The NHTSA Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing (vPIC) is a consolidated platform that presents data collected within the manufacturer reported data from 49 CFR Parts 551 – 595 for use in a variety of modern tools. NHTSA’s vPIC platform is intended to serve as a centralized source for basic Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) decoding, Manufacturer Information Database (MID), Manufacturer Equipment Plant Identification and associated data.
vPIC is intended for use on Model Years 1981 and forward. Vehicles prior to 1980’s VIN standard are not included in decoding capability for the system. vPIC uses the data submitted by the manufacturers to NHTSA for VIN decoding. This includes passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers / trailer kits, incomplete vehicles, low speed vehicles and motorcycles to name a few as the primary categories. Vehicles within these major categories are further defined by the details provided by the manufacturers in accordance to reporting standards of 49 CFR Part 551 Subpart D, 565, 566, 571.106, 571.205, 574, 586, 586.12, 591 and 595.6.
vPIC is intended to support the Open Data and Transparency initiatives of the agency by allowing the data to be freely used by the public without the burden of manual retrieval from a library of electronic documents (PDFs). While these documents will still be available online for viewing within the Manufacturer Information Database (MID) module of vPIC one can view and use the actual data through the VIN Decoder and Application Programming Interface (API) modules. These can be accessed using the links provided below.
vPIC includes four primary tools within the collection, which are supported by a collection of data obtained from submittals directly from manufacturers. Data within vPIC is coded directly from the submittals after review by NHTSA. If you find errors, issues or have questions please feel free to send an email to the NHTSA Manufacturer Helpdesk as we are actively working to improve data quality through discussions with the manufacturers every day. The four tools that make up the vPIC platform are:
The vPIC Manufacturer Portal is intended to streamline the process by allowing manufacturers the ability to submit applications electronically to NHTSA. The same data that was previously sent in via paper, can now be submitted electronically using the Manufacturer Portal. This allows for reviewing of the 551 Subpart D, 565, 566, 571.106, 571.205, 574, 586, 586.12, 591 and 595.6 applications to occur without significant delays. Automated notifications will be sent through email upon submission and acceptance of the application. The status of your submission can also be checked using the Manufacturer Portal. A list of Frequently Asked Questions are also compiled and put together on this portal.
Manufacturer Information Database (MID) is a centralized dataset that can be searched for all manufacturer information within the vPIC platform. This information includes Address, Makes, Models, World Manufacturer Identifiers (WMI), Equipment Plant codes and associated details on what the manufacturer produces per their reporting to NHTSA. In addition, the actual documents submitted by the manufacturers (565, 566 and 586) are available for viewing and downloading.
Users may input their Vehicle Identification Number(s) of vehicles they own or are researching within this interface. In return, the users will be presented with a decoded set of values based on the manufacturer data received through the Part 565 process. The ability to print a PDF version of the output or download the data output into an Excel-based format is provided as well. If a vehicle’s VIN has decoded in error please review VIN and try again. In the case of a persistent error, NHTSA suggests contacting the manufacturer to obtain a copy of a Manufacturer VIN Correction letter to assist in vehicle registration issues.
A vehicle modifiers is a business that modifies a motor vehicle to enable a person with disability to operate or ride as a passenger.
Users may search for a vehicle modifier registered with NHTSA or download a copy of all vehicle modifiers registered with NHTSA.
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are intended for use by developers and researchers interested in retrieving data from vPIC using a variety of predefined data requests. These requests include VIN decoding formats, manufacturer data listings, data elements and even batch VIN decoding using a defined format. Instructions are included in the main API entry page for ease of use by the users. In addition, we have presented output in four primary formats that are commonly used by developers. Developers are encouraged to use these APIs within their application development and databases to improve data standardization across industry, government and research.
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