Decode Your VIN
Enter your vehicle's VIN code to discover all technical specifications. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters.
Tesla Model S VIN Decoder
Decode any Tesla Model S VIN free in seconds. Enter the 17-character number into the decoder above for the exact model year, battery and drive configuration, plant of origin, and open recall status, including OTA software recalls, with no sign-up and no credit card.
This page is the dedicated Model S hub, more detailed than the general Tesla VIN guide. Below: the three eras the Model S went through, real WMI and plant codes verified against NHTSA’s VIN database, an honest look at how the drive-unit code maps in position 8, and where to check recalls now that the model is out of production.
About the Tesla Model S
The Model S is the car that made Tesla a real automaker. Tesla’s first product, the 2008 Roadster, was built on a modified Lotus Elise chassis. The Model S, which began customer deliveries on June 22, 2012, was Tesla’s first vehicle engineered from the ground up as an EV, and it proved a mass-market electric sedan could out-perform gas luxury cars rather than just approximate them. It was built exclusively at Tesla’s Fremont, California factory for its entire run; never at Gigafactory Shanghai, Berlin, or Texas.
The Model S went through three distinct eras before Tesla ended the model in 2026:
| Era | Years | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Original | 2012-2016 | Launch design with a glossy black “nose cone” styled to look like a grille, despite having no engine to cool. Motor lineup grew from single-motor RWD (40, 60, 85, P85) to dual-motor AWD “D” variants starting in 2014 (60D, 85D, P85D) |
| Facelift | 2016-2021 | Restyled front dropped the fake grille for a smooth, body-color nose, matching the Model X. Badges kept expanding (90D, 100D, P100D Ludicrous) until a 2019 simplification renamed them Standard Range, Long Range, and Performance |
| Plaid redesign | 2021-2026 | Interior overhaul: horizontal touchscreen, redesigned console, optional yoke steering wheel. Added the tri-motor Plaid variant; the range-topping Plaid+ was announced, then cancelled in June 2021 days before launch |
| Discontinued | 2026 | Tesla ended Model S production; see below |
Model S production has ended: what that means for VIN lookups
Tesla built its last Model S at Fremont in early May 2026, closing out a nearly 14-year run, and capped it with a limited 250-unit Signature Edition. On the Q4 2025 earnings call, Elon Musk said it was “time to basically bring the Model S and X programs to an end with an honorable discharge,” and Tesla is converting part of the Fremont line to Optimus robot production.
This is a recent end of production, not ancient history. Hundreds of thousands of Model S cars remain on the road, and every one still needs VIN decoding for registration, resale, insurance, and recall checks. Nothing about the decode changes because the model is discontinued: the VIN was assigned at the factory and stays fixed for the life of the car. The only real difference is that no new model years get added to the position-10 cycle going forward.
Tesla Model S WMI codes (positions 1-3)
Every genuine Model S carries one code at the start of the VIN, confirmed by decoding real Model S VINs from 2012 through 2023 against NHTSA’s vPIC database:
| WMI | Country of build | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5YJ | USA | Tesla, Inc., Fremont, CA. The only WMI ever used on a Model S |
Unlike the Model 3 and Model Y, also built in Shanghai and Berlin (WMIs LRW and XP7) and Austin (WMI 7SA), the Model S was never built outside Fremont. A VIN claiming to be a Model S with any other WMI is an error or a fraud; decode it above to confirm.
How to decode a Tesla Model S VIN, position by position
Positions 1-3: World Manufacturer Identifier
Always 5YJ on a real Model S (see table above): Tesla, Inc., built in the USA at Fremont, the only plant that ever built one.
Position 4: Model line
Always S on a Model S, distinguishing it from 3 (Model 3), X (Model X), Y (Model Y), and C (Cybertruck) in Tesla’s VDS.
Positions 5-6: Body and restraint system
On every Model S VIN decoded for this guide, from a 2012 Founder Edition through a 2023 Plaid, positions 5-6 read A1: the single body style (5-door hatchback/liftback) and restraint configuration Tesla used for the entire run.
Positions 7-8: Battery and drive-unit code
This is where the Model S gets genuinely messy to document, and it’s worth being straightforward about that. Unlike model year or plant code, Tesla has never published an official character-to-configuration key for positions 7-8, and NHTSA’s own vPIC decoder often returns blank or contradictory results (one confirmed dual-motor P85D VIN decoded here had EVDriveUnit say “Dual Motor” while DriveType said “RWD/Rear-Wheel Drive”).
Decoding real, checksum-valid Model S VINs against known configurations does show a consistent pattern for position 8:
| Position 8 | Configuration observed | Example VIN | Model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Single motor, RWD | 5YJSA1E19HF196739 (75 RWD) | 2017 |
| 2 | Dual motor, AWD | 5YJSA1E25GF150543 (75D) | 2016 |
| 5 | Dual motor, AWD Long Range | 5YJSA1E59NF470407 | 2022 |
| 6 | Tri-motor Plaid | 5YJSA1E60PF522860 (Plaid) | 2023 |
Treat this as a useful pattern, not a guarantee: position 7 shifts by battery pack and trim, and Tesla has reused characters across the three eras. Cross-check anything purchase-critical against the window sticker or Tesla account.
Position 9: Check digit
Calculated from the other 16 characters using the federal modulo-11 formula required on every VIN sold in the US since 1981. Change one character elsewhere in the VIN and the check digit stops matching, which is how DMVs, insurers, and this decoder catch a mistyped or altered VIN.
