Decode any BYD VIN free in seconds. Enter the 17-character vehicle identification number from your BYD into the decoder above and get the model, year, engine family, trim, factory options, plant code, and recall status — instantly, with no sign-up and no credit card.

This page is the BYD VIN hub. Below you’ll find BYD-specific WMI codes, the brand’s plant codes, a position-by-position guide to reading a BYD VIN, where to find the VIN on your BYD, and direct links to the BYD VIN decoders for individual models.

About BYD

BYD (Build Your Dreams) started life in 1995 as a rechargeable-battery manufacturer in Shenzhen, China, and entered the auto industry in 2003 by acquiring Tsinchuan Automobile. The company has since become the world’s largest manufacturer of new-energy vehicles, including battery electric and plug-in hybrid passenger cars, and a major supplier of EV batteries to other automakers.

BYD’s passenger lineup includes the Han (sedan), Tang and Song (SUVs), Atto 3 / Yuan Plus (compact crossover), and the Dolphin and Seal series. Every Chinese-built BYD VIN starts with L. The company also operates assembly outside China — notably in Thailand (Rayong) and Brazil (Bahia, opening 2025) — and is establishing European operations in Hungary.

BYD WMI codes (positions 1–3)

The first three characters of your VIN — the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) — tell you who built the vehicle and where. The WMI is assigned by SAE International on behalf of ISO. Here are the WMIs you’ll encounter on BYD vehicles:

If your BYD VIN begins with any of the codes above, it’s a genuine BYD. A BYD VIN starting with an unlisted WMI may indicate a rebadge, a regional partner build, or a counterfeit — decode the full VIN with the tool above to confirm.

How to read a BYD VIN — position by position

Every BYD VIN built since 2003 uses the ISO 3779 17-character standard. The 17 characters split into three blocks:

Here is what each position means specifically on a BYD:

Positions 1–3: World Manufacturer Identifier

See the WMI table above. The country code at position 1 tells you where the vehicle was assembled — not where BYD is headquartered. A BYD assembled outside China (Shenzhen, Xi’an) carries the country code of the assembly plant.

Positions 4–8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

BYD VDS encodes the model platform (e-Platform 3.0 vs Super DM-i), body style, battery configuration (Blade LFP vs NCM), and trim grade. Position 8 commonly identifies the powertrain — pure BEV vs DM-i plug-in hybrid.

Position 9: Check digit

The check digit is the most important single character in any VIN. It is calculated from the other 16 characters using a fixed weighting table and modulo-11 math. If even one character of a BYD VIN is mistyped, the check digit will not match — and any compliant decoder, DMV, or insurance system will flag the VIN as invalid.

Position 10: Model year

The 10th character maps to a model year on a 30-year cycle. Skim the chart below to translate yours:

The letters I, O, and Q are never used in any VIN — including BYD — because they look too similar to the digits 1 and 0.

Position 11: Assembly plant

The single character at position 11 identifies the specific factory. A = Xi’an, B = Shenzhen (Pingshan), H = Hefei, T = Rayong (Thailand).

Positions 12–17: Serial number

The final six characters are the production sequence number stamped on your specific BYD as it rolled off the line. Combined with the previous 11 characters, this makes every BYD VIN globally unique.

Where to find the VIN on a BYD

You can find your BYD VIN in several places. The lower-left windshield and the door jamb are the easiest to read; the others are useful when one of those labels has been damaged or replaced.

• Lower-left windshield (visible from outside)
• Driver’s side door jamb sticker
• Stamped on the engine bay firewall (BEVs: under the front trunk liner)
• Vehicle registration certificate and battery passport

If your BYD is older and built before 2003, the chassis number is shorter than 17 characters and follows a BYD-specific format. For pre-2003 vehicles, use our classic car VIN decoder guide.

Check BYD recalls and safety information

Open and historic recalls on BYD vehicles are tracked by national transport authorities. The fastest way to check a specific BYD:

1. Decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the model and model year
2. Cross-reference the 17-character VIN with the SAMR (China) and local-market authorities
3. Review any open safety actions and contact your nearest BYD authorised service centre for free repair

Recalls are repaired free of charge by the manufacturer regardless of vehicle age or ownership history.

Frequently asked questions

How do I decode my BYD VIN?

Type the 17-character VIN from your BYD’s windshield, driver-side door jamb, or vehicle title into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in seconds and include make, model, model year, body style, engine family, transmission, plant of origin, and open NHTSA recalls. No registration is required.

Where is the VIN on my BYD?

The two easiest spots are the lower-left corner of the windshield (visible from outside the car) and the driver-side door jamb sticker. Both locations are required by federal labelling regulation on every road-going BYD sold in North America and the EU.

Is the BYD VIN decoder free?

Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every BYD VIN free of charge with no sign-up or credit card. Full vehicle history reports — including ownership records, accident history, and odometer history — are available as an optional paid upgrade.

What does the VIN tell me about my BYD?

A VIN decode confirms the original factory configuration of your BYD: model, year, body style, engine, transmission, trim level, factory options, country and plant of origin, and any recall actions issued against that VIN. It does not record colour (which is on the build sheet), current mileage, accident history, or ownership chain — for those, you need a paid vehicle history report.

Can a BYD VIN be faked?

The 17 characters themselves can be retyped, but the check digit at position 9 makes silent tampering nearly impossible — any single-character change breaks the math. BYD VIN plates are tamper-resistant by federal standard. If you suspect a cloned VIN, our guide how to check if a car is stolen by VIN walks through the next steps.

Decode any BYD VIN free

Type your 17-character BYD VIN into the decoder at the top of this page and get a full breakdown instantly. To learn more about VIN structure in general, see our guides:

• How to read a VIN number
• What every character in a VIN means
• Classic car VIN decoder (pre-1981)
• VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report