Toyota VIN Numbers: How to Decode Any Toyota or Lexus VIN

Long Pattern Editorial

Toyota uses multiple WMI codes across its US and Japan plants. This guide breaks down every section of a Toyota VIN and explains what each character means.

Toyota is one of the world's largest automakers, with assembly plants in Japan, the United States, Canada, and several other countries. Each plant has its own WMI code, which means a Toyota built in Georgetown, Kentucky looks very different in its VIN prefix than one built in Aichi, Japan.

Toyota's WMI Codes

Toyota's most common WMI codes include:

  • JTD, JTM — Toyota passenger cars and SUVs assembled in Japan
  • 4T1 — Toyota passenger cars assembled in the United States
  • 5TD — Toyota minivans and SUVs assembled in the United States
  • 2T1 — Toyota vehicles assembled in Canada
  • JT2 — Toyota passenger cars, Japan (older models)

View the full Toyota manufacturer page for a complete list.

Reading the Vehicle Descriptor Section (Positions 4–8)

Toyota's VDS encodes restraint systems, body type, and model series in positions 4–8. While Toyota's internal encoding has evolved over decades, position 4 typically relates to the restraint/airbag system, position 5 to the body line or series, and positions 6–8 to the body style and engine.

For example, in a Camry VIN, position 5 often distinguishes between the LE, SE, XLE, and XSE trims — though decoding this precisely requires the NHTSA vPIC lookup, which our VIN decoder performs automatically.

Toyota Plant Codes (Position 11)

Toyota's position 11 plant codes include:

  • U — Georgetown, KY (Camry, Avalon, ES 350)
  • X — Georgetown, KY plant 2 (RAV4, Venza)
  • 5 — Princeton, IN (Highlander, Sienna)
  • B — Cambridge, Ontario (Corolla, Matrix)

Browse Toyota plant codes on our assembly plants page.

Lexus VINs

Lexus vehicles — Toyota's luxury division — use separate WMI codes. Most Lexus models imported from Japan begin with JT8 or JTH. Lexus vehicles assembled in the United States (the ES 350, made in Kentucky) carry a 4-prefix WMI. Both brands share Toyota's overall VIN structure and plant code conventions.

Model Year Verification

As with all vehicles, verify the model year by checking position 10. A 2024 Toyota should show R in that position. If you see anything different, verify the paperwork carefully before purchase.