How to Check and Decode a GMC VIN
You can typically find a GMC’s VIN on the driver’s side dashboard or stamped to the driver’s door jamb. Here’s how to decode it.
Written by Shannon Fitzgerald
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
A
GMC
VIN is typically located on the driver’s side—either on the dashboard toward the windshield or stamped to the door jamb. Encoded in the VIN is identifying information about your vehicle’s assembly origin, model specifics, and model year, amongst other factors. When you file information with the DMV—like your
vehicle registration
and title—you’ll always need to include your VIN. But while you probably know those 17 digits are important, what exactly do they mean? To answer this question,
car insurance
super app Jerry
put together a VIN demystifying guide. Here we’ll go through everything you should know about your GMC VIN—from where you can find it to what each digit means. Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
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How to check your GMC’s VIN
Your GMC VIN, or vehicle identification number, distinguishes your GMC from other vehicles with 17 unique digits.
You will most typically find your GMC VIN inside the car in the following areas:
- The driver’s side dashboard
- The driver’s door jamb
- Under the hood in the engine compartment
You can also find it on important paperwork like:
How to decode a GMC VIN
While your GMC VIN helps the DMV identify and record information about your vehicle, there is also a lot of information encoded in each digit.
In fact, the digits used in vehicle identification numbers were standardized by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
in 1981 so that vehicle information could be organized and communicated across countries and brands. Each VIN can use all ten numerical digits (0-9), along with each letter of the alphabet except I, O, and Q. This is to prevent confusion with the letters 1, 0, and 9. So if you’re ever in doubt while reading your GMC VIN, know that the numerical digit will always be correct.
First position: country of origin
The first three digits of all VINs are known as the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) code, with the initial digit signifying the vehicle’s country of origin.
The numbers 1, 2, and 3 indicate that your GMC was manufactured in the United States, Canada, or Mexico respectively. But you may also see K for South Korea, W for Belgium or Germany, or 8 for Argentina, Chile, or Venezuela.
Positions 2-3: manufacturer information
The second digit of a GMC VIN tells you who the manufacturer of your vehicle is, which is most likely G for General Motors.
Your third digit, combined with the first two, narrows down what brand division and make your vehicle is—for example, 1GC could indicate a Chevrolet truck, while 1GK could indicate a GMC multipurpose vehicle.
Positions 4-8: vehicle-specific information
Your GMC’s vehicle-specific information is encoded in digits 4-8 of your VIN. These will indicate your GMC’s safety restraint system, model configuration, vehicle class and weight, body type, and engine type.
Position 9: the VIN check digit
All VINs utilize a “check digit” as the 9th character, which is a code randomly produced by the manufacturer to help verify the VIN’s validity. Essentially, this prevents someone from using standard codes to try to create and use a fake VIN.
Position 10: model year
Your GMC’s model year is encoded in the 10th digit of its VIN. With limited characters to use and new models being produced each year, however, VINs have naturally needed to recycle previously-used digits.
To help clarify these overlapping model year codes, here’s a guide for the past twenty years:
Code | Year |
|---|---|
1 | 2001 |
2 | 2002 |
3 | 2003 |
4 | 2004 |
5 | 2005 |
6 | 2006 |
7 | 2007 |
8 | 2008 |
9 | 2009 |
A | 2010 |
B | 1981 OR 2011 |
C | 1982 OR 2012 |
D | 1983 OR 2013 |
E | 1984 OR 2014 |
F | 1985 OR 2015 |
G | 1986 OR 2016 |
H | 1987 OR 2017 |
J | 1988 OR 2018 |
K | 1989 OR 2019 |
L | 1990 OR 2020 |
M | 1991 OR 2021 |
N | 1992 OR 2022 |
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Position 11: assembly plant
The 11th position of your GMC VIN pinpoints which plant location manufactured the vehicle.
Some common GMC plants are encoded as such:
- 1, 9—Oshawa, Ontario
- F—Flint, Michigan
- G—Silao, Mexico
- R—Arlington, Texas
- Z—Roanoke, Indiana
Positions 12-17: vehicle serial number
The final six digits in your GMC VIN make up the vehicle’s serial number. This sequence is usually determined by order of production and is specific and unique to your GMC.
How to find affordable GMC insurance
Your GMC VIN is conveniently located on your insurance card—with
Jerry
’s help, you can pay convenient prices on your premium, too. All you need to do is download the free Jerry app and enter some basic identifying information. Then Jerry will instantly track down the lowest rates for your coverage needs by cross-analyzing custom quotes from top insurance companies. The whole process takes less than a minute.
When you decide on a plan, simply select it through the app, and Jerry’s expert team of brokers will help cancel your old policy and handle all the transition calls and paperwork. The average user ends up saving $887 a year on car insurance, so it’s definitely worth a look!
“I was tired of looking around multiple websites, so I decided to giveJerrya try. Let me tell you—the process is so easy and simple, and they really find you the best prices for your coverage level. Getting insurance for my new car was quick and easy!” —Joanna D.
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