VIN Reference
WMI Lookup
Last reviewed July 2026 · Checked against NHTSA vPIC
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the first three characters of a 17-character VIN. It identifies the vehicle manufacturer, country or region of manufacture, and vehicle type or division. WMIs are assigned under 49 CFR Part 565 and the ISO 3780 standard. Manufacturers may hold multiple WMIs by brand, country, vehicle type, plant, or division.
How the WMI works
- Character 1 — country or region of manufacture.
- Character 2 — manufacturer.
- Character 3 — vehicle type or manufacturing division.
For manufacturers producing fewer than 1,000 vehicles per year, the third character is 9, and positions 12–14 further identify the manufacturer.
Common WMI prefixes
Common WMI prefixes with manufacturer, country, and vehicle type. This is a quick reference of frequently seen codes, not a complete registry.
| WMI | Manufacturer | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1FA, 1FB, 1FC | Ford | United States | Passenger cars |
| 1FT, 1FD | Ford | United States | Trucks |
| 1FM | Ford | United States | SUVs / MPVs |
| 1G1 | Chevrolet | United States | Passenger cars |
| 1GC | Chevrolet | United States | Trucks |
| 1GT | GMC | United States | Trucks |
| 1GY | Cadillac | United States | SUVs |
| 1HG | Honda | United States | Passenger cars |
| 1N4 | Nissan | United States | Passenger cars |
| 1C4, 1C6 | Chrysler / Jeep / Ram | United States | SUVs / Trucks |
| 2T, 4T | Toyota | Canada / United States | Passenger cars |
| 3VW | Volkswagen | Mexico | Passenger cars |
| 5YJ | Tesla | United States | Electric |
| 5NP | Hyundai | United States | Passenger cars |
| JHM | Honda | Japan | Passenger cars |
| JTD, JTE | Toyota | Japan | Passenger cars |
| JN1, JN8 | Nissan | Japan | Passenger cars |
| KMH | Hyundai | South Korea | Passenger cars |
| KNA, KND | Kia | South Korea | Passenger cars / SUVs |
| WBA, WBS | BMW | Germany | Passenger cars |
| WDB, WDD | Mercedes-Benz | Germany | Passenger cars |
| WVW | Volkswagen | Germany | Passenger cars |
| WAU | Audi | Germany | Passenger cars |
| WP0 | Porsche | Germany | Sports cars |
| SAL | Land Rover | United Kingdom | SUVs |
| YV1 | Volvo | Sweden | Passenger cars |
Sources and verification
VinWhere checks WMI data against the NHTSA vPIC Decode WMI endpoint, which returns manufacturer records for 3-character WMI codes. WMI assignments are defined under 49 CFR Part 565 and the ISO 3780 standard. Some manufacturers hold multiple WMIs by region, division, vehicle type, or plant, so a full VIN decode may give more accurate vehicle-specific details. This page is a quick reference, not a legal registry.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WMI in a VIN?+
A World Manufacturer Identifier, or WMI, is the first three characters of a 17-character VIN. It identifies the vehicle manufacturer, country or region, and vehicle type or division. WMIs are assigned under 49 CFR Part 565 and the ISO 3780 standard.
What do the first 3 digits of a VIN mean?+
The first three VIN characters are the WMI. Character 1 is the country or region, character 2 is the manufacturer, and character 3 is the vehicle type or manufacturing division.
How do I look up a WMI code?+
Use the table on this page for common prefixes, or decode a full VIN with VinWhere's free VIN decoder for vehicle-specific details. NHTSA's vPIC also provides a Decode WMI endpoint for 3-character WMI codes.
What does WMI 1FT mean?+
The WMI 1FT identifies Ford trucks built in the United States. The '1' indicates the USA and 'FT' identifies Ford's truck line, such as the F-Series.
What is the WMI code for Ford?+
Ford uses several WMIs by vehicle type: 1FA/1FB/1FC for US passenger cars, 1FT/1FD for US trucks, and 1FM for US SUVs. Vehicles built in Canada or Mexico use 2Fx or 3Fx prefixes.
What is the WMI code for Toyota?+
Toyota uses JTD/JTE for vehicles built in Japan, 4T and 5TD/5TF for the United States, and 2T for Canada.
Can one automaker have more than one WMI?+
Yes. Large manufacturers hold multiple WMIs assigned by brand, country, vehicle type, division, or production plant, so a single automaker may have many WMI codes.
Is WMI the same as the VIN?+
No. The WMI is only the first three characters of the 17-character VIN. The remaining characters describe the vehicle (positions 4–9) and identify it (positions 10–17).