VIN Barcode Generator With Check Digit

Make a VIN barcode for free: type the 17-character vehicle identification number, and the generator checks its characters and the position 9 check digit under 49 CFR Part 565, shows the model year and the parts of the VIN, then draws it in Code 39, Code 128, Data Matrix or a QR Code.

Valid

106.6 × 19.4 mm at 300 DPI

Vehicle identification number

Check digit 4 is correct.

Symbology and content

The VIN as it is encoded, in capitals without spaces: 17 characters.

Code 39 options

Size and resolution

Output DPI

300 DPI · Thermal / offset

4 px per module at 300 DPI. Print size: 106.6 × 19.4 mm (4.20 × 0.77 in). PNG, WebP and JPEG: 1292 × 236 px.

Human-readable text

Text size and alignment

Alignment

Text font

FontNew

Label textNew

Font

Alignment

Printed in the file with the barcode, outside the quiet zone, in Helvetica or Courier so it looks the same in every format.

Colors

Contrast 21.0:1; estimated symbol contrast 100%.

Quiet zone (modules)2 · 10 · 2 · 10

Bar width reduction0 mil

Makes each bar thinner by this amount, to make up for ink that spreads on paper. Ask your printer for the value, or leave 0 for laser and thermal printing.

Rotation and backgroundNew0° · Filled

Rotation

In the preview, a checkered pattern shows the transparent areas. Print a transparent barcode only on a white or very light surface: scanners need the light quiet zone around it.

Margin and borderNew0 mm · no border

The margin is blank space outside the quiet zone, for cutting; the border is drawn at the outer edge. Both count in the print size.

Data inspectorNew17 chars
PresetsNew0 saved

No presets yet. Save the current settings to reuse them.

    Presets stay in this browser. They keep the type, size and style; the data and the logo are not saved.

    Recent barcodesNew0

    The barcodes you download appear here, newest first.

      The last 10 downloads, kept in this browser only.
      Code 39 · Live previewValid
      Code 39 barcode encoding 1G4AH59H45G118341
      New

      Scaled to fit. Actual size shows the print size on screen.

      Print simulationNew

      Shows how a worn print looks and tests it with the decoder.

      Type
      Code 39 · 1D
      Print size
      106.6 × 19.4 mm
      Raster
      1292 × 236 px

      Parts of the VIN

      The parts of this VIN under 49 CFR 565.15
      PositionsHereWhat it is
      1–31G4Manufacturer identifier, assigned through SAE International.
      4–8AH59HVehicle attributes, coded by the manufacturer (for cars: make, line, series, body, engine, restraints).
      94Check digit, correct.
      105Model year: 2005 (position 7 is a digit; for cars and light trucks).
      11GPlant of manufacture, coded by the manufacturer.
      12–17118341Production sequence number.

      Check digit calculation

      Check digit calculation, 49 CFR 565.15 Table VI
      Position1234567891011121314151617
      Character1G4AH59H·5G118341
      Value17418598·57118341
      Weight876543210098765432
      Product8492453215188004556764012122

      Sum 411; 411 ÷ 11 leaves 4, so the check digit is 4.

      The check confirms the structure of the number only. It does not show that a vehicle with this VIN exists, and the barcode does not register or certify anything.

      Download

      Vector drawing, 106.6 × 19.4 mm. Design and label programs place it at its print size.

      More export optionsNewTest sheet · size set · embed code

      Print test sheet (PDF)

      The code at 80%, 100% and 150% with 100 mm and 4 in rulers. Print it at actual size and scan each copy before printing many.

      Size set (ZIP)

      Magnification

      Embed code

      Nothing you type is uploaded.New

      How to Make a VIN Barcode

      Type the VIN, fix what the check reports, choose a barcode type and download the file.

      1. Type or paste the 17 characters into the VIN field; spaces, dashes and lowercase letters are cleaned up.
      2. Read the check: a wrong character or a check digit that does not match is named, with the digit the calculation gives.
      3. Choose Code 39, Code 128, Data Matrix or a QR Code, and the size and quiet zone.
      4. Download the SVG, PNG, WebP, JPEG, PDF or EPS file, and scan a print before you use it.

      Barcode Types for a VIN

      All four types the generator offers hold every VIN character; pick the one the label or system you print for asks for.

      Vehicle labels follow industry and customer specifications that this page does not reproduce. Use the barcode type and size your specification names, and scan a test print with the reader it will meet.

