At a glance
- WMIs
- 1XP or 1NP (U.S.), 2XP or 2NP (Canada), 3WP or 3BP (Mexico)
- Model number
- Position 4: X = 389, B = 579, J = 535
- Plant codes
- Position 11: D Denton, M Montreal, F Mexicali and five more
- Models in vPIC
- 47, from the 200 to the 589
On this page
Example: a Peterbilt VIN decoded
2NPJHM5X8SM759844 belongs to a 2025 Peterbilt 535 built on November 13, 2024. It was the only 535 in recall 25V-041, where PACCAR recalled 5,378 Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks because the exterior lighting switch could stop responding after some engine starts, leaving the hazard lights unavailable until the key was cycled. Read with Peterbilt's chart:
| Characters | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 2NP | Canadian-built incomplete Peterbilt |
| 4 | J | Model 535 |
| 5 | H | Truck, 4x2 |
| 6 | M | PACCAR PX-6/PX-7 engine |
| 7 | 5 | GVWR 16,001 to 19,500 lb |
| 8 | X | Air-braked vehicle |
| 9 | 8 | Check digit |
| 10 | S | 1995 or 2025 |
| 11 | M | Montreal |
| 12 to 17 | 759844 | Serial number |
vPIC's decode: 2025 Peterbilt 535, conventional cab, 4x2, 6.7-liter 6-cylinder PACCAR PX-6/PX-7 diesel (200 to 360 hp), class 5, air brakes, built at PACCAR Ste-Thérèse in Quebec. It flags the truck as incomplete and warns that the model year may be off.
How to read a Peterbilt VIN
Peterbilt's VIN filing with NHTSA is one PACCAR drawing titled Instructions-VIN Code, filed in July 2022 for the 2023 model year on. The whole layout:
| Position | What it holds | Codes to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Country, maker and type | 1XP complete and 1NP incomplete (U.S.), 2XP and 2NP (Canada), 3WP and 3BP (Mexico), SBV incomplete from Leyland, U.K. |
| 4 | Model number | See the list below |
| 5 | Chassis | Tractors A to E (4x2, 4x4, 6x2, 6x4, 6x6), trucks H to M in the same order, P tractor other, X truck other, G glider |
| 6 | Engine | P PACCAR MX/MX-13, K MX-11, J PX-9, N PX-8, M PX-6/PX-7, 4 Cummins ISX/ISX15/X15, H Cummins X11.9G/X12G/ISX12N, S Cummins B6.7N, L battery electric, V fuel cell electric |
| 7 | GVWR | 5 to 9 and 0 step up from 16,001 to 70,000 lb, E 70,001 to 80,000, T 80,001 and above, G glider |
| 8 | Brakes and drive type | X air-braked, H hydraulic-braked, A air-braked hybrid, B hydraulic-braked hybrid, E air-braked electric, G glider |
| 9 | Check digit | 0 to 9 or X |
| 10 | Model year | A through T each cover two years 30 apart (S = 1995 or 2025); 0 = glider |
| 11 | Plant | D Denton, F Mexicali, K Kansas City, L Leyland, M Montreal, N Madison, P Newark, S Seattle |
| 12 to 17 | Serial number | Six digits |
Source: PACCAR's Peterbilt VIN code chart, filed with NHTSA on July 11, 2022.
Which Peterbilt model is it? Position 4
Peterbilt sells trucks by model number, and position 4 maps one character to each:
- Letters: A 357, B 579, C 567, D 520, E 589, F 378, G 385, H 386, J 535, K 536, L 335, M 537, N 330, P 220, R 340, S 365, T 367, U medium duty COE, V 384, W 388, X 389, Y 325, Z 320.
- Digits: 1 210, 2 337, 3 348, 4 587, 5 379, 6 362, 7 387, 8 548, 9 382.
The code doesn't follow the number, so a 389 is X and a 579 is B. Read it from the list or let the decoder do it.
How is a Peterbilt VIN different from a Kenworth VIN?
Both brands belong to PACCAR, and their charts share a layout and most chassis, GVWR and brake codes. The differences are worth knowing if you buy both:
- Third character: P for Peterbilt, K for Kenworth. The shared U.K. code SBV is listed for both makes in vPIC.
- Position 4: Peterbilt codes model numbers, Kenworth codes its own model names. B is a 579 on a Peterbilt and a T4 Series on a Kenworth.
- Engines: fuel cell electric is V at Peterbilt and H at Kenworth. Peterbilt's H covers the Cummins X11.9G, X12G and ISX12N, a group Kenworth codes 3, while Peterbilt uses 3 for the Cummins QSB and 6 for the QSX.
- Plants: only Peterbilt's chart lists N Madison and P Newark; only Kenworth's lists J Chillicothe, R Renton, C Burnaby and A Sandbach.
So a decoder built for one brand can misread the other. Check that positions 1 to 3 match before you trust a hand decode.
Peterbilt WMIs and two lookalikes
vPIC lists seven codes for Peterbilt trucks: 1XP, 2XP and 3WP for complete trucks, 1NP, 2NP and 3BP for incomplete ones, and SBV, a PACCAR Inc. code for incomplete vehicles from the U.K. shared with Kenworth.
Search vPIC for "peterbilt" and two more show up: 1E9298 for a motorcycle and 1E9299 for a trailer, both registered to Peterbilt of Cleveland, Inc., doing business as Express Truck Repair. The 9 in the third position marks a small manufacturer, identified by positions 1 to 3 together with 12 to 14 (49 CFR 565.15). Neither is a Peterbilt truck.
Where to find the VIN on a Peterbilt
Open the driver's door and look for the certification label on the door edge or latch pillar. It lists the VIN, the build month and year, and the GVWR and axle ratings (49 CFR 567.4). If position 2 is N, the Peterbilt left the plant incomplete, and the company that finished it adds a second label with the VIN and the date it completed the truck (49 CFR 567.5).
There's no legal requirement for a VIN plate behind a Peterbilt's windshield: that rule stops at 10,000 lb GVWR (49 CFR 565.13(f)). Match the label against the title and registration.
Peterbilt models in NHTSA's database
vPIC lists 47 Peterbilt models under make ID 495: 200, 210, 220, 250, 310, 320, 325, 330, 335, 337, 340, 348, 349, 352, 353, 357, 359, 362, 363, 365, 367, 372, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 382, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 397, 476, 477, 520, 535, 536, 537, 548, 567, 579, 587, 589 and Medium Duty COE.
For other Class 8 trucks, see the Freightliner and Mack guides.