# NHTSA VIN Decoder & Vehicle Specs Scraper (`scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper`) Actor
Decode any vehicle VIN into full specifications using the official US NHTSA vPIC database. Get make, model, year, trim, body class, engine, cylinders, horsepower, fuel type and plant. Export to JSON, CSV or Excel.
- **URL**: https://apify.com/scrapers\_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Scrapers Lat](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, Automation, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet
## Pricing
from $6.15 / 1,000 results
This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.
Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event
## What's an Apify Actor?
Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".
## How to integrate an Actor?
If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.
- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).
For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.
For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).
# README
[](https://console.apify.com/actors/1Ptcr8ydhck7x6Toa/input)
## NHTSA VIN Decoder & Vehicle Specs Scraper
> Decode any vehicle VIN into full specifications using the official US NHTSA vPIC database, with up to 70 populated fields per vehicle including ADAS safety equipment, plus every open safety recall campaign tied to that vehicle
**📥 [Input](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/input-schema) · 📤 [Output](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/output-schema) · 💰 [Pricing](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/pricing) · ▶️ [Examples](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples)**
Up to 70 fields per VIN
Open recalls per vehicle
United States vPIC database
JSON / CSV / Excel output formats
### Who is it for
| Use case | Who benefits |
|---|---|
| Enrich vehicle listings with full specs from the VIN alone | Used-car marketplaces and dealers |
| Validate VINs and standardize vehicle data in bulk | Insurance and lending platforms |
| Build a clean vehicle specification dataset for analytics | Automotive data and research teams |
| Auto-fill make, model, year and engine in intake forms | Repair shops and inspection apps |
| Verify fleet vehicle details against the official catalog | Fleet and logistics operators |
| Flag vehicles under an open safety recall before purchase or resale | Dealers, insurers, and inspection teams |
### Frequently Asked Questions
**What kind of VIN can I decode?**\
Full 17-character VINs return the most complete specifications. Partial VINs also work if you replace the unknown characters with an asterisk, for example 5UXWX7C5\*BA, which is useful when you only have the standardized part of the VIN.
**Does it work for older vehicles?**\
Yes. The vPIC database covers vehicles across many model years, and the model year is derived from the VIN itself. For partial or wildcard VINs where the year cannot be read from the VIN, you can supply a Model Year hint to improve accuracy.
**Why do different vehicles return a different set of fields?**\
The actor only includes fields the database actually has data for on each specific vehicle. A simple sedan and a fully optioned SUV will not carry the same fields, so empty values are dropped instead of filling your output with blank columns.
**Can I decode many VINs in one run?**\
Yes. Paste your full list of VINs, one per line, and the actor decodes each one and returns a single dataset. Use Max Items to cap how many are processed if you only need a sample.
**Does it show safety recalls?**\
Yes. Alongside the full specifications, each decoded vehicle carries a recallCount and a recalls list of every open NHTSA safety recall campaign for that make, model and year, with the affected component, the safety consequence, the free remedy, the official campaign number, and do-not-drive or over-the-air-update flags. This lets you flag a vehicle that needs attention straight from its VIN.
**How do I know a VIN decoded correctly?**\
Every record carries errorCode and errorText. A code of 0 means the VIN decoded clean. Other codes flag issues such as an incomplete VIN or characters the manufacturer did not submit, so you can filter on them.
### Example use cases
Ready-to-run example tasks, each preconfigured for a common scenario. Open one and press run, or use it as a template:
- [BMW X5 VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/bmw-x5-vin-decoder): Decode a BMW X5 VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Chevrolet Corvette VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/chevrolet-corvette-vin-decoder): Decode a Chevrolet Corvette VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Dodge Ram 1500 VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/dodge-ram-1500-vin-decoder): Decode a Dodge Ram 1500 VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Ford F-150 VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/ford-f150-vin-decoder): Decode a Ford F-150 VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Honda Accord VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/honda-accord-vin-decoder): Decode a Honda Accord VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Jeep Wrangler VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/jeep-wrangler-vin-decoder): Decode a Jeep Wrangler VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Nissan Altima VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/nissan-altima-vin-decoder): Decode a Nissan Altima VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Tesla Model 3 VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/tesla-model-3-vin-decoder): Decode a Tesla Model 3 VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Toyota Camry VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/toyota-camry-vin-decoder): Decode a Toyota Camry VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
- [Volkswagen Jetta VIN Decoder](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper/examples/volkswagen-jetta-vin-decoder): Decode a Volkswagen Jetta VIN against the official NHTSA vPIC database for make, model, year, engine, plant and specs.
