VIN
The Vehicle Identification Number, a unique 17-character code that identifies a specific vehicle and encodes details like make, model year, and place of manufacture.
A VIN is a vehicle's fingerprint. The 17 characters encode the manufacturer, brand, body and engine type, model year, assembly plant, and a serial number, with one check digit that guards against errors. Dealers use the VIN to decode a vehicle, pull history and recall records, and match paperwork to the physical car. No two vehicles share a VIN.
Related terms
Bill of Sale
The legal document that records the transfer of a vehicle from seller to buyer, listing the parties, the vehicle, the price, and the terms of the sale.
FinanceLien
A legal claim registered against a vehicle by a lender or creditor, which must be cleared before clean title can pass to a buyer.