Where to find the VIN: on the car and in the Swiss registration document

Whether you are buying a used car, creating a listing or requesting an insurance quote, sooner or later you need your car’s vehicle identification number (VIN). The good news: it appears in several places – in the documents and on the vehicle itself. Here is where to find it and what to watch out for.

What is the VIN?

The VIN consists of 17 characters, is unique worldwide and is assigned by the manufacturer. The letters I, O and Q are never used so they cannot be confused with 1 and 0. In German-speaking countries it is also called Fahrgestellnummer or FIN.

1. In the Swiss registration document: field 23

The quickest way is the Swiss vehicle registration document (Fahrzeugausweis). The VIN is in field 23 “Fahrgestell-Nr.”. Do not confuse it with:

• Field 18 – Stammnummer: assigned by the Swiss authorities (format 123.456.789) and only valid in Switzerland.
• Field 24 – type approval: describes the vehicle type, not the individual car.
• Number plate: belongs to the keeper, not the vehicle.

2. On the windscreen

On many cars the VIN is visible from outside, at the bottom of the windscreen, usually on the driver’s side – handy for reading it at a dealer without opening the car.

3. On the manufacturer’s plate

The manufacturer’s plate – a small plate or sticker – is usually in the door frame on the B-pillar, sometimes in the engine bay.

4. Stamped into the body

The number is also stamped into the body or chassis – depending on the model in the engine bay, under the front passenger seat or under a floor cover.

5. In other documents

The VIN also appears in the purchase contract, often in the service book and in insurance or leasing documents.

Tip when buying a used car: compare the numbers

Compare the VIN in the registration document with the number on the car (windscreen and manufacturer’s plate). If they do not match, take a closer look and, if in doubt, walk away.

What can the VIN tell you?

The 17 characters already reveal the manufacturer, the country of origin and – depending on the manufacturer – the model year. We explain how in Decoding a VIN: what the 17 characters mean. Our free VIN decoder shows this information instantly.

What the number does not tell you is which factory and optional equipment is actually fitted – even though it has a major impact on the price. Find out how to get it in Finding a car’s optional equipment by VIN.

In short

• The VIN has 17 characters, without I, O and Q.
• In the Swiss registration document it is in field 23.
• On the car: windscreen, manufacturer’s plate and stamped into the body.
• When buying, always compare the document with the vehicle.