Free VIN decoder
Audi VIN decoder
Decode an Audi VIN character by character: WAU, WA1, WUA and TRU explained, the model year and plant code tables, the model codes from 8P to FY, and a free check of what the registries hold on the exact car.
Updated 8 September 2026
Example: Free preview included
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How the free check works
Enter an Audi VIN in the box above and we check it against official registries and manufacturer build data. The preview of what we found for that exact car is free: identity, build details, and whether recorded history exists. The tables below decode the VIN by hand, including the factory option angle Audi buyers usually ask about.
How an Audi VIN is built
Audi uses the same 17 character ISO structure as the rest of the Volkswagen Group, so the positions answer the same fixed questions.
| VIN characters | What they say |
|---|---|
1 to 3 | World manufacturer identifier. WAU is an Audi built in Germany; the full table is below. |
4 to 6 | Usually the filler letters ZZZ on European cars. Cars built for North America carry body, engine and restraint codes here instead. |
7 to 8 | The model code: 8P is an A3 II, FY is a Q5 II. Table below. |
9 | Check digit on North American cars, filler on European ones. |
10 | The model year code, shared across the whole industry. Full table below. |
11 | The assembly plant: A is Ingolstadt, N is Neckarsulm, G is Gyor. |
12 to 17 | The serial number of the individual car. |
An Audi VIN, decoded
WAUZZZ8VZKA123456
Take this A3 VIN as a structural example and read it with the tables on this page:
| VIN characters | What this part says |
|---|---|
WAU | Audi passenger car, built in Germany. |
ZZZ | Filler: a European market car. |
8V | Model code for the A3 III. |
Z | Filler position on a European car. |
K | Model year 2019. |
A | Built in Ingolstadt. |
123456 | The serial number of the individual car. |
So the structure alone reads: a 2019 A3 III built in Ingolstadt. Everything beyond that, the recorded mileage curve, damage, imports and the factory option list, lives in registries and manufacturer archives, which is what the free check above looks into.
Audi WMI codes (characters 1 to 3)
The first three characters separate the Audi lines more finely than most makes, which is why two Audis of the same year can open with different codes:
| Code | What they say |
|---|---|
WAU | Audi passenger cars, Germany (A and S models) |
WA1 | Audi SUVs, Germany (Q models) |
WUA | Audi Sport GmbH (RS models, R8) |
TRU | Audi Hungaria, Gyor (TT and some A3 builds) |
LFV | FAW Audi, China (long wheelbase models for the Chinese market) |
93U | Audi Brazil (older A3 builds) |
Long wheelbase Audis built for the Chinese market do get exported second hand. The car is not fake, but its early records live in a market European registries do not see, so the paper trail matters twice as much. The WMI is the honest tell the seller cannot remove.
Model year codes (character 10)
Character 10 encodes the model year in a 30 year cycle shared by the whole industry. The letters I, O, Q, U and Z and the digit 0 are never used:
| Code | First cycle | Current cycle |
|---|---|---|
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 |
An A4 built in late 2018 can carry the 2019 code, and first registration can lag build by many months. A one year gap between advert and VIN is usually this. A bigger gap is a question for the seller.
Plant codes (character 11)
Character 11 names the assembly plant. The Audi codes you will actually meet:
| Code | Assembly plant |
|---|---|
A | Ingolstadt, Germany (A3, A4, A5, Q2) |
N | Neckarsulm, Germany (A6, A7, A8, R8) |
G | Gyor, Hungary (TT, Q3, some A3 builds) |
B | Brussels, Belgium (electric SUV models) |
Model codes (characters 7 and 8)
Characters 7 and 8 pin down the model and generation. Note that newer generations moved to letter codes, so an A4 B9 reads F4 where its predecessor read 8K:
| Code | Model and generation |
|---|---|
8X | A1 (2010 to 2018) |
GB | A1 II (2018 on) |
8P | A3 II (2003 to 2013) |
8V | A3 III (2012 to 2020) |
GY | A3 IV (2020 on) |
8E | A4 B6 and B7 (2000 to 2008) |
8K | A4 B8 (2007 to 2015) |
F4 | A4 B9 (2015 on) |
8T | A5 I (2007 to 2016) |
F5 | A5 II (2016 on) |
4B | A6 C5 (1997 to 2004) |
4F | A6 C6 (2004 to 2011) |
4G | A6 C7, A7 I (2010 to 2018) |
F2 | A6 C8, A7 II (2018 on) |
4H | A8 D4 (2009 to 2017) |
8U | Q3 I (2011 to 2018) |
F3 | Q3 II (2018 on) |
8R | Q5 I (2008 to 2017) |
FY | Q5 II (2016 on) |
4L | Q7 I (2005 to 2015) |
4M | Q7 II (2015 on) |
8J | TT II (2006 to 2014) |
FV | TT III (2014 to 2023) |
The factory option list, by VIN
Audi buyers ask about equipment more than any other make, because two cars with the same model code can be thousands of euro apart in original spec: adaptive dampers, the audio system, matrix headlights, the driver assistance packs. All of it was written down at the factory against the VIN, as build codes on the option list.
