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May 27, 2012

A VIN Number and Chassis Number Education

Nissan chassis identifier plate held on with plastic rivets
A lesson in VIN numbers, chassis numbers, or vehicle importation. Please forward this to anyone that needs some guidance

PART 565—VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN) REQUIREMENTS
VIN numbers are a unique US requirement for motor vehicles, as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 565. 

(a) Each vehicle manufactured in one stage shall have a VIN that is assigned by the manufacturer. Each vehicle manufactured in more than one stage shall have a VIN assigned by the incomplete vehicle manufacturer. Vehicle alterers, as specified in 49 CFR 567.7, shall utilize the VIN assigned by the original manufacturer of the vehicle.
Each VIN is assigned by the manufacturer. Ok makes sense
(b) Each VIN shall consist of seventeen (17) characters.
17 digits. Ok that makes sense. However, you have to realize when this was published, and also where it was published. This is a United States FMVSS(Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) requirement, not a world wide requirement.
(c) A check digit shall be part of each VIN. The check digit shall appear in position nine (9) of the VIN, on the vehicle and on any transfer documents containing the VIN prepared by the manufacturer to be given to the first owner for purposes other than resale.
Just tells you some information about the numbers
(d) The VINs of any two vehicles subject to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards and manufactured within a 60-year period beginning with the 1980 model year shall not be identical.
Beginning in 1980, no cars within 60 years should have the same VIN.
(e) The VIN of each vehicle shall appear clearly and indelibly upon either a part of the vehicle, other than the glazing, that is not designed to be removed except for repair or upon a separate plate or label that is permanently affixed to such a part.
The VIN number can be on anything except for the glass. It doesn't mention how many times, just that it needs to appear on the car.
(f) The VIN for passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, low speed vehicles, and trucks of 4536 kg or less GVWR shall be located inside the passenger compartment. It shall be readable, without moving any part of the vehicle, through the vehicle glazing under daylight lighting conditions by an observer having 20/20 vision (Snellen) whose eye-point is located outside the vehicle adjacent to the left windshield pillar. Each character in the VIN subject to this paragraph shall have a minimum height of 4 mm.
VIN number visible though glass, located in the passenger compartment

VIN number for cars built for the US, after 1980, shall be located in the passenger compartment, and visible though the glass.
(g) Each character in each VIN shall be one of the letters in the set: [ABCDEFGHJKLMNPRSTUVWXYZ] or a numeral in the set: [0123456789] assigned according to the method given in §565.15.
(h) All spaces provided for in the VIN must be occupied by a character specified in paragraph (g) of this section.
(i) The type face utilized for each VIN shall consist of capital, sanserif characters.
Now it all changes. Imported cars.  There is a specific section for imported cars CFR 565.14 and 565.24. It says how VIN's should be treated.

From the Green Bay Press Gazzette.

Import vehicles must have 17-digit manufacturer identification numbers affixed to the firewall and stamped on it. ID numbers with fewer than 17 digits aren’t deemed street legal in the US, and removal of the tag is illegal.
“If you don’t have a (vehicle identification number) on the vehicle and you purchase it with a title, how do you know it’s the right vehicle?” said Andrea O’Brien, a supervisor with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Division of Motor Vehicles.

VIN number stamped into the firewall of Nissan/Infiniti


§ 565.14   Motor vehicles imported into the United States.
 top(a) Importers shall utilize the VIN assigned by the original manufacturer of the motor vehicle.
The VIN number of a Nissan Skyline is the chassis number. It is located on the firewall of the car.
(b) All passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, low speed vehicles and trucks of 4536 kg or less GVWR certified by a Registered Importer under 49 CFR part 592 whose VINs do not comply with part 565.13 and 565.14 shall have a plate or label that contains the following statement, in characters that have a minimum height of 4 mm and the identification number assigned by the vehicle's original manufacturer inserted in the blank: SUBSTITUTE FOR U.S. VIN: _____ SEE 49 CFR PART 565. The plate or label shall conform to §565.13 (h) and (i). The plate or label shall be permanently affixed inside the passenger compartment. The plate or label shall be readable, without moving any part of the vehicle, through the vehicle glazing under daylight conditions by an observer having 20/20 vision (Snellen) whose eye-point is located outside the vehicle adjacent to the left windshield pillar. It shall be located in such a manner as not to cover, obscure, or overlay any part of any identification number affixed by the original manufacturer. Motor vehicles conforming to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 115 are exempt from this paragraph.
There should be a label affixed to the car that is visible, and should not block the original ID number.   In the case of the Nissan Skyline, the original chassis number is stamped on the firewall. They are saying he altered the VIN of the car, but the VIN number is still on the chassis.

VIN number on a door

565.24   Motor vehicles imported into the United States.
 top(a) Importers shall utilize the VIN assigned by the original manufacturer of the motor vehicle.
(b) A passenger car certified by a Registered Importer under 49 CFR part 592 shall have a plate or label that contains the following statement, in characters with a minimum height of 4 mm, with the identification number assigned by the original manufacturer provided in the blank: SUBSTITUTE FOR U.S. VIN:___SEE PART 565. The plate or label shall conform to §565.23 (h) and (i). The plate or label shall be permanently affixed inside the passenger compartment. The plate or label shall be readable, without moving any part of the vehicle, through the vehicle glazing under daylight lighting conditions by an observer having 20/20 vision (Snellen) whose eye-point is located outside the vehicle adjacent to the left windshield pillar. It shall be located in such a manner as not to cover, obscure, or overlay any part of any identification number affixed by the original manufacturer. Passenger cars conforming to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 115 are exempt from this paragraph.


This is no reason to crush a car, there is a clear VIN/chassis number on the car, its stamped on the firewall.  Every Nissan/Infiniti vehicle sold in the US has this same layout.   This is merely a minor label issue that they are trying to turn into a problem to make him an example. There are lots of parts in a modern car with VIN numbers on them.  Just because the US has 17 digit VIN's does not mean the rest of the world does. If you are shown something that is not 17 digits, it doesn't mean its illegal, it doesn't mean that its wrong, just that different parts of the world have different requirements. Nothing more, nothing less.

The VIN of each vehicle shall appear clearly and indelibly upon either a part of the vehicle, other than the glazing, that is not designed to be removed except for repair or upon a separate plate or label that is permanently affixed to such a part.
VIN number on a fender
Source: Code of Federal Regulations

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