Ivi logo mobile

My JDM Car Only Has a 11 Digit VIN Number, How Do I Fix It?

Sean Morris Posted on July 26, 2018

 

All vehicles sold in the United States after 1981 have a 17 digit vehicle identification number(VIN).  This number is unique to each vehicle and uses a standardized format as defined in by the NHTSA in the FMVSS(Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards). 

Blue plate or Build Plate for a Nissan Skyline GT-R

Since imported vehicles over 25 years old are exempt from FMVSS, they do not have to meet the 17 digit VIN requirement. In fact the NHTSA specifically says not to tamper with the original assigned VIN, serial, or chassis number assigned to a vehicle. On a Nissan Skyline GT-R the chassis number is stamped into the body. The blue plate as shown above is just a build plate. It is not an official VIN. We have seen many people write down the model code as a VIN number. We have seen people use the size of the engine as the year of the vehicle.  Many Department of Motor Vehicles do not know the NHTSA guidance on VIN numbers, and VIN tampering, so print out the PDF below if there are any questions. 

 

 

Back to Blog