At a glance
- Brand-new Fords
- Free on Ford Direct while being built and for a few weeks after delivery
- New on a dealer's lot
- On the vehicle's page in Ford.com inventory search, and behind the QR code on the sticker
- Used Fords, 2008 and newer
- Replacement sticker for sale from Ford Show Parts
- Every Ford VIN
- Free spec sheet: specs, EPA MPG, crash ratings, recalls
On this page
- How the Ford window sticker lookup works
- Why Ford window stickers are only online for new vehicles
- How to get the original Ford window sticker
- Ford window sticker by VIN for free: what you can get
- What's on a Ford window sticker
- Which Ford models does the lookup cover?
- Where is the VIN on a Ford?
- Ford window stickers on a dealer's lot
- Common questions
- Sources
How the Ford window sticker lookup works
Ford doesn't keep window stickers online after a vehicle is delivered, so this lookup starts by working out which kind of Ford you have. Any Ford VIN works, from an F-150, Bronco or Explorer to a Mustang or Transit; what changes the answer is the vehicle's age, not the model.
Enter the VIN
All 17 characters. The tool capitalizes them, strips spaces and checks the length and check digit before looking anything up.
Confirm the decode
NHTSA's data shows the year, model, trim, body, engine, drive type and assembly plant.
Brand-new Ford: open Ford Direct
For a VIN from the current or next model year, tap View the Ford window sticker on Ford Direct. Ford's sticker site opens in a new tab.
Older Ford: get a copy
For anything older, the tool skips the dead end and shows how to order a replacement sticker, with the free spec sheet underneath.
Why Ford window stickers are only online for new vehicles
Ford's support page says the Ford Direct link is for vehicles "currently being assembled or up to a few weeks after delivery," and that a VIN becomes available once the vehicle is scheduled for production. After that window, Ford Direct no longer shows the sticker.
Our October 20, 2026 test bore that out. VINs from 2016, 2021 and 2023, plus 2025 and 2026 vehicles from dealer stock, all got the same Ford Direct page: "Please check back later. The window sticker has not yet been released for this vehicle." On a used Ford, that page doesn't mean the sticker is on its way. It means Ford Direct doesn't have it.
So for most Fords, the useful part of this page is how to get the original another way, plus a free spec sheet built from NHTSA and EPA data.
How to get the original Ford window sticker
Where to look depends on where the Ford is in its life. These routes come from Ford's own support pages:
| Your Ford | Where to get the sticker |
|---|---|
| Ordered, being built or delivered in the last few weeks | Free on Ford Direct, through the lookup above |
| New, on a Ford dealer's lot | Free in Ford.com inventory search: open the vehicle's details and choose Window sticker. The QR code on the sticker in the window opens details on that exact vehicle. |
| Just bought new | Ford says a complimentary physical copy comes with the vehicle at delivery |
| Used, 2008 model year or newer | Buy a replacement from the Ford Show Parts website or at 1-800-367-3788 |
| Older than 2008 | Ask a Ford dealer, or order a build sheet from Marti Auto for a fee; Ford's support page says a build sheet's information is similar to a window sticker's |
Ford window sticker by VIN for free: what you can get
If you're after a free Ford window sticker for a used vehicle, here's the honest answer: the original isn't free online once Ford Direct drops it, and a replacement from Ford Show Parts costs money. What you can get free, for any Ford VIN, is the spec sheet on this page:
- The decode: year, model, trim, body, engine, drive type and plant, from NHTSA.
- EPA fuel economy: city, highway and combined MPG and the annual fuel cost, when the VIN matches a single EPA listing.
- NHTSA 5-star ratings for the model.
- Recalls NHTSA lists for the model, with a link to check the VIN itself.
- A printable page to keep with the vehicle's records.
What it can't show is the original price or the factory option list. Only the sticker or a build sheet has those.
What's on a Ford window sticker
Ford's support page lists what a window sticker shows: the MSRP, model information (engine and transmission, color and year), standard and optional equipment, pricing, EPA city and highway fuel economy, and NHTSA crash test ratings. Federal rules add the parts content box, with the final assembly point and where the engine and transmission came from.
A few Ford-specific points:
- QR code. Ford says every window sticker on every new Ford on a dealer's lot carries a QR code that loads details on that exact vehicle.
- Super Duty trucks. An F-250 or F-350 sticker has no EPA MPG. EPA doesn't test pickups over 8,500 lb GVWR with a bed of 72 inches or more and names the Ford F-250 and F-350 as examples. Some E-Series cargo vans are on EPA's list too.
- Electric and hybrid Fords. A Mustang Mach-E gets EPA's electric label, in MPGe with driving range and charge time. A hybrid that doesn't plug in, like the Maverick hybrid, gets the regular gasoline label.
Which Ford models does the lookup cover?
For the 2025 to 2027 model years, NHTSA's vPIC lists these Ford models. VINs from older Fords work the same way.
- Cars and SUVs: Bronco, Bronco Sport, Escape, Expedition, Expedition MAX, Explorer, Mustang, Mustang GTD and Mustang Mach-E
- Pickups: Maverick, Ranger, F-150 and the Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550
- Vans: Transit, E-350 and E-450
Where is the VIN on a Ford?
On a Ford car, SUV, van or pickup up to 10,000 lb GVWR, look through the windshield at the driver's side corner: federal rules require the VIN to be readable there from outside. The certification label in the driver's door opening repeats it, with the month and year of manufacture and the weight ratings.
The heavier Super Duty trucks, such as the F-450 and F-550, are rated over 10,000 lb GVWR, where the windshield rule stops. On those, go by the door label or the title.
To see what each character means, run it through the free Ford VIN decoder.
Ford window stickers on a dealer's lot
On new inventory, the sticker takes care of itself: it's in the window, on your Ford.com inventory listings and behind the QR code. Leave it on until the buyer takes delivery. Willfully removing or altering it before then can bring a fine of up to $1,000 per vehicle, up to a year in prison, or both.
Used Fords are where the work is. Ford Direct won't have the original for a trade-in, so decide unit by unit whether a replacement from Ford Show Parts is worth ordering. For a collectible Mustang or a heavily optioned Super Duty, the original can support the price; for most units, the spec sheet and a good listing do the job. Either way, display the FTC Buyers Guide on every used Ford you offer. Print your own sticker with price, mileage and a QR code to the car's listing using the free window sticker maker.
With CarShots, every photo comes back on a clean backdrop, and you fix details in plain words, like "make it a little brighter" or "hide the license plate".