Decode any Hyundai VIN free in seconds. Enter the 17-character vehicle identification number from your Hyundai 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 Hyundai VIN hub. Below you’ll find Hyundai-specific WMI codes, the brand’s plant codes, a position-by-position guide to reading a Hyundai VIN, where to find the VIN on your Hyundai, and direct links to the Hyundai VIN decoders for individual models.

About Hyundai

Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967 in Seoul as part of the Hyundai Group conglomerate. The first Hyundai car — the Ford Cortina, built under licence — gave way in 1975 to the Pony, Korea’s first mass-produced car. Today Hyundai is the world’s third-largest carmaker by volume (Hyundai Motor Group, including Kia and Genesis), and the largest single carmaker exporter from Korea.

Hyundai’s modern lineup is broad: Elantra and Sonata sedans, Tucson and Santa Fe SUVs, the three-row Palisade, the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 electric models on the dedicated E-GMP platform, and the Kona compact crossover (now in both ICE and EV form). US-built Hyundais (Montgomery, AL) start with 5NM or 5NP; the new Metaplant in Georgia (HMGMA) builds the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 with WMI sequences beginning KMU for global markets. Korean-built models start with KMH (passenger) or KM8 (SUV).

Hyundai 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 Hyundai vehicles:

If your Hyundai VIN begins with any of the codes above, it’s a genuine Hyundai. A Hyundai 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 Hyundai VIN — position by position

Every Hyundai VIN built since 1981 uses the ISO 3779 17-character standard. The 17 characters split into three blocks:

Here is what each position means specifically on a Hyundai:

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 Hyundai is headquartered. A Hyundai assembled outside South Korea (Ulsan, Asan) carries the country code of the assembly plant.

Positions 4–8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

Hyundai VDS encodes the platform code (N3 = current Tucson, MX5 = current Santa Fe, CN7 = current Elantra), body style, restraint package, transmission, and engine. Position 8 typically identifies the engine: H = 2.5 Smartstream, J = 2.5T-GDI, K = 1.6T Smartstream, M = 2.0 BEV motor (Ioniq 5).

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 Hyundai 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 Hyundai — 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. U = Ulsan, KR; M = Montgomery, AL; N = Nošovice, CZ; C = Chennai, IN.

Positions 12–17: Serial number

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

Where to find the VIN on a Hyundai

You can find your Hyundai 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 corner of the windshield, visible from outside
• Driver’s side door jamb sticker
• Stamped on engine block (top of block on Smartstream four-cylinders)
• Vehicle title, registration, MyHyundai app

If your Hyundai is older and built before 1981, the chassis number is shorter than 17 characters and follows a Hyundai-specific format. For pre-1981 vehicles, use our classic car VIN decoder guide.

Check Hyundai recalls and safety information

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

1. Decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the model and model year
2. Cross-reference the 17-character VIN with the Hyundai US recall lookup and NHTSA
3. Review any open safety actions and contact your nearest Hyundai 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 Hyundai VIN?

Type the 17-character VIN from your Hyundai’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 Hyundai?

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 Hyundai sold in North America and the EU.

Is the Hyundai VIN decoder free?

Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Hyundai 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 Hyundai?

A VIN decode confirms the original factory configuration of your Hyundai: 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 Hyundai 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. Hyundai 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 Hyundai VIN free

Type your 17-character Hyundai 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