Decode Your VIN
Enter your vehicle's VIN code to discover all technical specifications. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters.
Tesla Model Y VIN Decoder
Decode any Tesla Model Y VIN free in seconds. Enter the 17-character VIN into the decoder above and get the model year, factory of origin, drive-unit configuration, restraint system, and open NHTSA recalls instantly, no sign-up required.
This page is the dedicated Model Y hub. The Model Y is Tesla’s best-selling model, and one of the best-selling vehicles in the world in any category, so it gets its own breakdown: the original design versus the 2025 “Juniper” refresh, the four Gigafactories that build it, the drive-unit codes at position 8, and where to find the VIN on the car.
About the Tesla Model Y
Tesla unveiled the Model Y in March 2019 and began deliveries on March 13, 2020, from the Fremont, California factory. Built on a shortened version of the Model 3 platform, it quickly became Tesla’s volume leader and, by the early 2020s, one of the highest-selling vehicles worldwide, not just among EVs.
There have been two design eras so far:
| Era | Years | What changed | Built at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Model Y | 2020 to early 2025 | Launch design: standard front fascia, halogen-style light bar, previous-generation interior and center console | Fremont, Shanghai, Austin (from 2022), Berlin (from 2022) |
| “Juniper” refresh | 2025 to present | Full-width light bar front and rear, new bumpers, ambient interior lighting, rear-seat display, revised suspension tuning | Fremont, Austin, Shanghai, Berlin (all four by early 2025) |
Tesla began Juniper deliveries in China on February 26, 2025, followed by handoff events at Fremont and Austin on March 8, 2025, and UK deliveries in May 2025. Tesla designates the Juniper Model Y a 2026 model year vehicle for VIN purposes even though early units shipped in 2025.
One honest caveat: unlike a platform-code VIN that spells out the generation directly, the Model Y’s VIN structure did not change with the Juniper refresh. Positions 4 through 8 use the same character set before and after the redesign, confirmed by comparing Tesla’s own VIN decoder documents filed with NHTSA for model years 2020, 2023, and 2025. The only clue is the model year character at position 10: T (2026) is unambiguously Juniper, since the old body style was gone everywhere by then, but S (2025) could be either an early Juniper build or a late original-design car, since the refresh rolled out mid-cycle rather than at a clean model-year boundary.
Tesla Model Y WMI codes (positions 1 to 3)
The World Manufacturer Identifier tells you which Gigafactory built the car:
| WMI | Country | Plant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5YJ | USA | Fremont, California | Tesla’s original plant; also used historically for Model S, 3, and X |
| 7SA | USA | Gigafactory Texas, Austin | Registered as Tesla’s “MPV” WMI, used for Model X and Model Y |
| LRW | China | Gigafactory Shanghai | Not sold new in the US, so not part of Tesla’s NHTSA self-certification filings |
| XP7 | Germany | Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg | Builds Model Y for European markets only; also outside Tesla’s US filings |
5YJ and 7SA are both registered under “TESLA, INC.” in NHTSA’s vPIC WMI database. LRW and XP7 are documented in SAE’s international WMI records and confirmed across independent VIN databases and real build sheets, but since Shanghai- and Berlin-built Model Ys are not sold new in the United States, those two WMIs will not decode through NHTSA’s vPIC lookup tool the way 5YJ and 7SA do; that is a quirk of US self-certification paperwork, not a sign of a fake VIN.
How to decode a Tesla Model Y VIN, position by position
Positions 1 to 3: WMI
Covered above. Position 1 tells you the country of assembly, not Tesla’s Austin headquarters.
Position 4: Model line
Y marks a Model Y. Real examples: 5YJYGDEE5MF072331 (Fremont), 7SAYGDEE6PA059320 (Austin), XP7YGCEL9PB159449 (Berlin). All three decode cleanly through NHTSA’s vPIC tool where the WMI is US-registered.
Position 5: Body type and GVWR
Tesla’s own filing lists G as “Class D MPV / 5 Dr / LHD,” the code reserved for Model Y. Model X uses C (Class E MPV) instead, which is how you can tell the two apart even before checking position 4.
Position 6: Restraint system
Model Y shares three restraint codes with Model X: A and B cover configurations with a third-row seatbelt pair (the optional 6- or 7-seat Model Y), while D covers the standard 5-seat layout with no third row. Every real Model Y VIN checked for this page, across all four plants, carried D.
Position 7: Fuel type
Always E for electric on every Tesla.
Position 8: Motor/drive unit
This is the most useful character for buyers. Tesla’s VIN decoder documents filed with NHTSA for model years 2020, 2023, and 2025 all list the identical Model Y mapping:
| Char | Configuration |
|---|---|
| D | Single motor, RWD (Standard, Long Range RWD, Premium RWD) |
| E | Dual motor, AWD standard output (Long Range AWD, Premium AWD) |
| F | Dual motor, AWD Performance |
That mapping has not changed once since the Model Y’s 2020 launch through the Juniper refresh. One honest gap: some non-US Shanghai-built VINs carry other position-8 characters (such as K), not documented in Tesla’s US filings and likely tied to China-only or LFP-battery variants never imported here. Treat any position-8 character outside D, E, or F as a non-US-spec car, not an error.
