At a glance
- GMC WMIs in vPIC
- 21, including 1GT trucks and 1GK SUVs
- Sierra 1500 4WD trims (2026)
- UA PRO through UJ Elevation-L
- Yukon plant code
- R = Arlington, Texas
- Position 3 tells the type
- T truck, K SUV, D incomplete, J bus
On this page
How to read a GMC VIN, character by character
GMC VINs come from the same General Motors standard as Chevrolets, with GMC's own brand letter in position 3 and its own chassis letters in position 5. This chart decodes a 2026 Sierra 1500 AT4 with GM's 2026 tables.
| Pos. | What GMC uses it for | Sierra AT4: 1GTUUEEL2TZ296645 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Region: 1 USA, 2 Canada, 3 Mexico | 1 |
| 2 | Manufacturer | G, General Motors |
| 3 | Brand and type: T GMC truck, D GMC incomplete, K GMC MPV | T |
| 4 | GVWR class, brakes, body style | U: Class F, 7,001 to 8,000 lb, body style 43 |
| 5 | Chassis: H is a 2WD Sierra 1500, U a 4WD | U |
| 6 | Series | E, so UE is a Sierra 1500 AT4 4WD |
| 7 | Restraint package | E: AY0 |
| 8 | Engine and its GM RPO code | L: L87 6.2L V8 |
| 9 | Check digit | 2 |
| 10 | Model year | T = 2026 |
| 11 | Plant (Z when position 1 is 1) | Z = Fort Wayne, Indiana |
| 12 | Production sequence, 1 of 6 | 2 |
| 13 | Production sequence, 2 of 6 | 9 |
| 14 | Production sequence, 3 of 6 | 6 |
| 15 | Production sequence, 4 of 6 | 6 |
| 16 | Production sequence, 5 of 6 | 4 |
| 17 | Production sequence, 6 of 6 | 5 |
A Sierra and a Silverado share position 4 and the engine letters, but not the chassis letters: a 4WD Sierra uses U where a 4WD Silverado 1500 uses K.
Example: a GMC Sierra VIN decoded
NHTSA's vPIC database returns this for 1GTUUEEL2TZ296645, a real 2026 Sierra 1500:
| Field | Decoded value |
|---|---|
| Model year and model | 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 |
| Trim | AT4 |
| Body and drive | Pickup, 4WD |
| Engine | 6.2L V8 (L87), gasoline |
| Plant | Fort Wayne, Indiana |
| GVWR | Class 2F: 7,001 to 8,000 lb |
| Restraints | AY0, with curtain airbags in all rows |
Two more real 2026 GMC VINs decode the same way: a Yukon Denali (1GKS2DKL4TR436047) comes back with the 6.2L L87 from Arlington, Texas, and an Acadia AT4 (1GKENPKS5TJ385301) with the 2.5L turbo LK0 from Lansing Delta Township, Michigan.
Sierra 1500 trim codes in the VIN
Positions 5 and 6 carry the Sierra trim. These are the codes in GM's 2026 table:
| Code | 2026 Sierra 1500 trim |
|---|---|
| HA / UA | PRO, 2WD / 4WD |
| HB / UB | SLE, 2WD / 4WD |
| HC / UC | Elevation, 2WD / 4WD |
| HD / UD | SLT, 2WD / 4WD |
| UE | AT4, 4WD |
| UF | AT4X, 4WD |
| HG / UG | Denali, 2WD / 4WD |
| UH | Denali Ultimate, 4WD |
| UJ | Elevation-L, 4WD |
Engine letters on the 2026 Sierra 1500: D is the 5.3L L84, K the 2.7L turbo L3B, L the 6.2L L87 and 8 the 3.0L Duramax diesel LZ0. GM updates these tables every model year.
GMC models in NHTSA's database
vPIC keeps 61 GMC model names. For 2025 and 2026 it lists the Sierra, Sierra HD, Canyon, Savana and Hummer EV Pickup as trucks, and the Yukon, Yukon XL, Acadia, Terrain and Hummer EV SUV as multipurpose vehicles. The Savana also appears as a bus and as an incomplete vehicle for upfitters. Plant letters follow the model: the 2027 Canyon reads 1 for Wentzville, Missouri, and the 2027 Terrain starts with 3GK and reads L for San Luis Potosi, Mexico. To see how GMC's codes line up with Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac, open the GM VIN decoder.
GMC WMI codes and the ones it shares
The 21 GMC WMIs in vPIC follow GM's pattern of region, G, then brand and type: 1GT, 2GT and 3GT for trucks, 1GK, 2GK and 3GK for SUVs, 1GD, 2GD and 3GD for incomplete chassis, and 1GJ, 2GJ, 2GH and 2G0 for buses. A few are shared in NHTSA's records: 1G5 with Pontiac, 4GD with Opel and JGT with Suzuki. A GMC and a Chevrolet built side by side still carry different WMIs, so the brand is never a guess.
Where to find the VIN on a GMC
- Through the windshield: driver's side, where the dash meets the glass. Federal rules require this spot on vehicles up to 10,000 lb GVWR.
- Driver's door jamb: the certification label repeats the VIN with the build month and weight ratings.
- Title and registration: the VIN on paper should match both plates on the truck.
Sierra HD and Savana chassis rated above 10,000 lb GVWR don't need the windshield plate, so go straight to the door label.