Free VIN lookup
What trim is my car?
The window sticker is long gone and the badge on the back only says so much. Your VIN knows: paste it below and we will decode it through NHTSA's federal database, then match it against EPA spec records to name your trim.
Where to find your VIN
- Windshield: a metal plate at the driver's side corner of the dashboard, readable from outside.
- Door jamb: open the driver's door and look for the white sticker on the pillar.
- Paperwork: your registration, title, and insurance card all carry it.
How the match works
A VIN always pins down the make, model, and model year. The trim is the honest part: manufacturers are not required to encode it, so some VINs name the trim outright while others only reveal the engine size, cylinder count, transmission, and drivetrain. We compare whatever the decode gives us against every trim of that model year and tell you plainly whether the result is your exact trim or one of a short list. We never present a guess as a fact.
Trimslate covers US market cars, SUVs, trucks, and vans from model years 2010 to 2025 across 43 makes. Motorcycles, heavy trucks, and vehicles never sold in the US will decode but will not match our catalog.
While you have the VIN out: check for recalls
The most useful thing a VIN unlocks is the federal recall record. NHTSA's official recall lookup tells you in seconds whether your exact car has an open recall, and recall repairs are always free at the dealer.
Common questions
- Where do I find my VIN?
- Look through the windshield at the driver's side corner of the dashboard, or open the driver's door and check the sticker in the door jamb. The VIN is also printed on your registration, title, and insurance card. It is always 17 characters and never uses the letters I, O, or Q.
- Can a VIN tell me my exact trim?
- Sometimes. Manufacturers must encode the engine, body, and drivetrain, but trim level encoding is optional. Some VINs decode straight to a trim name; others only narrow it to the engine and drivetrain, which can still rule out most of a model year's lineup. When the VIN cannot settle it, Trimslate shows the closest trims and exactly which specs the VIN confirms for each.
- Is this VIN lookup free?
- Yes. The decode comes from NHTSA's public vPIC database, a free US government service, and Trimslate matches the result against EPA fuel economy records. No account, no payment, no catch.
- Does Trimslate store my VIN?
- No. The VIN is used once to ask the federal decoder about the vehicle and is never stored or written to logs. We keep only anonymous counts of how lookups went so we know the feature works.