At a glance
- MINI WMIs
- WMW for cars, WMZ for the Countryman (both BMW AG)
- Plant codes
- 2 Oxford, 3 Born, 7 Leipzig
- Models in NHTSA's current list
- Hardtop, Cooper Convertible, Countryman
- Year letter
- T = 2026, V = 2027
On this page
How to read a MINI VIN
MINI is a BMW brand, and BMW AG files MINI's VIN tables with NHTSA. Like a BMW, a MINI uses positions 4 to 8 as one type code. This chart follows the layout BMW filed for a 2026 Cooper Hardtop 4 Door; the check digit and serial differ from car to car.
| Position | MINI meaning | 2026 Cooper Hardtop 4 Door, per BMW's filing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country of the WMI: W, Germany (BMW AG's registration) | W |
| 2 | Part of the WMI | M |
| 3 | W for a MINI car, Z for a MINI SAV | W |
| 4 | Type code, 1st character | 4 |
| 5 | Type code, 2nd character | 3 |
| 6 | Type code, 3rd character | G |
| 7 | Type code, 4th character | D |
| 8 | Type code, 5th character | 0 |
| 9 | Check digit, computed for each car | 0 to 9 or X |
| 10 | Model year | T = 2026 |
| 11 | Plant | 2 = Oxford, United Kingdom |
| 12 | Production sequence number, 1st digit | Varies |
| 13 | Production sequence number, 2nd digit | Varies |
| 14 | Production sequence number, 3rd digit | Varies |
| 15 | Production sequence number, 4th digit | Varies |
| 16 | Production sequence number, 5th digit | Varies |
| 17 | Production sequence number, 6th digit | Varies |
43GD0 is a Cooper Hardtop 4 Door: 5-door hatchback, 2.0L four-cylinder, 161 hp.
Cooper, Cooper S or JCW: the 2026 codes
In BMW's 2026 MINI table, position 4 separates the versions and position 7 the body: D for the hardtop, X for the convertible and A for the Countryman.
| Positions 4 to 8 | Model | Body | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13GD0 | Cooper Hardtop 2 Door | 3-door hatchback | 161 hp |
| 43GD0 | Cooper Hardtop 4 Door | 5-door hatchback | 161 hp |
| 23GD0 | Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door | 3-door hatchback | 201 hp |
| 53GD0 | Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door | 5-door hatchback | 201 hp |
| 33GD0 | John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door | 3-door hatchback | 228 hp |
| 13GX0, 23GX0, 33GX0 | Cooper, Cooper S, JCW Convertible | 2-door convertible | 161, 201, 228 hp |
| 23GA0 | Countryman S ALL4 (WMZ) | 4-door SAV | 241 hp |
| 33GA0 | JCW Countryman ALL4 (WMZ) | 4-door SAV | 312 hp |
| 53GA0 | Countryman SE ALL4 (WMZ) | 4-door SAV, electric | 308 hp |
The electric Countryman SE ALL4 changes code for 2027: 13HP0 instead of 53GA0. Read every MINI code with its model year.
What the decoder returns for that layout
We filled in a valid check digit and a sample serial to test the 2026 Cooper Hardtop 4 Door layout against NHTSA's vPIC database. These test VINs are not real cars; they show what a matching VIN returns:
| Field | WMW43GD09T2000001 | WMZ23GA07T7000001 |
|---|---|---|
| Model | 2026 MINI Hardtop, series Cooper | 2026 MINI Countryman, series S ALL4 |
| Body and doors | Hatchback, 5 doors | SUV, 4 doors |
| Drive | Front-wheel drive | All-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.0L four-cylinder turbo, 161 hp | 2.0L four-cylinder turbo, 241 hp |
| Transmission | 7-speed automated manual | 7-speed automated manual |
| Plant | Oxford, United Kingdom | Leipzig, Germany |
| GVWR | Class 1B: 3,001 to 4,000 lb | Class 1C: 4,001 to 5,000 lb |
A real MINI VIN decoded: 2019 Cooper S Convertible
This 2019 Cooper S Convertible went through an NHTSA crash test (test 11656), and the test record lists its VIN. NHTSA's vPIC database returns this for WMWWG9C54K3E40130:
| Field | vPIC result |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 2019 MINI Cooper Convertible (series: Cooper S) |
| Body and drive | Convertible, 2 doors, front-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.0L four-cylinder, 189 hp, 6-speed |
| Plant | Born, Netherlands (vPIC spells it Bom) |
| GVWR | Class 1B: 3,001 to 4,000 lb |
| Airbags | Front, knee (row 1), side (row 1) and curtain (row 1) |
| Listed as optional | Automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning |
vPIC's airbag and safety fields can be incomplete; the window sticker or owner's manual has the full list. Items listed as optional may or may not be fitted to this car; the VIN can't tell.
Where was my MINI built?
Position 11 answers it. BMW's MINI filings list three plants: 2 for Oxford in the United Kingdom, 3 for Born in the Netherlands and 7 for Leipzig in Germany. A Countryman starting with WMZ and carrying 7 in position 11 came from Leipzig. Our test VIN for the Hardtop used 2, which vPIC returns as Oxford.
MINI models in NHTSA's database
vPIC lists eight MINI model names: Clubman, Cooper, Cooper Convertible, Cooper Coupe, Cooper Roadster, Countryman, Hardtop and Paceman. For 2025 and 2026 it lists the Hardtop and Cooper Convertible as cars and the Countryman as a multipurpose vehicle. Because WMW and WMZ are registered to BMW AG, the decode names BMW AG as the manufacturer and MINI as the make; the BMW VIN decoder explains the shared layout. A classic Mini built before the 1981 model year has no 17-character VIN; the classic car VIN page covers older serial numbers.
Where is the VIN on a MINI?
Bend down at the driver's side of the windshield: the VIN plate is visible through the glass, as federal rules require on cars and SUVs (49 CFR 565.13). Open the driver's door for the certification label, which repeats the VIN and adds the month of manufacture. Registration and title documents carry it as well. Paint isn't in the VIN; here is where to find the paint code.