Model year encoding

One consistent element of the VIS is the 10th digit, which is required worldwide to encode themodel yearof the vehicle. Besides the three letters that are not allowed in the VIN itself (I, O and Q), the letters U and Z and the digit 0 are not used for themodel yearcode. Note that the year code is the model year for the vehicle.

The year 1980 was encoded by some manufacturers, especiallyGeneral MotorsandChrysler, as "A" (since the 17-digit VIN wasn't mandatory until 1981, and the "A" or zero was in the manufacturer's pre-1981 placement in the VIN), yetFordandAMCstill used a zero for 1980. Subsequent years increment through the allowed letters, so that "Y" represents the year 2000. 2001 to 2009 are encoded as the digits 1 to 9, and subsequent years are encoded as "A", "B", "C", etc.

Many Thanks AS.