### Export, API and AI agents (x402 + MCP)
Export the scraped data to **JSON, CSV or Excel**, pull it as a **dataset** through the Apify **API**, or wire it into your app with **no code**. This web scraper and data extractor also works for bulk data extraction and scheduled runs.
For AI agents: this Actor is available on **x402**, Apify's agentic payment standard built with Coinbase. An AI agent can discover, pay for and run it on its own with a funded wallet and a single HTTP request: no account, no subscription, no API key and no human in the loop. It also runs as an **MCP** tool inside Claude, Cursor and other AI clients out of the box. Learn more about [x402 agentic payments on Apify](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/x402).
### Related scrapers
Need data from the same space? Here are other scrapers we build and maintain:
- [SEC EDGAR Company Filings Scraper](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/sec-edgar-filings-scraper): Scrape SEC EDGAR company filings by ticker or CIK. Get form type, filing date, accession number...
- [USAspending Federal Award Scraper](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/usaspending-awards-scraper): Scrape US federal prime awards from USAspending.gov. Get recipient, UEI, award amount, awarding...
- [openFDA Drug Events & Recalls Scraper](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/openfda-drug-events-scraper): Scrape FDA drug adverse event reports (FAERS) and drug recall and enforcement actions from the...
- [Grants.gov Opportunity Scraper](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/grants-gov-scraper): Extract U.S. federal grant opportunities from the official Grants.gov API. Scrape title, agency...
- [NPPES NPI Provider Scraper](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/nppes-npi-scraper): Scrape US healthcare provider records from the official NPPES NPI Registry. Search by name...
- [BizQuest Businesses-for-Sale Listings Scraper](https://apify.com/scrapers_lat/bizquest-scraper): Extract US businesses-for-sale listings from BizQuest with the broker or seller contact (name...
### More scrapers at scrapers.lat
This actor is built and maintained by [scrapers.lat](https://scrapers.lat), where we publish scrapers for Latin American and US public platforms: real estate, jobs, e-commerce, company registries and government data. Browse the full catalog, see live sample output for each one, or ask us for a custom scraper at [scrapers.lat](https://scrapers.lat).
***
> This actor is an independent tool and has no affiliation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the US Department of Transportation. It accesses only the vPIC vehicle product data that NHTSA publishes as a public record. Use this data lawfully and responsibly and respect the NHTSA terms of use.
# Actor input Schema
## `maxVins` (type: `integer`):
Maximum number of VINs to decode. Optional. Leave empty to decode every VIN in the list.
## `vins` (type: `array`):
Vehicle Identification Numbers to decode, one per line. Full 17-character VINs give the most complete results, but partial VINs with an asterisk wildcard (for example 5UXWX7C5\*BA) also work. Case-insensitive.
## `modelYear` (type: `integer`):
Optional model year hint. Improves accuracy for partial or wildcard VINs where the year cannot be derived from the VIN itself. Applied to every VIN in the list.
## Actor input object example
```json
{
"maxVins": 100,
"vins": [
"1HGCM82633A004352",
"5UXWX7C5*BA"
]
}
```
# Actor output Schema
## `results` (type: `string`):
No description
# API
You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.
## JavaScript example
```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';
// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
token: '',
});
// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
"maxVins": 100,
"vins": [
"1HGCM82633A004352",
"5UXWX7C5*BA"
]
};
// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper").call(input);
// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
console.dir(item);
});
// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs
```
## Python example
```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient
# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("")
# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
"maxVins": 100,
"vins": [
"1HGCM82633A004352",
"5UXWX7C5*BA",
],
}
# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)
# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
print(item)
# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start
```
## CLI example
```bash
echo '{
"maxVins": 100,
"vins": [
"1HGCM82633A004352",
"5UXWX7C5*BA"
]
}' |
apify call scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper --silent --output-dataset
```
## MCP server setup
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"apify": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=scrapers_lat/nhtsa-vin-decoder-scraper",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer "
]
}
}
}
```
## OpenAPI specification
Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/1Ptcr8ydhck7x6Toa/builds/vIOJLR9grZ501Xttd/openapi.json