This is the shape of what comes back:
| Field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Paint | LZ9Y Phantom black pearl |
| Engine | 2.0 TDI, engine code CAGA |
| Factory options | PR codes on the build list, such as 8T2 cruise control or 4A3 heated front seats |
- Check the spec claims compare the advert's headline equipment against the factory option list in the report.
- Check the paint the factory paint code is on the build list, so a colour change since is visible.
- Check the history the same report carries recorded mileage, damage and import records for the car.
The sample rows are an illustration of the format. The list in a MrVIN report is the one recorded for your VIN at the factory: sellers cannot edit it, and equipment added later is not on it. The preview shows what exists for the car before you pay anything.
Where to find the VIN on an Audi
Check at least two locations and make sure they agree with each other and with the documents.
- Windscreen base visible from outside through the glass on the driver side.
- Door jamb sticker on the driver side B pillar.
- Boot floor under the carpet or the spare wheel cover on many models, on the service sticker.
- Documents registration certificate and service book, both must match the metal.
Works for every Audi
The check reads the VIN, not the badge, so every model is covered. The ones buyers look up most:
The same decoding sits behind our partner API: send a VIN, get the identity and the recorded history back as JSON. Dealers, marketplaces and fleets use it to check cars before listing them.
Read the VIN decoder API reference →
Decode your VIN now
See what the registries hold on the exact car: recorded mileage, damage, imports and the factory build. The preview of the findings is free.
Example: WVWZZZ1JZ3W386752Free preview included
Not ready yet? See a full sample report
Frequently asked questions
Can I decode an Audi VIN for free?
Yes. The tables on this page decode the structure by hand: WMI, model code, year and plant. And the check box runs the VIN against official registries and manufacturer build data, with a free preview of what exists for the exact car. Only the full history report is paid.
What is the difference between WAU and WA1 at the start of an Audi VIN?
WAU opens the VIN of German built Audi passenger cars, the A and S ranges. WA1 opens the SUVs, the Q range. WUA is Audi Sport (RS models and the R8) and TRU is the Gyor plant in Hungary. Same company, different lines.
Can I see the factory equipment of an Audi by VIN?
Yes. The factory option list was recorded against the VIN when the car was built: engine and gearbox codes, paint code, and every fitted option as a build code. A MrVIN report includes the build data we can retrieve for the VIN, and the preview shows what exists for the car before you pay.
What does the 10th character of an Audi VIN mean?
The model year, in the industry wide 30 year cycle: K is 2019, L is 2020, the digit 5 is 2005. The full table is on this page. Model year can run one ahead of build date, so a late 2018 car with a 2019 code is normal.
Does the VIN tell me which A4 or Q5 generation I am looking at?
Yes, characters 7 and 8: an A4 B8 reads 8K, a B9 reads F4, a Q5 I reads 8R and a Q5 II reads FY. The table on this page covers the generations common on the used market.
What can an Audi VIN check tell me that the VIN itself cannot?
Everything that happened after the factory: odometer readings recorded at inspections and services, damage and theft records, the import trail across countries, and the factory option list to compare against the advert. The preview of those findings is free at MrVIN.
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MrVIN is operated by VERIFY SIA and is independent of AUDI AG. Audi and the model names on this page are trademarks of their owner, used only to identify the vehicles this page is about.