      Linear Barcodes

      • Code 39: capital letters and digits, one symbol character each; the tool's default for a VIN.
      • Code 128: a shorter symbol for the same 17 characters.

      2D Barcodes

      • Data Matrix: a small square that suits narrow spaces such as a door label.
      • QR Code: read by phone cameras as well as scanners.

      What the 17 Characters of a VIN Mean

      49 CFR Part 565 splits a VIN into four sections: the manufacturer identifier, the vehicle attributes, the check digit and the vehicle identifier with the model year, plant and production number.

      Sections of a VIN, 49 CFR 565.15
      PositionsSectionWhat It Holds
      1–3Manufacturer identifierAssigned through SAE International; a 9 in position 3 means positions 12–14 complete it
      4–8Vehicle attributesFor cars: make, line, series, body type, engine type and restraint devices, coded by the manufacturer
      9Check digit0–9 or X, calculated from the other 16 characters
      10Model yearA code from Table VII
      11PlantThe plant of manufacture
      12–17Production numberAssigned in sequence by the manufacturer

      A VIN uses the digits 0–9 and the letters A–Z except I, O and Q. The make and model behind positions 4–8 come from the manufacturer's own data; NHTSA's free VIN decoder at vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov reads them, and this page does not.

      VIN Year Codes

      Position 10 repeats every 30 years. For cars and for trucks and multipurpose vehicles of 10,000 lb GVWR or less, a digit in position 7 means 1980–2009 and a letter means 2010–2039.

      Model year codes in position 10, 49 CFR 565.15 Table VII
      CodePosition 7 Is a DigitPosition 7 Is a Letter
      A19802010
      B19812011
      C19822012
      D19832013
      E19842014
      F19852015
      G19862016
      H19872017
      J19882018
      K19892019
      L19902020
      M19912021
      N19922022
      P19932023
      R19942024
      S19952025
      T19962026
      V19972027
      W19982028
      X19992029
      Y20002030
      120012031
      220022032
      320032033
      420042034
      520052035
      620062036
      720072037
      820082038
      920092039

      How the VIN Check Digit Works

      The check digit in position 9 catches typing mistakes: each character gets a value and a weight, the products are added, and the remainder after dividing by 11 is the check digit, with 10 written as X.

      1. Give each digit its own value and each letter the value of Table III (A = 1, B = 2, … J = 1, … S = 2, … Z = 9).
      2. Multiply each value by the weight of its position: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 10, then 0 for position 9, then 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
      3. Add the products and divide the sum by 11.
      4. The remainder is the check digit; a remainder of 10 is written X.

      In the regulation's own example, 1G4AH59H45G118341, the products add up to 411, and 411 ÷ 11 leaves 4, the digit in position 9. The tool shows the same table for any VIN you type.

      Scanning a VIN Barcode

      A phone or laptop camera reads a VIN printed in Code 39, Code 128, Data Matrix or a QR Code with the barcode scanner, which shows the 17 characters it holds.

      Paste what the scanner read into the VIN field above to check its characters and check digit. If a scan returns more or fewer than 17 characters, the label holds other data as well; the check names what does not fit a VIN.

      Barcode scanner reads a VIN label with a camera or a USB scanner and shows the exact text.

      Frequently Asked Questions

      What Is a VIN Barcode?

      It is a barcode that holds a vehicle's 17-character identification number, so a scanner can read it without typing. The VIN itself is set by the manufacturer under 49 CFR Part 565 in the United States.

      Which Barcode Type Is Used for a VIN?

      This page names none, because vehicle labels follow industry and customer specifications it does not reproduce. Code 39, Code 128, Data Matrix and QR Code all hold every VIN character, so use the one your specification names.

      Why Does a VIN Have No I, O or Q?

      49 CFR 565.13 leaves them out of the character set, and they are easy to confuse with 1 and 0. The tool names the position of such a letter and suggests the digit.

      What Does an X in Position 9 Mean?

      It is the check digit for a remainder of 10. The sum of the weighted values divided by 11 left 10, and the regulation writes that as X.

      Can This Page Tell Me the Make and Model?

      No. It checks the structure, the check digit and the model year code, but the make, model and engine behind positions 4–8 come from the manufacturer's data. NHTSA's free VIN decoder at vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov reads those.

      Does Every VIN Have a Check Digit?

      49 CFR Part 565 requires one in position 9 for vehicles sold in the United States. This page does not cover other countries' rules; for a VIN without a valid check digit, the tool draws the barcode only after you tick the box.

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