Dodge VIN Decoder
Enter any 17-character Dodge VIN. Free US-market Dodge VIN decoder backed by the official NHTSA VPIC database — engine code, assembly plant, model year, body class, and every open recall, in about 30 seconds.
How to read a Dodge VIN
A Dodge VIN, like any modern road-vehicle VIN, is 17 characters split into three blocks: the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) in positions 1–3, the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) in positions 4–9, and the Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS) in positions 10–17. Here's a real Dodge VIN broken down position by position.
122C334C5D6X7C8T9810L11H122133144155166177
| Position | Chars | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Country of origin 2 = Canada. The Charger and Challenger are built in Brampton, Ontario, so their VINs begin with 2. US-built Dodges (Durango in Detroit, the legacy Dart) begin with 1, and the Journey (Mexico) begins with 3. |
| 2-3 | C3 | Manufacturer (WMI) C3 = the FCA US / Stellantis Dodge passenger-car WMI (2C3 for Canadian builds). Other Dodge WMIs include 1C3 (US-built Dart and legacy sedans), 1C4 (Durango SUV), and 3C4 (Journey). |
| 4-8 | CDXCT | Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) Encodes the model line, body style, restraint system, and engine. Stellantis does not publish a public VDS-to-trim table, so CheckMyVIN reports what NHTSA VPIC returns directly (Model, Trim, Body Class, Engine, Drive Type) rather than guessing what individual characters mean. |
| 9 | 8 | Check digit A mod-11 checksum computed from the other 16 positions. NHTSA uses it to reject typos before returning a decode — if the check digit is wrong, VPIC returns an error and CheckMyVIN treats the VIN as unreadable. |
| 10 | L | Model year L = 2020. The full year code table is below. The 30-year cycle skips I, O, Q, U, Z and 0 to avoid being confused with similar-looking digits. |
| 11 | H | Assembly plant For this VIN, H maps to Brampton Assembly (Ontario, Canada), home of the Charger and Challenger. CheckMyVIN reads Plant City and Plant Country directly from the VPIC record rather than inferring the plant from this character — position 11 is brand-internal. |
| 12-17 | 234567 | Production sequence A 6-digit serial number that increments through the model year at that plant. Not useful on its own, but combined with year and plant it confirms the VIN is internally consistent. |
VIN year codes (position 10)
The 10th character of every modern VIN encodes the model year. The cycle skips the letters I, O, Q, U and Z, and the digit 0, to avoid being confused with similar digits. This table covers every model year currently on US roads.
| Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2010 | H | 2017 | R | 2024 |
| B | 2011 | J | 2018 | S | 2025 |
| C | 2012 | K | 2019 | T | 2026 |
| D | 2013 | L | 2020 | V | 2027 |
| E | 2014 | M | 2021 | W | 2028 |
| F | 2015 | N | 2022 | X | 2029 |
| G | 2016 | P | 2023 | Y | 2030 |
Dodge WMI codes (positions 1–3)
The first three characters of the VIN identify the manufacturer and country of assembly. Dodge uses several WMI codes depending on plant and model line.
| WMI | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 2C3 | Dodge passenger car (Charger, Challenger) — Canada (Brampton) |
| 1C3 | Dodge passenger car (Dart and legacy sedans) — USA |
| 1C4 | Dodge SUV (Durango) — USA |
| 3C4 | Dodge (Journey) — Mexico |
| 2B3 | Dodge passenger car (legacy Charger / Magnum) — Canada |
Dodge build sheet & options
A full Dodge build sheet — the original factory options, paint code, package contents (e.g. the SRT or Hellcat performance group), and dealer-installed extras — is not part of the federal NHTSA VPIC dataset. CheckMyVIN can confirm engine family (3.6L Pentastar, 5.7L / 6.4L HEMI, 6.2L supercharged Hellcat), assembly plant, model year, body class, and recall history pulled live from NHTSA, but it cannot return the original sticker options. For those, a Dodge dealer can print the build sheet from the VIN, and Stellantis publishes build and parts data through the Mopar service portal — Mopar is Stellantis's service and parts brand for Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler, not a separate vehicle make. CheckMyVIN never claims options data it cannot verify against the NHTSA record.
Dodge VIN decoder FAQ
Is the Dodge VIN decoder free?
