How to Check an ATV VIN

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is found on all vehicles regardless of the manufacturer. The VIN is always 17 characters, including on ATVs. The placement of each character reveals significant information about a particular ATV, including its engine, model, series and year it was manufactured. If you are interested in purchasing a previously owned ATV, you might want to check its VIN to make sure all the information you are being provided with is accurate.

Instructions

1

Find the VIN on the ATV. On most ATVs, you will find a plate mounted on the front frame in the bottom portion. On others, it will be mounted on the engine's left side.

2

Read the VIN's first character to identify the country in which the ATV was manufactured. If the first character is "1" or "4," it means the ATV was manufactured in the U.S. Similarly, "2" is for Canada, "J" is for Japan and "K" is for Korea.

3

Read the second character to identify the manufacturer. For instance, "H" means Honda and "K" means Kawasaki.

4

Read the third character to find out the manufacturing division or the vehicle type. The third character varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer.

5

Note the fourth through eighth characters to identify vehicle attributes such as the body style and engine type. To get your ATV's engine details and body style, contact the manufacturer.

6

Note the ninth character, which is the "check digit" of the ATV's VIN. The ninth digit is only for security purposes, and is calculated mathematically on the basis of the previous eight digits. It is merely a confirmation that the VIN is genuine.

7

Read the 10th digit to identify the vehicle's manufacturing year. The digits "1" to "9" indicate the manufacturing years "1971" to "1979," while the letters "A" to "Y" indicate the years "1980" to "2000." "2001" to "2009" model years also use the digits "1" to "9," after which the alphabetical code starts again from "2010."

8

Read the 11th character to identify the vehicle's assembly plant.

9

Read the 12th to 17th characters. These are all digits, and they increase by one number for every ATV rolling out of the assembly line.