At a glance
- Car and SUV layout
- WMI, 5-character model code, check digit, year, plant, 6-digit serial
- Honda WMIs in vPIC
- 45 registered to Honda companies, Acura codes included
- Passport plant code
- B = Lincoln, Alabama
- Motorcycle factory code
- K for Kumamoto, Japan; 5 for Thai Honda
On this page
How to read a Honda VIN
Honda's filings with NHTSA print the layout as AAA BBBBB C D E FFFFFF: the WMI, a five-character model code, the check digit, the year, the plant and a six-digit production number. The model code is one unit that pins down the model, trim, drive, transmission and body. Here is a real 2026 Passport.
| Position | Honda meaning | 5FNYF9H39TB093207 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country: 5 USA (also 1 or 4), 2 Canada, 3 Mexico, J Japan | 5 |
| 2 | Part of the WMI 5FN | F |
| 3 | Part of the WMI: 5FN is a Honda MPV from Honda Development & Manufacturing of America | N |
| 4 | Model code, character 1 | Y |
| 5 | Model code, character 2 | F |
| 6 | Model code, character 3 | 9 |
| 7 | Model code, character 4 | H |
| 8 | Model code, character 5 | 3 |
| 9 | Check digit (49 CFR 565.15) | 3 |
| 10 | Model year | T = 2026 |
| 11 | Plant | B = Lincoln, Alabama |
| 12 | Sequential production number, 1st digit | 0 |
| 13 | Sequential production number, 2nd digit | 9 |
| 14 | Sequential production number, 3rd digit | 3 |
| 15 | Sequential production number, 4th digit | 2 |
| 16 | Sequential production number, 5th digit | 0 |
| 17 | Sequential production number, 6th digit | 7 |
YF9H3 is a Passport RT-L: AWD, 10-speed automatic, 5-door SUV, GVWR class D (5,001 to 6,000 lb), J35Y8 engine. YF9H5 is the TrailSport and YF9H8 the TrailSport Elite.
Honda VIN lookup example: a 2026 Passport
NHTSA's vPIC database answers with these fields for 5FNYF9H39TB093207:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 2026 Honda Passport RT-L |
| Body and drive | SUV, 5 doors, all-wheel drive |
| Engine | 3.5L V6 J35Y8, 285 hp, direct injection, not turbocharged |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic |
| Plant | Lincoln, Alabama |
| GVWR | Class 1D: 5,001 to 6,000 lb |
| Listed as standard | Automatic emergency braking front and rear, adaptive cruise, blind spot intervention, lane keeping |
Honda model codes by trim
Honda gives each trim its own code, so the decode usually names it. A few from Honda's 2026 and 2027 filings:
| Model code | Vehicle | Plant letter |
|---|---|---|
| YF9H3 | 2026 Passport RT-L, AWD, 10-speed automatic | B: Lincoln, Alabama |
| YF9H5 | 2026 Passport TrailSport | B |
| YF9H8 | 2026 Passport TrailSport Elite | B |
| FL2H8 | 2027 Civic Hatchback Sport, CVT, 2.0L K20C9 | E: Greensburg, Indiana |
| FL2H9 | 2027 Civic Hatchback Sport L | E |
| FL4H8 | 2027 Civic Hatchback Hybrid Sport, E-CVT, LFC3 | E |
| FL4H9 | 2027 Civic Hatchback Hybrid Sport Touring | E |
The Civic Hatchbacks above start with 19X, a Honda passenger-car WMI.
Honda motorcycle VIN decoder
Honda motorcycles use the same 17 positions with a different filing format. Positions 4 to 8 are the vehicle code, which is also the frame type, and position 11 is the factory. In Honda's 2027 filing, every Kumamoto-built bike has K in position 11 and the Thai-built ones have 5.
| 2027 model | VIN pattern (* = check digit) | Engine | Factory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Wing Tour | JH2SC790*VK900001 | 1,833 cc six, 126 hp | Kumamoto, Japan |
| Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT | JH2SC797*VK900001 | 1,833 cc six, 126 hp | Kumamoto |
| CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP | JH2SC821*VK600001 | 1,000 cc four, 189 hp | Kumamoto |
| Rebel 1100 | JH2SC871*VK200001 | 1,084 cc twin, 91 hp | Kumamoto |
| Transalp E-Clutch | JH2RD174*VK100001 | 755 cc twin, 83 hp | Kumamoto |
| CRF450RL | JH2PD111*VK800001 | 449 cc single, 43.6 hp | Kumamoto |
| NX500 E-Clutch | MLHPC725*V5300001 | 471 cc twin, 50 hp | Thai Honda, Bangkok |
| ADV160 | MLHKF545*V5300001 | 157 cc single, 15.6 hp | Thai Honda, Bangkok |
The engine carries its own serial, such as SC79E-5600001 on a 2027 Gold Wing. Decode the VIN, not the engine number. With a valid check digit filled in, the Gold Wing Tour pattern (JH2SC790XVK900001) decodes in vPIC as a 2027 Gold Wing Tour built in Kikuchi, Kumamoto; we built that VIN from the filing to show the result, so it is not a real bike.
Honda ATV and side-by-side VINs
NHTSA's 2026 model list for Honda includes the FourTrax Foreman, Foreman Rubicon, Rancher and Recon ATVs, the TRX90X and TRX250X, and the Pioneer 520, 700, 1000 and Talon 1000 side-by-sides. The Honda VIN filings we reviewed cover cars and street motorcycles but not these off-road models, so a decode can come back with fewer fields. On an ATV or side-by-side the VIN is stamped on the frame; the ATV VIN decoder page shows where to look.
Honda or Acura? The WMI decides
vPIC lists 45 WMIs registered to Honda companies. Ten of them decode as Acura: 19U, 19V, 2HH, 2HN, 2HU, 5FR, 5FS, 5J8, 5KC and JH4, and 3HD can be either brand. An Acura VIN belongs on the Acura VIN decoder page. 3GP is the reverse case: registered to General Motors and decoded as Honda. Motorcycle codes include JH2 (Japan), MLH (Thai Honda), RLH (Honda Vietnam), 3H1 (Mexico) and VTD and VTM (Montesa Honda, Spain).
Where is the VIN on a Honda?
- Car or SUV: through the windshield at the lower driver's side corner, and on the label at the driver's door, which adds the build month and weight ratings (49 CFR 567.4).
- Motorcycle: stamped on the frame, usually at the steering head. The certification label goes on a permanent frame member as close as practicable to where the steering post meets the handlebars (49 CFR 567.4).
- Paperwork: the title and registration, for any Honda.
Comparing more bikes? The motorcycle VIN decoder page covers other brands' layouts.
For a car's original options and price, the Honda window sticker page explains how to get a copy.