHTSA’s database is built for vehicles sold in North America. A Honda built and sold only in Japan carries a shorter chassis number, which we explain in chassis number vs VIN on JDM cars.
Keep Reading
- How to Read a VIN: What All 17 Characters Mean
- How to Decode a Toyota VIN: Plants, Models, and Engines
- How to Tell What Engine a Car Has From the VIN
- WMI Codes: VIN Country and Manufacturer Reference
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