At a glance
- Brands covered
- Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac
- Where the brand shows
- Position 3: 1GC is a Chevy truck, 1GT a GMC truck
- Engine in the result
- GM RPO code, such as L84, L87 or LK0
- GM's VIN rules
- One book per model, rewritten every model year
On this page
How a GM VIN tells you the brand
This GM VIN decoder reads all four current General Motors brands, because GM files one VIN standard for all of them. Position 1 is the region of build, position 2 is the manufacturer and position 3 the brand and type. Typical starts from GM's 2027 standard:
| Starts with | Brand and type | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1G1 | Chevrolet car, USA | Corvette |
| 1GC | Chevrolet truck, USA | Silverado, Colorado |
| 1GN | Chevrolet MPV, USA | Tahoe, Traverse |
| 3GN | Chevrolet MPV, Mexico | Equinox |
| KL7 | Chevrolet MPV, South Korea | Trax, Trailblazer |
| 1GT | GMC truck, USA | Sierra, Canyon |
| 1GK | GMC MPV, USA | Yukon, Acadia |
| 5GA | Buick MPV, USA | Enclave |
| KL4 | Buick MPV, South Korea | Encore GX, Envista |
| LRB | Buick MPV, China | Envision |
| 1GY | Cadillac MPV, USA | Escalade, Lyriq, Vistiq |
| 1G6 | Cadillac car, USA | Celestiq, CT4, CT5 |
How to read a GM VIN, all 17 positions
Here is a real 2027 Chevrolet Traverse, read with GM's 2027 Traverse page (Rev 4.0, effective September 25, 2026). Every GM model has its own page with its own letters for positions 4 to 8 and 11.
| Position | GM meaning | 1GNERGKS2VJ156097 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Region of build | 1: United States |
| 2 | Manufacturer | G: General Motors |
| 3 | Brand and type | N: Chevrolet MPV |
| 4 | GVWR class, brakes, body style | E: Class E (6,001 to 7,000 lb), hydraulic, body style 56 |
| 5 | Chassis | R: Traverse FWD (V is AWD) |
| 6 | Series | G: LT, so RG is a Traverse LT FWD |
| 7 | Restraint system | K: ASD package |
| 8 | Engine with its RPO code | S: LK0, 2.5L turbo four-cylinder |
| 9 | Check digit | 2 |
| 10 | Model year | V: 2027 |
| 11 | Plant | J: Lansing Delta Township, Michigan |
| 12 | Sequence, 1st | 1 |
| 13 | Sequence, 2nd | 5 |
| 14 | Sequence, 3rd | 6 |
| 15 | Sequence, 4th | 0 |
| 16 | Sequence, 5th | 9 |
| 17 | Sequence, 6th | 7 |
Other 2027 Traverse series codes: RK High Country FWD, RL RS FWD, VG LT AWD, VJ Z71 AWD, VK High Country AWD, VL RS AWD.
What the GM decoder returns for that Traverse
NHTSA's vPIC database answers with these fields, among others:
| Field | vPIC value |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 2027 Chevrolet Traverse LT |
| Body and drive | SUV, front-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.5L four-cylinder turbo (LK0), gasoline |
| Plant | Lansing Delta Township, Michigan |
| GVWR | Class 2E: 6,001 to 7,000 lb |
| Restraints | ASD, with first-row front and side airbags and roof-side airbags |
| Listed as standard | ABS, electronic stability control, traction control |
Can a GM VIN decoder show the build sheet?
Not the full one. GM's VIN standard pairs each engine's RPO code with a VIN character, so the decode can name the engine (L84, L87, LK0) and the restraint package (AY0, ASD). The rest of a vehicle's RPO codes, the list people mean by "build sheet", is not in the VIN. That list is on the window sticker and in GM's own records for the vehicle.
For recent model years, the GM window sticker lookup pulls the original sticker from GM.
GM plant codes: why position 1 matters
GM defines plant letters per model and reads them with position 1. On a 2026 Silverado or Sierra, 1 with Z is Fort Wayne, 2 with 1 is Oshawa and 3 with G is Silao. On the 2027 Cadillac pages, U is the Artisan Center for the Celestiq but Factory Zero for the Escalade IQ. Common 2027 codes:
- J: Lansing Delta Township, Michigan (Traverse, Enclave, Acadia).
- R: Arlington, Texas (Tahoe, Yukon, Escalade).
- 5: Bowling Green, Kentucky (Corvette).
- 1: Wentzville, Missouri (Colorado, Canyon).
- L: San Luis Potosi, Mexico (Equinox, Terrain).
- B: Bupyeong, South Korea (Trailblazer, Encore GX, Envista); C: Changwon (Trax).
Decoding a Chevrolet, GMC, Buick or Cadillac VIN
Each brand page goes deeper into its own models:
- Chevrolet VIN decoder: Silverado, Corvette and Camaro charts, and how GM reuses series codes from year to year.
- GMC VIN decoder: Sierra and Yukon codes, and how GMC's chassis letters differ from Chevrolet's.
- Buick VIN decoder: Korean and Chinese-built Buicks, which start with K or L.
- Cadillac VIN decoder: Escalade, ESV and the electric models.
Where is the VIN on a GM vehicle?
On every GM car, SUV and light truck up to 10,000 lb GVWR, the VIN is visible through the windshield at the driver's side corner of the dash (49 CFR 565.13). It is repeated on the certification label at the driver's door, which also gives the month of manufacture, and on the title and registration. Heavy-duty trucks and vans above 10,000 lb GVWR may skip the windshield plate, so use the door label.