VIN Model Year Codes: The Full Chart (1980-2031)
The tenth character of a VIN tells you the model year, and it does the job with a single letter or number. That is efficient, but it comes with a quirk: the codes repeat every 30 years. An “F” could mean 1985 or 2015. This chart lists every code from 1980 to 2031, and the section below shows the simple trick that settles which era a car belongs to.
The Full Model Year Code Chart
Position 10 uses letters and digits, but it skips the letters I, O, Q, U, and Z, plus the number 0. Those got left out to avoid confusion with similar-looking characters. Here is the complete list:
| Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1980 / 2010 | L | 1990 / 2020 | Y | 2000 / 2030 |
| B | 1981 / 2011 | M | 1991 / 2021 | 1 | 2001 / 2031 |
| C | 1982 / 2012 | N | 1992 / 2022 | 2 | 2002 |
| D | 1983 / 2013 | P | 1993 / 2023 | 3 | 2003 |
| E | 1984 / 2014 | R | 1994 / 2024 | 4 | 2004 |
| F | 1985 / 2015 | S | 1995 / 2025 | 5 | 2005 |
| G | 1986 / 2016 | T | 1996 / 2026 | 6 | 2006 |
| H | 1987 / 2017 | V | 1997 / 2027 | 7 | 2007 |
| J | 1988 / 2018 | W | 1998 / 2028 | 8 | 2008 |
| K | 1989 / 2019 | X | 1999 / 2029 | 9 | 2009 |
Letters ran the show from 1980 to 2000. Numbers took over from 2001 to 2009. Then the cycle rolled back to “A” for 2010 and started again.
The 30-Year Trick: Read Position 7
So how do you know if an “S” means 1995 or 2025? Look at the seventh character.
- If position 7 is a number, the vehicle is from 1980 to 2009.
- If position 7 is a letter, the vehicle is from 2010 or later.
The rule works because carmakers changed the format of that part of the VIN when the codes cycled back around in 2010. One glance at position 7 tells you which 30-year window you are in, and the year code does the rest. A quick example: a VIN with “N” in position 10 and a letter in position 7 is a 2022, not a 1992.
Why the Year Code Skips Certain Characters
The missing characters are not random. The letters I, O, and Q look too much like 1 and 0, so a single sloppy stamp or a bad scan could turn a real year into the wrong one. U and Z got dropped from the year slot for the same reason, and 0 never starts a year code. What is left is a clean set of 30 symbols, one for each year in the cycle, with no lookalikes to trip up a reader.
Where This Sits in the Whole VIN
The model year is only one piece. The character right before it, position 9, is the check digit that keeps the whole number honest. The character right after, position 11, names the assembly plant. Our guide on how to read a VIN covers all 17 positions if you want the full map.
Decode a Year in Seconds
You do not have to memorize any of this. Paste a VIN into our VIN Decoder and it pulls the model year straight from position 10, along with the country and maker. Want to see it laid out visually? The VIN Breakdown Visualizer lights up each character so you can watch the year code fall into place.
Bookmark this chart and you can date almost any car by eye. Find position 10 for the code, glance at position 7 for the era, and the year is yours.
Keep Reading
- How to Read a VIN: What All 17 Characters Mean
- What a VIN Tells You: Decoding Make, Model, and Year
- How to Check If a VIN Is Valid (and Spot a Cloned One)
- Where to Find Your VIN: Every Location on Your Vehicle
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