What type of barcode is a VIN barcode?

Code 39 is the usual one. It handles capital letters and digits, which is everything a VIN contains, and almost every barcode scanner reads it. Some newer labels add a 2D code such as Data Matrix or QR instead.

Is this VIN barcode generator free?

Yes. Enter the VIN and download the barcode as PNG, SVG or PDF with no account, no watermark and no limit.

Why does the generator reject I, O and Q?

No VIN contains them. They are left out of the standard because they are too easy to confuse with 1 and 0. If your VIN seems to have one, it is almost always a 1 or a 0.

What does the check digit warning mean?

The 9th character of a VIN is a check digit, calculated from the other 16. If it does not match, either a character was mistyped or the vehicle was built for a market that does not use the check digit. It is required on vehicles built for North America, so on a US or Canadian vehicle a mismatch almost always means a typo. Many European VINs put a filler such as Z in that position, which is why the barcode is still drawn.

Can I make barcodes for a list of VINs?

Yes. Open Generate many at once under the barcode, paste up to 500 VINs, one per line, and download them in one go. The bulk mode checks that each row is valid Code 39 but does not run the VIN checks, so check doubtful VINs one at a time first.

Get Started Free

VIN Barcode Generator

Type a vehicle identification number and get it as a Code 39 barcode, the format VIN labels use. The VIN is checked as you type, including the check digit, so a typo does not end up on a tag.

Free, no accountVIN checked as you typePNG, SVG or PDFUp to 500 at once

Enter the 17-character VIN

Try:

Length · 17 characters, spaces and hyphens ignored
Characters · letters and digits only, never I, O or Q
Check digit (9th character) · checked once the VIN is complete

The barcode appears here once the VIN has 17 valid characters.

Barcode Type

Uppercase letters, digits, and - . $ / + % space.

Barcode Data

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Runs in your browser. Nothing to install.

The format

VIN Barcodes Are Code 39

A VIN is 17 capital letters and digits, and Code 39 encodes exactly that alphabet, which is why it is the usual barcode on door-jamb labels, window stickers and dealer paperwork. Almost every handheld scanner and phone scanning app reads it.

Some newer labels add a 2D code instead. If you need the VIN in a Data Matrix code, it is one of the formats in the same tool. More on the format itself is on the Code 39 barcode generator page.

Anatomy

What the 17 Characters Mean

The barcode stores the VIN as it is, so it is worth knowing what you are encoding. Every VIN follows the same layout.

Position	Section	What it tells you
1–3	World manufacturer identifier	Country and maker. 1, 4 and 5 are the US; W is Germany; J is Japan.
4–8	Vehicle descriptor	Model, body, engine and similar attributes, coded by the maker.
9	Check digit	Calculated from the other 16 characters. Required in North America.
10	Model year	A letter or digit for the year, on a 30-year cycle.
11	Plant	The factory that built the vehicle.
12–17	Serial number	The vehicle's own sequence number.

The letters I, O and Q never appear anywhere in a VIN, because they are too easy to read as 1 and 0.

Position 9

How the VIN Check Digit Works

Each letter is given a number (A is 1, B is 2 and so on, with a few jumps), each position has a fixed weight, and the products are added up. The remainder after dividing by 11 is the check digit, and a remainder of 10 is written as X. Here is the working for 1M8GDM9AXKP042788.

Character	1	M	8	G	D	M	9	A	X	K	P	0	4	2	7	8	8
Value	1	4	8	7	4	4	9	1	7	2	7	0	4	2	7	8	8
× weight	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	10	0	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2
= product	8	28	48	35	16	12	18	10	0	18	56	0	24	10	28	24	16

The products add up to 351. 351 divided by 11 leaves 10, so the check digit is X, which matches the 9th character. Position 9 has a weight of 0 because it is the answer, not part of the sum.

The check digit is required on vehicles built for North America. Elsewhere it is optional, and many European VINs put a filler such as Z in position 9. That is why the generator flags a mismatch but still draws the barcode. This is a different calculation from the one used for product barcodes, which the check digit calculator covers.

Uses

What People Print VIN Barcodes On

Dealer stock and key tags

Scan a key tag or windshield stock card instead of typing 17 characters into the dealer system.

Service and repair paperwork

Put the VIN on the work order so the parts counter and the technician scan the same vehicle.

Fleet and rental records

Label files, binders and inspection sheets so every record is tied to the right vehicle.

Auctions and transport

Print a barcode for the paperwork that travels with a vehicle, for a quick check at each hand-off.

These barcodes are for your own records. The VIN plate and the labels on the vehicle come from the manufacturer, and altering or removing a vehicle's VIN is a federal crime in the US.

Printing

Printing a VIN Barcode That Scans

Code 39 is a wide barcode, and 17 characters make it wider still. Give it the full width of the label rather than shrinking the bars to fit.
Leave blank space at both ends. Scanners need that quiet zone to find where the barcode starts.
Download SVG or PDF for printing. They stay sharp at any size, where a small PNG blurs when it is enlarged.
Keep the VIN printed under the bars (it is on by default) so it can be read by eye if a scanner fails.