# Porsche VIN specification

The ISO standard vehicle identification number (VIN) was introduced for the Porsche model year 1981.

## Decoding

VINs consist of 17 characters and for Porsche can be decoded as follows:-
| Position | Explanation | North America notes |
| 1 | W = German based manufacturer. | W = German based manufacturer. |
| 2 | P = Porsche. | P = Porsche. |
| 3 | 0 (zero) = Passenger car (applies to all except Cayenne and Macan) or 1 = SUV (applies to Cayenne and Macan). | 0 (zero) = Passenger car (applies to all except Cayenne and Macan) or 1 = SUV (applies to Cayenne and Macan). |
| 4 | for RoW = Z (filler) | chassis. |
| 5 | for RoW = Z (filler) | engine(0 = none, 2 = at least 2). |
| 6 | for RoW = Z (filler) | restraint system. |
| 7 | First character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). | First character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). |
| 8 | Second character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). | Second character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). |
| 9 | For RoW = 0-9,X,Z (filler) | Calculated checkdigit. |
| 10 | Year code. | Year code. |
| 11 | Factory code. | Factory code. |
| 12 | Third character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). | Third character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). |
| 13 | Body configuration code or leading digit of serial number. | Body configuration code or leading digit of serial number. |
| 14 | First digit of serial number. | First digit of serial number. |
| 15 | Second digit of serial number. | Second digit of serial number. |
| 16 | Third digit of serial number. | Third digit of serial number. |
| 17 | Fourth digit of serial number. | Fourth digit of serial number. |

## Vehicle Specification for USA etc (positions 4, 5 and 6)

VIN has been implemented differently in two regions, they consist of the following countries:-
USA etc. = USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Switzerland.
RoW = Rest of world. (i.e. everywhere except USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Switzerland.)
Vehicle Specification for "USA etc" is a 3 character code giving details of the body type, engine, seatbelts and airbags fitted.
(More info needed.)

## Examples of model type codes (positions 7, 8 and 12)

On 2010+ North America market vehicles, the first digit will be 'A' instead of '9'
* Cayenne = 9PA then 92A
* Panamera = 970
* Boxster = 986, 987, 981, A82, 982
* Cayman = 987, 981, A82, 982
* Carrera GT = 980
* 911 = 901, 930, 964, 993, 996, 997, 991, 992
* 924 = 924
* 924 Turbo = 931
* 924 Carrera GT/GTS/GTR = 937
* 928 = 928
* 944 = 944
* 944 Turbo = 951
* 959 = 959
* 968 = 968
* Taycan = Y1A (sedan), Y1B (cross turismo and sport turismo)

## Year codes (position 10)

More properly described as 'Model year'. While the code may indicate a particular year it may well be the 'model year' which could be the subsequent year, for instance a 1994 registered vehicle may well be a model year 1995 on the VIN/chassis number.
| Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
| | | L | 1990 | Y | 2000 | A | 2010 | L | 2020 |
| B | 1981 | M | 1991 | 1 | 2001 | B | 2011 | M | 2021 |
| C | 1982 | N | 1992 | 2 | 2002 | C | 2012 | N | 2022 |
| D | 1983 | P | 1993 | 3 | 2003 | D | 2013 | P | 2023 |
| E | 1984 | R | 1994 | 4 | 2004 | E | 2014 | R | 2024 |
| F | 1985 | S | 1995 | 5 | 2005 | F | 2015 | S | 2025 |
| G | 1986 | T | 1996 | 6 | 2006 | G | 2016 | T | 2026 |
| H | 1987 | V | 1997 | 7 | 2007 | H | 2017 | V | 2027 |
| J | 1988 | W | 1998 | 8 | 2008 | J | 2018 | W | 2028 |
| K | 1989 | X | 1999 | 9 | 2009 | K | 2019 | X | 2029 |

## Factory codes (position 11)

| Code | Factory | Notes | Models produced |
| S | (Stuttgart) Zuffenhausen - Germany | Includes occasional production from Weissach. | All 911s. Minority of 986 Boxsters, 987 Boxster/Cayman and 981 Boxster. 549 of the 1991 944s, as well as all 924 Carrera GTS/GTR. Majority of 968s. All Taycans. |
| N | Neckarsulm - Germany. | Audi factory | Majority of 924 and 944s. Minority of 1992 968s. |
| L | Leipzig - Germany. | | All Cayenne, Panamera and Carrera GT. |
| U | Uusikaupunki - Finland. | Valmet Automotive factory. | Majority of 986 Boxsters and 987 Boxster/Cayman. |
| K | Osnabrück - Germany. | VW factory, ex-Karmann, hence the "K" | All 981 Caymans. Majority of 981 Boxsters. |
| D | Bratislava - Slovakia. | VW factory | Cayennes |

## Model Configuration Code (position 13)

A leading "0" usually means standard coupé, for the RoW markets. For the 944 and 968, US cars are usually identified by a leading "5". 944 convertibles have a leading "3" (RoW) or "8" (US). Sometimes this model code extends into the 14th digit, such as for the 968 CS which had chassis numbers beginning with "15".

## Examples

WP0ZZZ94ZFN40**** a 944.
WP0ZZZ98Z7U770439**** a Cayman
WP0ZZZ92ZGN40**** a 924S.
WP1ZZZ9PZ8LA7**** a Cayenne.
WP0ZZZ96ZRS81**** a 968.
WP0ZZZ99Z5S73**** a 911.
WP0ZZZ97ZAL08**** a Panamera.
WP0ZZZ98Z4L00**** a Carrera GT.
WP0ZZZ98Z8U72**** a Boxster S.
WP0ZZZ99Z5S76**** a 911 C2S Convertible.
WP0ZZZ99Z2S64**** a 911 C4 convertible.
WP1AF2A51FLB9**** a Macan Turbo
WPOZZZ95ZJS90**** a 959
WP1ZZZ9YZLDA3**** a Cayenne E-hybrid
WP0ZZZ99ZKS12**** a Targa 4 GTS
WP0AA2Y18NSA1**** a 2022 Taycan sedan, RWD, for North America