# VIN Decoder (NHTSA) - Bulk VIN to Specs (`thoob/vin-decoder-specs`) Actor

Decodes a list of VINs into clean vehicle specifications, make, model, year, body, engine, fuel, transmission, plant, and manufacturer, from the official NHTSA vPIC database. No PII. Billed only per VIN that decodes to a real vehicle, with no per-run start fee.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/thoob/vin-decoder-specs.md
- **Developed by:** [Pono Data](https://apify.com/thoob) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, E-commerce
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$5.00 / 1,000 vin decodeds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

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

## VIN Decoder to Vehicle Specs (NHTSA)

Turn a list of VINs into clean vehicle specifications: make, model, year, trim,
body class, drive type, engine (cylinders, displacement, fuel), transmission,
plant, and manufacturer. Powered by the official NHTSA vPIC database, the US
Department of Transportation's free vehicle product information catalog. No key
required, and no personal data: vPIC returns vehicle specifications only, never
owner or registration information.

### Input

- **VINs**: one 17-character VIN per line. Lowercase and spaces are cleaned up.
  You can add an optional model year per VIN to help decode older or ambiguous
  VINs.
- **Max delivered VINs**: cap on billed rows (0 = no cap).

### Output

One row per VIN that decodes to a real vehicle, with the specification fields
above plus provenance: `sourceUrl` (the NHTSA vPIC decode for that VIN, open it to
verify every field), `retrievedAt`, `confidence`, and `dataSource`.

### How it works

Every field is copied from the NHTSA record. Nothing is inferred or guessed: a
field NHTSA does not have for a vehicle is left null, never filled in. VINs are
decoded in batches against the official endpoint, so a large list stays fast and
cheap.

A VIN that does not decode to a vehicle is written to a free `rejected` dataset
with a plain reason, and is never billed. That includes VINs that are not
17 characters or contain letters a VIN cannot have (rejected before any lookup),
and VINs NHTSA cannot resolve (for example a manufacturer not registered for US
roads). Duplicate VINs are decoded once.

### Confidence

- **1.0**: NHTSA decoded the VIN clean and the check digit is correct
  (vPIC ErrorCode 0).
- **0.8**: NHTSA decoded the make, model, and year, but flagged the 9th-position
  check digit (vPIC ErrorCode 1). The specifications are still from the record;
  the note is about VIN integrity, not the data.

### Billing

Pay only per VIN that decodes to a real vehicle. There is no per-run start fee.
VINs that do not decode cost nothing.

### Sample output

A real run decoding VINs against NHTSA vPIC:

| VIN | make | model | year | body | fuel |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1HGCM82633A004352 | HONDA | Accord | 2003 | Coupe | Gasoline |
| 1FTFW1ET5DFC10312 | FORD | F-150 | 2013 | Pickup | Gasoline |
| 5XYZUDLB3JG514659 | HYUNDAI | Santa Fe Sport | 2018 | SUV/MPV | Gasoline |
| JM1BL1V72C1234567 | MAZDA | Mazda3 | 2012 | Sedan/Saloon | Gasoline |

Every row carries a `sourceUrl` to the NHTSA decode, for example
`https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/vehicles/DecodeVinValues/1HGCM82633A004352?format=json`.
VINs that do not decode route to the free reject dataset.

### See also

More clean, pay-only-for-results data tools from Pono Data:

- [Barcode to Nutrition](https://apify.com/thoob/barcode-nutrition-lookup) - UPC/EAN to product and nutrition facts
- [ZIP / Postal Code to Geo](https://apify.com/thoob/zip-geo-lookup) - postal code to city, state, lat/lon

Full catalog: https://apify.com/thoob

# Actor input Schema

## `vins` (type: `array`):

Vehicle Identification Numbers to decode, one per line. A VIN is 17 characters. Letters I, O, and Q never appear in a real VIN. Lowercase and spaces are accepted and cleaned up.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Cap on decoded, billed rows. 0 means no cap. The platform spend cap is honored regardless.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCM82633A004352",
    "1FTFW1ET5DFC10312",
    "5XYZUDLB3JG514659"
  ],
  "maxResults": 0
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `vehicles` (type: `string`):

One row per VIN that decoded to a real vehicle.

# 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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "vins": [
        "1HGCM82633A004352",
        "1FTFW1ET5DFC10312",
        "5XYZUDLB3JG514659"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("thoob/vin-decoder-specs").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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "vins": [
        "1HGCM82633A004352",
        "1FTFW1ET5DFC10312",
        "5XYZUDLB3JG514659",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("thoob/vin-decoder-specs").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 '{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCM82633A004352",
    "1FTFW1ET5DFC10312",
    "5XYZUDLB3JG514659"
  ]
}' |
apify call thoob/vin-decoder-specs --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=thoob/vin-decoder-specs",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/CfmFvHfHW73abKvWi/builds/zr7rNLQ4ubowesTDE/openapi.json