Kia VIN decoder
Kia VIN decoder
Kia builds the Telluride, Sorento, K5 and EV9 in West Point, Georgia (5XX and 5XY), the Forte and Rio in Mexico (3KP) and most other models in South Korea (KNA and KND).
Kia WMI codes
The first three VIN characters. Verified against the NHTSA vPIC database.
| WMI | Manufacturer | Vehicle type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3KP | Kia Mexico S.A. De C.V. | Cars | Mexico |
| 5XX | Kia Georgia, Inc | Cars | United States |
| 5XY | Kia Georgia, Inc | SUVs, vans & crossovers | United States |
| KNA | Kia Corporation | Cars | South Korea |
| KND | Kia Corporation | SUVs, vans & crossovers | South Korea |
What to know about Kia VINs
- A Kia VIN starting with 5X was assembled in Georgia, 3K in Mexico and KN in South Korea.
- Some older Kias without push-button start were widely targeted by thieves from 2022; check theft records and ask whether the anti-theft software update was installed.
- Kia’s long warranty may not transfer in full to later owners; check the ownership history.
Kia models you can decode
- Telluride
- Sorento
- Sportage
- Seltos
- Soul
- K5
- Forte
- Carnival
- Niro
- EV6
- EV9
Any 17-character Kia VIN from the 1981 model year onwards can be decoded. Check open recalls for free on NHTSA.
How a Kia VIN is built
All 17-character VINs for vehicles sold in the US follow the same structure.
Example: 5NPD74LF5LH611542
| Position | What it means | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country / region | Where the manufacturer is registered: 1, 4, 5 and 7 = United States, 2 = Canada, 3 = Mexico, J = Japan, K = South Korea, W = Germany. |
| 2–3 | Manufacturer | Positions 1–3 together form the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), assigned to one maker and vehicle type. |
| 4–8 | Vehicle descriptor | Manufacturer-coded details such as model line, body style, restraint system, engine and gross weight rating. |
| 9 | Check digit | A 0–9 or X calculated from the other 16 characters. It catches typos and many fake VINs. |
| 10 | Model year | A letter or number for the model year. The codes repeat every 30 years (see the table below). |
| 11 | Assembly plant | The factory that built the vehicle. Plant codes are defined by each manufacturer. |
| 12–17 | Serial number | The production sequence number that makes the VIN unique. |
VIN model year chart (10th character)
Codes repeat every 30 years. On cars and light trucks, a letter in position 7 means the later year.
A
1980 · 2010
B
1981 · 2011
C
1982 · 2012
D
1983 · 2013
E
1984 · 2014
F
1985 · 2015
G
1986 · 2016
H
1987 · 2017
J
1988 · 2018
K
1989 · 2019
L
1990 · 2020
M
1991 · 2021
N
1992 · 2022
P
1993 · 2023
R
1994 · 2024
S
1995 · 2025
T
1996 · 2026
V
1997 · 2027
W
1998 · 2028
X
1999 · 2029
Y
2000 · 2030
1
2001 · 2031
2
2002 · 2032
3
2003 · 2033
4
2004 · 2034
5
2005 · 2035
6
2006 · 2036
7
2007 · 2037
8
2008 · 2038
9
2009 · 2039
The letters I, O, Q, U and Z and the number 0 are never used as year codes.
Where to find the VIN on a Kia
- Lower corner of the windshield on the driver’s side, readable from outside the car
- Sticker or plate on the driver’s door jamb (open the door)
- Title, registration card and insurance card
- Engine bay, often on the firewall or the front of the frame on trucks
- Seller’s listing or the dealer’s window sticker
The VIN on the car, the title and the listing must all match. If they do not, do not buy.
VinCode report · $5.99
Before you buy a used Kia, check its history
Title brands, accidents, total-loss events, odometer readings, owners and service records for the VIN, scored with the VinCode Score.
- Title brand check
- Accidents & damage
- Odometer chart
- Owners & usage
- Service records
- VinCode Score
How do I check if a used Kia was stolen?
Run a VinCode report to see theft records reported for the VIN, and check NICB VINCheck for unrecovered theft.
Where was my Kia built?
The first character tells you: 5 means the US (Georgia), 3 means Mexico and K means South Korea.
Is the Kia VIN decoder free?
Yes. Decoding a Kia VIN is free. A full VinCode report with title brands, accidents, odometer readings and owners costs $5.99.
Does a Kia VIN show accident history?
No. The VIN only encodes how the vehicle was built. Accident, damage and title history come from records reported for the VIN, which is what the VinCode report shows.