Lincoln VIN decoder for USA
Free Lincoln VIN Decoder to check car history and specifications for Lincoln USA
What is a Lincoln VIN?
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a 17-character combination that makes every vehicle unique. It’s necessary to register a vehicle, pass an MOT, or check its history.
Like many other car makers, Lincoln has used different serial or chassis numbers to identify vehicles. However, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) standardized the current VIN format in 1981, forcing most car manufacturers to implement it and make vehicle identification easier.
The Lincoln Motor Company, founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland and his son Wilfred, has a rich history as an American luxury vehicle manufacturer. Initially, Lincoln aimed to build Liberty aircraft engines during World War I, but they transitioned to producing luxury automobiles after the war.
Their first car, the Lincoln Model L, was introduced in 1920, but Ford Motor Company acquired the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922. Since then, Lincoln started introducing such iconic models as the Zephyr in 1936 and the Continental in 1939. Throughout the 20th and into the 21st century, Lincoln has remained a symbol of American luxury, known for its sophisticated and elegant designs.
Where to search for the VIN on your Lincoln?
A vehicle’s VIN number is located in multiple areas and can depend on the brand. However, there are specific common places where the VIN is usually found in most vehicles.

Here’s where you can find it in Lincoln cars:
- On the dashboard near the windshield
- Driver’s side door jamb
- Inside the glove box
- In the engine bay, on the firewall
Remember that a VIN plays an important role in a car’s ownership. A VIN should be printed on a sticker or stamped into metal. Make sure the numbers in each location match, and there are no signs of tampering.
What is Lincoln VIN decoder?
One of the most important things about VIN numbers is that they can provide essential information about the car’s past. Once you have the VIN number of your vehicle or a car you want to buy, you can use a VIN decoder to perform a VIN lookup and find out more about its historical facts, including mileage rollbacks, damage records, and changes of ownership.
Our Lincoln VIN decoder is very easy to use – just enter a car’s VIN, and you’ll find specifications, historical facts, and other information about the car.
How accurate is the information provided by the Lincoln VIN decoder?
carVertical’s Lincoln VIN decoder USA collects information from various reliable sources, such as governmental registries, vehicle inspection centers, law enforcement databases, dealerships, and insurance companies. Information provided in vehicle history reports is always up-to-date and legitimate, therefore, it’s a great way to evaluate a car when buying it or provide more information when selling.
When there’s no data in our partners’ databases, vehicle history reports may appear a bit scarce. In such cases, you’ll get your spent credits back automatically.
How to decode a VIN number - Lincoln VIN breakdown
VIN numbers are divided into four main sections: World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS), Security Check Digit, and Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS).
While the Check Digit section consists of a single number and is used for security reasons, characters in other sections hold particular vehicle-related information, such as model, body style, year of manufacture, etc. Different car makers typically choose different meanings for each letter and number.

In theory, you can decode an entire VIN manually if you know what each character means, but it’s very inconvenient compared to the Lincoln VIN decoder. However, knowing what a few characters mean can help you reveal essential information about the car at a glance.
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
The first 3 characters of a VIN create a WMI section. While you can find out the meaning of each individual character, in the case of a Lincoln, it’s much easier to identify the car’s country of origin by checking the first 3 characters together.
Here are a few common Lincoln WMIs:
Characters 1, 2, and 3 | Country of manufacture |
1L1, 1LJ, 1LN, 5L1, 5LM, 5LT | United States |
2L1, 2LJ, 2LN, 2LM | Canada |
3LN | Mexico |
Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
The second section (VDS) consists of 5 characters and provides information about the car’s model, engine, body style, and safety features. For instance, each engine has its own representing character in a VIN number, helping you understand if the engine was replaced at some point.
Security Check Digit
The 9th character in a VIN is a Security Check Digit, which helps verify that the VIN is valid. This digit varies in different VINs because it’s a result of the special U.S. Department of Transportation formula that uses all of the remaining VIN characters.
The Check Digit won’t be the same if one or more characters of the VIN are changed.
Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS)
The last section has 8 characters, but only 2 of them can be useful when decoding VIN manually.
The 10th character of VIN always reveals the model year:
Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year | Code | Year |
A | 1980 | L | 1990 | Y | 2000 | A | 2010 | L | 2020 | Y | 2030 |
B | 1981 | M | 1991 | 1 | 2001 | B | 2011 | M | 2021 | 1 | 2031 |
C | 1982 | N | 1992 | 2 | 2002 | C | 2012 | N | 2022 | 2 | 2032 |
D | 1983 | P | 1993 | 3 | 2003 | D | 2013 | P | 2023 | 3 | 2033 |
E | 1984 | R | 1994 | 4 | 2004 | E | 2014 | R | 2024 | 4 | 2034 |
F | 1985 | S | 1995 | 5 | 2005 | F | 2015 | S | 2025 | 5 | 2035 |
G | 1986 | T | 1996 | 6 | 2006 | G | 2016 | T | 2026 | 6 | 2036 |
H | 1987 | V | 1997 | 7 | 2007 | H | 2017 | V | 2027 | 7 | 2037 |
J | 1988 | W | 1998 | 8 | 2008 | J | 2018 | W | 2028 | 8 | 2038 |
K | 1989 | X | 1999 | 9 | 2009 | K | 2019 | X | 2029 | 9 | 2039 |
You can also check where the Lincoln was manufactured as the 11th character reveals the assembly plant:
11th character | Assembly plant |
0 | Detroit, Michigan, USA |
5 | Flat Rock, Michigan, USA |
A | Hapeville, Georgia, United States |
B, C | Oakville, Ontario, Canada |
E | Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
F | Dearborn, Michigan, USA |
G | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
H | Lorain, Ohio, USA |
J | Monterrey, Mexico |
K | Kansas, Missouri, United States |
L | Wayne, Michigan, United States |
M | Cuautitlán, Mexico |
N | Norfolk, Virginia, US |
P | St. Paul, Minnesota, USA |
R | Hermosa, Mexico |
T | Edison, New Jersey, USA |
U | Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
V | Escobedo, Mexico |
W | Wayne, Michigan, USA |
X | Saint Thomas, Ontario, Canada |
Z | Hazelwoodd, Missouri, USA |
The last 6 characters in a VIN are always digits that form a sequential production number.
Is a Lincoln VIN decoder available for a free VIN check in the USA?
Lincoln VIN decoder is free if you want to reveal a car’s model, specs, and other basic information. However, if you want to learn about a car’s history, you’ll have to buy a full history report.
They aren’t free because raw data is taken from various sources, processed, and provided in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
List of Lincoln models in the USA
Current Lincoln models include:
- Lincoln Navigator
- Lincoln Aviator
- Lincoln Nautilus
- Lincoln Corsair
- Lincoln Z
Some of the most popular discontinued models include:
- Lincoln Continental
- Lincoln LS
- Lincoln Mark LT
- Lincoln MKC
- Lincoln MKS
- Lincoln MKT
- Lincoln MKX
- Lincoln MKZ
- Lincoln Town Car
- Lincoln Zephyr
Frequently asked questions
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Car history report
Avoid costly problems by checking a car's history. Just enter the VIN and get a full report.
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