Glossary · Letter V
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
A unique 17-character identifier assigned to every road vehicle.
Definition
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
- VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
- The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-character alphanumeric code uniquely identifying a road vehicle, standardised globally by ISO 3779 and ISO 3780. The first three characters identify the manufacturer (World Manufacturer Identifier), the next six describe the vehicle attributes (Vehicle Descriptor Section), and the last eight identify the specific unit including model year and plant code (Vehicle Identifier Section). In Sustain360, the VIN is the chain-of-custody anchor. Every part removed from a vehicle, every grade applied, every photo captured, every price set, and every audit event is anchored to that vehicle's VIN. The link survives binning, valuation, listing, sale, refund, and audit export, and it is the basis of the chain of custody usable for OEM reporting, warranty claims, ELV-directive evidence, and ATF/DVLA filings. Decoding happens at intake against regional VIN providers abstracted behind a single internal contract, with operator override available on any decoded field.
Related vocabulary
Related terms
- Cat N / Cat S (UK)UK insurance write-off categories indicating the severity of accident damage.
- Salvage TitleA title status indicating a vehicle has been written off and may have restricted re-registration.
- ELV (End-of-Life Vehicle)A vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life and is bound for dismantling and material recovery.
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