Yes — every Dodge VIN lookup on CheckMyVIN is free, with no signup, no email gate, and no usage cap on individual users. Data comes from the public NHTSA VPIC API. The optional "full vehicle history report" link at the bottom of each report is an affiliate to a paid third-party history service; you can ignore it. Whether you search "Dodge VIN decoder", "decode Dodge VIN", or "Dodge specs by VIN number", this is the same free tool.
How do I read a Dodge VIN (Charger, Challenger, Durango)?
A Dodge VIN is 17 characters: position 1 is the country (2 = Canada for Charger/Challenger, 1 = USA for Durango/Dart, 3 = Mexico for Journey), positions 2-3 are the Dodge WMI, position 10 is the model year (L = 2020, see the year table on this page), and position 11 is the assembly plant. Enter the VIN above and CheckMyVIN reads every field via the official NHTSA database — it covers the Dodge lineup including Charger, Challenger, Durango, Journey, Hornet, and the legacy Dart, Avenger, and Grand Caravan.
Where is the VIN located on a Dodge?
Three places on every modern Dodge: the dash plate at the base of the windshield (visible from outside, driver side), the driver-door jamb certification sticker, and on the title / registration. On a classic Charger or Challenger, the VIN location and format differ — see the old-VIN question below.
How do I find my Dodge engine from the VIN (HEMI, Hellcat)?
The engine appears in the VPIC fields CheckMyVIN reads — displacement, cylinder count, and configuration. Common Dodge engines include the 3.6L Pentastar V6, the 5.7L HEMI V8, the 6.4L (392) HEMI V8, and the supercharged 6.2L Hellcat V8. Enter the VIN above and read the Vehicle Specifications block. The VIN identifies the engine family; it does not expand every factory option, which lives on the build sheet.
Can I get the Dodge window sticker or build sheet by VIN?
The original window sticker (Monroney label) and full build sheet are not in the NHTSA VPIC data, so CheckMyVIN does not reproduce them. What the VIN does give you — engine, plant, model year, body class, drive type, and open recalls — appears free in the report above. For the original Monroney or the option list (including SRT and Hellcat packages), a Dodge dealer can print the build sheet from the VIN, and Stellantis maintains that data through the Mopar service portal.
Can I check Dodge recalls with the VIN?
Yes. CheckMyVIN automatically queries the NHTSA recall API alongside the decode and shows every open campaign for the year/model/make combination. Worked examples — including a 2018 transmission park-lock-rod campaign affecting the Charger, Challenger, and Durango, and a Charger AWD front-driveshaft campaign — appear on the /dodge/recall page with the official NHTSA campaign numbers and links to the NHTSA recall portal so you can verify.
Is my Dodge a "Mopar" vehicle?
No — the make is Dodge. Mopar is Stellantis's service, parts, and accessories brand for Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, FIAT, and Alfa Romeo; it is not a vehicle manufacturer, and a Dodge title reads "Dodge," not "Mopar." You may see Mopar referenced for genuine parts, the service portal, or accessory catalogs, and a Dodge dealer uses the Mopar system to pull build and parts data from the VIN — but the VIN decodes to the Dodge marque, which is what CheckMyVIN reports.
Does the VIN tell me if my Dodge is an SRT or Hellcat?
Partly. NHTSA VPIC usually returns the engine (the supercharged 6.2L Hellcat V8 or the 6.4L 392 are distinctive) and often the Trim/Series, which CheckMyVIN shows when present, but the VIN does not encode the full SRT performance package (brakes, suspension, widebody, drive modes). For the definitive performance spec, check the build sheet and the under-hood / badge identifiers. The VIN confirms the engine and model; the build sheet confirms the SRT/Hellcat hardware.
Can you decode an old or classic Dodge VIN (pre-1981 Charger, Challenger)?
Only partially. Federal law standardized VINs at 17 characters in 1981; classic Dodges — the 1966-1974 Charger, the 1970-1974 Challenger, and muscle-era Coronet / Dart — used shorter VINs with a different structure (no standardized check digit, no global WMI registry), and NHTSA's VPIC database has limited coverage of them. CheckMyVIN will not invent fields it cannot verify. For a classic Mopar Dodge, the fender tag / broadcast sheet and marque registries (and clubs) are the authoritative decode sources. Be skeptical of any tool that claims to fully "decode" a pre-1981 Dodge VIN.