Position 10: Model year
The 10th character maps to model year on the standard 30-year cycle used across the entire auto industry, not just Tesla:
| Char | Year | Char | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| R | 2024 | F | 2015 |
| S | 2025 | E | 2014 |
| T | 2026 | D | 2013 |
| V | 2027 | C | 2012 |
| W | 2028 | B | 2011 |
| X | 2029 | A | 2010 |
| Y | 2030 | 9 | 2009 |
| 1 | 2031 | 8 | 2008 |
| 2 | 2032 | 7 | 2007 |
| 3 | 2033 | 6 | 2006 |
The Model S only ever used characters C (2012) through T (2026), its full production span. Letters I, O, and Q are skipped industry-wide as easy to misread as 1 and 0.
Position 11: Assembly plant
| Char | Plant |
|---|---|
| F | Fremont, California |
Every Model S VIN decoded for this guide, spanning 2012 through 2023, shows F at position 11. Other Tesla plant codes (A Austin, B Berlin, C Shanghai) exist for the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck, but never on a real Model S.
Positions 12-17: Serial number
The production sequence number for that car. Combined with the previous 11 characters, it makes every Model S VIN unique. Enthusiasts use serial ranges alongside Tesla’s production figures to estimate roughly when a car was built.
Model S trim levels by era
The VIN won’t spell out a trim name, but combined with the position 7-8 pattern above, here’s how Model S trims map to each era:
- Original (2012-2016): 40, 60, 60D, 70, 70D, 85, 85D, P85, P85D, P90D, 90D. “D” meant dual-motor AWD; the number was battery capacity in kWh
- Facelift (2016-2021): kWh badges continued (90D, 100D, P100D Ludicrous) through mid-2019, then renamed Standard Range, Long Range, and Performance
- Plaid redesign (2021-2026): Long Range (dual-motor AWD) and Plaid (tri-motor AWD, 1,000+ hp); Plaid+ was cancelled before production
Where to find the VIN on a Tesla Model S
- Lower-left corner of the windshield, visible from outside the car
- Driver’s side door jamb sticker
- Tesla mobile app, under vehicle details (works even for cars no longer under warranty)
- Vehicle title, registration, and the account portal at tesla.com
Tesla Model S recalls and safety
Tesla resolves many recalls with an over-the-air (OTA) software update pushed directly to the car rather than a service visit, and NHTSA now tags these separately. Notable Model S recalls:
- Takata airbag inflators (2012-2016): industry-wide Takata recall, phased in by NHTSA from 2017 to 2019
- MCU touchscreen failure (2012-2018, ~135,000 vehicles, 2021): the eMMC memory chip wore out, killing the rearview camera, defroster, and turn-signal chimes; Tesla replaced the daughterboard free
- Front suspension fore link (2015-2017, built January-May 2016): possible fore-link failure
- Power steering assist loss (2017-2021, ~40,000 vehicles): software fix for sudden loss of assist
- Seat belt pretensioner anchor (2021-2023, ~15,900 vehicles, 2023): front seat belts could detach if a prior repair was done incorrectly
- Autosteer misuse (2012-2023, part of a broader 2-million-vehicle 2023 action): OTA update added driver-attention alerts
To check your own car: decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the exact model year and configuration, then enter it into Tesla’s official VIN Recall Search (service.tesla.com) or NHTSA’s recall database, and note whether the fix is an OTA push or needs a service visit.
Recall repairs are free regardless of the car’s age, mileage, or ownership history, and that doesn’t change now that Model S is out of production.
Frequently asked questions
How do I decode my Tesla Model S VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN from the windshield, door jamb, or Tesla app into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in seconds and include model year, battery and drive configuration, plant of origin, and open NHTSA recalls.
Where is the VIN on a Tesla Model S?
The lower-left corner of the windshield (visible from outside the car) and the driver-side door jamb sticker are the fastest spots to check. The Tesla app also shows it under vehicle details.
Is the Tesla Model S still being built?
No. Tesla built its last Model S at Fremont in early May 2026, ending nearly 14 years of production. Existing cars remain fully supported for parts, service, software updates, and recalls; only new production has stopped.
What does a Tesla Model S VIN starting with 5YJS mean?
5YJ is the WMI for Tesla’s Fremont factory, and S at position 4 marks it as a Model S. Since the Model S was built exclusively at Fremont, every genuine Model S VIN starts with 5YJS.
Can a Tesla Model S VIN tell me if it’s a Plaid or Long Range?
Partially. Real Model S VINs show a consistent pattern where position 8 reads 6 on Plaid tri-motor cars and 5 on dual-motor Long Range cars from the same era, but Tesla has never published this as an official table, and character meanings shift across eras. Use the decoder above, and confirm against the window sticker for anything purchase-critical.
Can a Tesla Model S VIN be faked?
The characters can be retyped on a fraudulent title, but the check digit at position 9 catches almost any single-character change through modulo-11 math. 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 Tesla Model S VIN free
Type your 17-character Model S VIN into the decoder above for a full breakdown. For more on VIN structure:
- Tesla VIN decoder hub for the brand-wide guide covering Model 3, X, Y, and Cybertruck
- How to read a VIN number
- What every character in a VIN means
- VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report
- How the VIN check digit works for verifying a VIN was not mistyped or altered
- VIN formats by country and manufacturer for what the first three characters tell you