Position 9: Check digit
Calculated from the other 16 characters using ISO 3779’s modulo-11 weighting. Change any single character elsewhere in the VIN and the check digit stops matching, which is what every compliant decoder, DMV, and insurer relies on to catch typos and clumsy VIN swaps alike.
Position 10: Model year
Use the universal chart below; it applies to every current Tesla model.
| 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 |
I, O, and Q are never used, since they read too much like 1 and 0.
Position 11: Assembly plant
| Char | Plant |
|---|---|
| F | Fremont, California |
| A | Austin, Texas (Gigafactory Texas) |
| C | Shanghai, China (Gigafactory Shanghai) |
| B | Berlin-Brandenburg, Germany (Gigafactory Berlin) |
F and A come directly from Tesla’s NHTSA filings. C and B are confirmed through real Berlin- and Shanghai-built VINs (XP7YGCEL9PB159449, LRWYGCEK8MC0...) cross-checked against independent VIN databases, since those plants fall outside the US filing.
Positions 12 to 17: Serial number
The production sequence for that specific car. Enthusiasts often use this range to estimate roughly where in a plant’s production run a given Model Y was built, since Tesla publishes cumulative delivery figures.
Model Y trims by drive-unit configuration
Original design (2020 to early 2025): Standard Range RWD (briefly offered, then withdrawn), Long Range RWD (China and select export markets), Long Range AWD, Performance AWD.
Juniper refresh (2025 to present): Standard RWD, Standard AWD, Premium RWD, Premium AWD, Performance AWD. Premium RWD currently offers the longest EPA range in the lineup at roughly 357 miles; Performance targets a 0 to 60 mph time near 3.3 seconds.
Trim names sit on top of the position-8 drive-unit code rather than replacing it; decoding the VIN confirms drivetrain and motor configuration even when a listing’s trim name is wrong or missing.
Where to find the VIN on a Tesla Model Y
Per Tesla’s own VIN-location diagrams filed with NHTSA:
- Driver’s side windshield, lower corner, visible from outside the car
- Right-hand B-pillar, behind the door seal
- Driver’s side lower B-pillar, visible when the door is open
- Tesla mobile app, under vehicle details
- Vehicle title, registration, and the Tesla account portal at tesla.com
Tesla Model Y recalls and safety
Tesla resolves an unusually large share of its recalls with an over-the-air software push rather than a service visit, and the Model Y has been part of several:
- December 2023: NHTSA campaign 23V838 covered roughly two million Tesla vehicles, Model Y included, for Autopilot driver-engagement monitoring, remedied entirely by OTA update.
- 2024: A seat belt chime software defect on 2020 to 2023 Model Y vehicles, fixed via OTA update (NHTSA 24V-376).
- 2024 to 2025: A rearview camera circuit board issue on certain Model Y vehicles, addressed with an OTA fix; owner letters went out February 2025.
- 2024: NHTSA campaign 24V554 covered a front hood latch defect on 2020 to 2024 Model Y vehicles, requiring a physical service visit.
- 2025: A seat assembly fastener recall required Service Center inspection and tightening or replacement.
- 2026: New Model Y (Juniper) vehicles recalled for a windshield washer hose connector that could block fluid from reaching the nozzles.
To check a specific car:
- Decode the VIN above to confirm model year and plant
- Enter the VIN at Tesla’s VIN Recall Search or NHTSA’s recall database
- Note whether the remedy is a software push or a service visit before assuming you need an appointment
Recalls are repaired free regardless of age, mileage, or ownership history.
Frequently asked questions
How do I decode my Tesla Model Y VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN from the windshield, B-pillar, or Tesla app into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in seconds and include model year, plant, drive-unit configuration, and open recalls.
Where is the VIN on a Model Y?
The lower-left corner of the windshield and the driver’s side B-pillar are the two required label locations. The Tesla app shows the same VIN under vehicle details without leaving the driveway.
How can I tell if my Model Y VIN is the original design or the Juniper refresh?
Check position 10. A T (2026) is always Juniper. An S (2025) is ambiguous, since the refresh rolled out mid-model-year starting in February and March 2025; combine the VIN with the serial-number range or the visible bumper design to be sure.
What does the drive-unit code at position 8 tell me?
D means single motor RWD, E means dual motor AWD at standard output, and F means dual motor Performance AWD. This mapping has been unchanged on the Model Y since its 2020 launch, confirmed against Tesla’s own NHTSA filings for 2020, 2023, and 2025.
Is the Tesla Model Y VIN decoder free?
Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Tesla Model Y VIN free with no sign-up. A full vehicle history report (accidents, odometer history, ownership records) is available as an optional paid upgrade.
Can a Tesla Model Y VIN be faked?
The characters can be retyped on a fake plate, but the check digit at position 9 catches nearly all single-character tampering through math alone. If you suspect a cloned VIN, see how to check if a car is stolen by VIN for the next steps.
Decode any Tesla Model Y VIN free
Type your 17-character Model Y VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. For more on VIN structure and the Tesla lineup:
- Tesla VIN decoder hub for the brand-wide guide
- 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
