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

About Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is the world’s oldest car brand, descending directly from the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen and the parallel 1886 Daimler Reitwagen, the two vehicles widely credited as the first automobiles. The Daimler-Benz merger in 1926 created today’s company. Iconic models include the 300SL Gullwing (1954), the W123 (1976) — the most reliable car ever measured by certain longevity surveys — and the 1991 S-Class W140, which set the modern luxury-sedan template.

Mercedes-Benz Cars assembles its premium lineup at Sindelfingen (S-Class, EQS, AMG GT), Bremen (C-Class, EQE SUV, GLC), Rastatt (A-Class, GLA), and globally at Tuscaloosa AL (GLE, GLS, GLE Coupe, EQE / EQS SUVs for North America), East London South Africa (C-Class), Kecskemét Hungary (CLA, EQA), and Beijing (long-wheelbase E-Class and EQE for China). The standard Mercedes-Benz WMI is WDB (pre-2017) and WDD / W1K (current passenger car).

Mercedes-Benz 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 Mercedes-Benz vehicles:

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

Every Mercedes-Benz 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 Mercedes-Benz:

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 Mercedes-Benz is headquartered. A Mercedes-Benz assembled outside Germany (Sindelfingen, Bremen) carries the country code of the assembly plant.

Positions 4–8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

Mercedes-Benz VDS positions encode the chassis code (W205 / W206 = C-Class, W213 / W214 = E-Class, W222 / W223 = S-Class, W167 = GLE), body style (sedan, T-Modell wagon, coupé, cabriolet, SUV), engine family (M256 inline-six, M177 4.0 V8 biturbo, M139 2.0 four-cylinder, OM654 / OM656 diesel), and AMG variant if applicable.

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 Mercedes-Benz 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 Mercedes-Benz — 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. Common Mercedes plant codes: A = Sindelfingen, F = Bremen, J = Rastatt, M = Magyarország/Kecskemét (Hungary), S = Tuscaloosa, AL, K = Beijing.

Positions 12–17: Serial number

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

Where to find the VIN on a Mercedes-Benz

You can find your Mercedes-Benz 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 (Mercedes data card with paint, interior, equipment codes)
• Stamped on the engine bay strut tower (right side)
• Etched on glass and headlamp housings (anti-theft)
• Vehicle title, registration, Mercedes me / Mercedes-Benz service portal

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

Check Mercedes-Benz recalls and safety information

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

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

Type the 17-character VIN from your Mercedes-Benz’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 Mercedes-Benz?

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 Mercedes-Benz sold in North America and the EU.

Is the Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder free?

Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Mercedes-Benz 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 Mercedes-Benz?

A VIN decode confirms the original factory configuration of your Mercedes-Benz: 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 Mercedes-Benz 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. Mercedes-Benz 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 Mercedes-Benz VIN free

Type your 17-character Mercedes-Benz 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