How to Decode a Nissan VIN: Same Prefix, Nissan or Infiniti
Nissan VINs hold a small trap. The first three characters name the company that built the vehicle, not the badge on the grille. So the same prefix can belong to a Nissan or to an Infiniti, and you cannot tell them apart from those three characters alone. Here is how a Nissan VIN works, and how to read past the prefix.
The data below is from NHTSA’s public vehicle database (vPIC), the same source behind the “Real Vehicle Details” in our VIN Decoder.
One Prefix, Two Brands
NHTSA lists both Nissan and Infiniti against the same manufacturer codes. Here are the Nissan family’s prefixes and the makes NHTSA attaches to each:
| Built by | Prefix | Type | Makes NHTSA lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan North America (USA) | 1N4 | Passenger car | Nissan, Infiniti |
| Nissan North America (USA) | 1N6 | Truck | Nissan, Infiniti |
| Nissan North America (USA) | 5N1 | SUV or multipurpose | Nissan, Infiniti |
| Nissan Mexicana (Mexico) | 3N1 | Passenger car | Nissan, Infiniti |
| Nissan Mexicana (Mexico) | 3N6 | Truck | Chevrolet, Nissan, Infiniti |
| Nissan Mexicana (Mexico) | 3N8 | SUV or multipurpose | Nissan |
| Nissan Motor Company (Japan) | JN1 | Passenger car | Nissan, Infiniti, Datsun |
| Nissan Motor Company (Japan) | JN8 | SUV or multipurpose | Nissan, Infiniti |
| Nissan Motor Company (Japan) | JN6 | Truck | Chevrolet, Nissan |
| Nissan Motor Company (Japan) | JNK | Passenger car | Infiniti |
| Nissan Motor Company (Japan) | JNR | SUV or multipurpose | Infiniti |
Only a few codes belong to one brand: JNK and JNR are Infiniti-only, and 3N8 is Nissan-only. Everywhere else, the prefix is shared. NHTSA also lists Chevrolet next to Nissan on the truck codes 3N6 and JN6, because the same company builds some vehicles sold under other badges. To find the actual brand, you have to read further into the VIN or let a decoder do it. Our WMI code reference covers the same idea for other makers.
Eight Nissan Family VINs, Decoded
These are sample VINs built for this guide, with placeholder serials. They are not real vehicles. Each passes the check digit and returns a clean decode, and one is an Infiniti so you can see the shared prefix at work.
| Sample VIN | Year | Make and model | Engine | Built in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1N4AL3APXGC123456 | 2016 | Nissan Altima | 2.5 L, 4-cyl | Smyrna, Tennessee |
| 5N1AT2MV7GC123456 | 2016 | Nissan Rogue | 2.5 L, 4-cyl | Smyrna, Tennessee |
| 5N1AR2MN9GC123456 | 2016 | Nissan Pathfinder | 3.5 L, 6-cyl | Smyrna, Tennessee |
| 1N6AD0ER6GN123456 | 2016 | Nissan Frontier | 4.0 L, 6-cyl | Canton, Mississippi |
| 3N1AB7AP5GL123456 | 2016 | Nissan Sentra | 1.8 L, 4-cyl | Aguascalientes, Mexico |
| 3N1CN7AP5GL123456 | 2016 | Nissan Versa | 1.6 L, 4-cyl | Aguascalientes, Mexico |
| JN1AZ4EH1GM123456 | 2016 | Nissan 370Z | 3.7 L | Tochigi, Japan |
| JN8AZ2NE1H9123456 | 2017 | Infiniti QX80 | 5.6 L | Nissan Shatai Kyushu plant, Fukuoka, Japan |
For the two Japan-built samples, NHTSA reports the engine size but leaves the cylinder count blank, so we show the size only. Look at the last row. That Infiniti uses JN8, the same prefix a Nissan SUV would carry.
Read the Plant Letter
Position 11 identifies the factory, and in these samples it groups neatly:
| Position 11 | Plant | Samples |
|---|---|---|
| C | Smyrna, Tennessee | Altima, Rogue, Pathfinder |
| N | Canton, Mississippi | Frontier |
| L | Aguascalientes, Mexico | Sentra, Versa |
| M | Tochigi, Japan | 370Z |
| 9 | Nissan Shatai Kyushu plant, Fukuoka, Japan | QX80 |
Notice the Smyrna cars share a plant letter across three different models and two different prefixes (1N4 and 5N1). The prefix follows the vehicle type, and the plant letter follows the factory. Nissan assigns plant letters per factory, so treat these as examples and not a universal key. Position 10 gives the model year: G is 2016 and H is 2017. The VIN model year codes chart has the rest.
Reading One Nissan in Full
Take the Rogue, 5N1AT2MV7GC123456:
| Positions | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 5N1 | Nissan North America, SUV, built in the USA |
| 4-8 | AT2MV | Rogue, 2.5 L four-cylinder |
| 9 | 7 | Check digit |
| 10 | G | Model year 2016 |
| 11 | C | Smyrna, Tennessee plant |
| 12-17 | 123456 | Serial number |
The ninth character is worked out from the other sixteen. How to calculate a VIN check digit walks through the arithmetic.
Try It Yourself
Paste any sample into the VIN Decoder and you get the same make, 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 Nissan built and sold only in Japan carries a shorter chassis number, which we cover in chassis number vs VIN on JDM cars.
Keep Reading
- How to Read a VIN: What All 17 Characters Mean
- How to Decode a Honda VIN: One Civic, Three Countries
- How to Decode a Toyota VIN: Plants, Models, and Engines
- WMI Codes: VIN Country and Manufacturer Reference
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