Car year check from the VIN, not the advert.
Enter the 17-character VIN or chassis number. The decode shows the model year and the model, so you can test what the seller and the papers say. The full report adds mileage and accident records where available, theft and recalls for ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
You can find a car's year from its VIN: on most cars the 10th character is the model-year code, which repeats every 30 years. The Carlytics decode reads it with the maker's own rules and shows the model year next to the model and engine. Where we have them, the report also shows the production year and the first registration as separate fields.
Model year vs year of manufacture
Two different years, and both appear on papers in Nigeria.
The model year is the year the maker sells the car as: a “2015 Camry”. The year of manufacture is when that particular car was built. They are often the same, but not always. Makers start building next year's model months before the calendar year begins, so a 2015 model-year car can have been built in 2014. A third year, the first registration, is when the car was first put on the road, which can be later still.
A difference of one year between these is normal. A difference of three years is not, and it usually means the papers or the advert describe a different car, or a newer-looking car with older parts underneath.
Why the year matters in Nigeria
In Nigeria the year changes the price, the paperwork and the parts you buy.
Customs
Nigeria Customs publishes an age limit for imported used cars, counted from the year of manufacture, and the year is part of how Customs values a car by its VIN. A wrong year on the customs papers is a problem for whoever owns the car next. Our customs papers check shows how to compare them.
Price
Two cars that look alike can be several years apart. Sellers know buyers pay more for a newer year, so the year in an advert is the easiest thing to stretch.
Parts
Engines, gearboxes and electronics change between years. Buying parts for the wrong year costs money twice.
How character 10 works
On most cars the 10th character of the VIN is the model-year code. It skips I, O, Q, U, Z and 0, and repeats every 30 years.
| Character 10 | Model year |
|---|---|
| A | 1980 or 2010 |
| B | 1981 or 2011 |
| C | 1982 or 2012 |
| D | 1983 or 2013 |
| E | 1984 or 2014 |
| F | 1985 or 2015 |
| G | 1986 or 2016 |
| H | 1987 or 2017 |
| J | 1988 or 2018 |
| K | 1989 or 2019 |
| L | 1990 or 2020 |
| M | 1991 or 2021 |
| N | 1992 or 2022 |
| P | 1993 or 2023 |
| R | 1994 or 2024 |
| S | 1995 or 2025 |
| T | 1996 or 2026 |
| V | 1997 or 2027 |
| W | 1998 or 2028 |
| X | 1999 or 2029 |
| Y | 2000 or 2030 |
| 1 to 9 | 2001 to 2009 (or 2031 to 2039) |
Because the code repeats, an E can mean 1984 or 2014. For a car on sale today the later year is almost always right, and the car's design settles it. Our decode resolves the cycle with the maker's own rules and the rest of the VIN, and does not guess when it cannot tell: no year is better than a wrong one.
Cars built for North America always use character 10 for the year. Many European and Asian makers do too, but not all, which is why a European car's year is best read from the decode and the first registration rather than from one character. See the VIN decoder for the other positions, and the Toyota VIN check for a worked example on the make most often checked in Nigeria.
When the year on the papers is wrong
What to do if the decode, the advert and the papers disagree.
- One year apart: ask whether the papers show the model year or the year of manufacture.
- Several years apart: ask for the original export or registration papers from the country the car came from.
- The customs papers disagree with the decode: confirm the duty status on CVMS or VREG before you pay.
- The seller cannot explain it: price the car on the older year, or walk away.
Signs a car is older than the advert says
Besides the VIN, the car carries small dates and design clues.
- Headlamps, bumpers or a grille from a newer facelift fitted to an older body.
- Date marks on the windows and seat belts that are older than the year in the advert.
- A tyre date code on the spare wheel that is years older than the car is said to be.
- A dashboard screen or controls that belong to an earlier version of the model.
None of these proves anything alone: windows and tyres get replaced. Together with the decoded year, they tell you whether the car is the year you are paying for. If the clues and the decode agree with each other but not with the advert, believe the clues and the decode.
What the report shows besides the year
Here is what to expect from a ₦9,900 report on a car with a 17-character VIN.
In the report
- A factory decode: make, model, model year, engine, fuel, body style and plant.
- Dated mileage records where available for the VIN, from the countries the car lived in.
- Accident and damage records where available for the VIN, for example salvage and write-off titles and auction damage classifications.
- A check against stolen-vehicle databases from the US, the EU and worldwide.
- Safety recall campaigns recorded for the make, model and year.
- Market value, known model issues and running-cost context.
Before you check
- Have the 17-character VIN ready. It is on the windscreen, the door pillar and the customs papers; a plate number alone is not enough.
- Confirm the customs duty status on Nigeria Customs CVMS or on VREG. The report does not cover customs duty.
- Book an independent mechanic to inspect the car before you transfer any money.
No record found is not proof that a car is undamaged or that its mileage is correct.
Checking a car's year, in order
Five steps, all before you agree a price.
- 1
Find the VIN
Read the 17-character VIN on the windscreen, the door pillar and the papers.
- 2
Read character 10
On most cars built for North America, and on many others, it is the model-year code.
- 3
Resolve the cycle
The code repeats every 30 years, so use the car's design and equipment to pick the right decade.
- 4
Decode the VIN
The decode reads the year with the maker's own rules and shows it next to the model.
- 5
Compare with the papers
The year on the customs papers and the vehicle licence should agree with the decode.
What we check before you pay for a car in Nigeria
One VIN, the records from the countries the car has lived in. These are the checks that matter most for a tokunbo car, a Nigerian-used car or a new Chinese model.
Accident and damage
The report includes accident and damage records where available for the VIN, such as salvage and write-off titles and auction damage classifications. An accidented car repaired abroad and shipped to Lagos can look clean on the lot; the record from its first life is where the repair shows. No record found is not proof the car was never damaged.
Mileage rollbacks
We put the dated mileage records we hold for the VIN in order, where available, so you can compare them with the dashboard. The weak point on a tokunbo car is the gap between the last reading abroad and the day it reached Nigeria.
Specs & equipment
We decode the factory specification from the VIN: make, model, year, engine, fuel, body and plant. Check it against the advert and the customs papers before you agree a price.
Safety recalls
We list safety recall campaigns recorded for the make, model and year. A car bought abroad and shipped to Nigeria rarely comes with its recall letters, so ask a dealer of the brand to confirm the work was done.
Flood damage
Check whether the car carries flood or weather damage records where available. Flood cars from US storms have been repaired and shipped to Nigeria before, and a flood car can fail electrically long after the sale.
Stolen car check
We check the VIN against stolen-vehicle databases from the US, the EU and worldwide. Cars stolen abroad have been shipped to Nigeria and seized from the buyer, so run this check before any transfer.
Photos
Where available, we include earlier photos of the car, for example from auctions. They can show damage, repairs or a different colour that the seller has not mentioned.
Market value
We estimate a fair market value from comparable cars, so you can tell whether the asking price is reasonable for the year, mileage and specification.
Trusted in 47+ countries, including the ones Nigeria imports from
Carlytics brings together vehicle records from 47+ countries, with 900M+ vehicles in its database, across Europe and North America, plus factory decoding for cars built in China, Japan and Korea. For a tokunbo car, that is where its earlier life was recorded.
Access data from national registries,
insurance databases, law enforcement and more.
How It Works
Carlytics checks a 17-character VIN in seconds by cross-referencing 900M+ records from 47+ countries. Enter the VIN from the windscreen, the door pillar or the customs papers, check the free preview, then unlock the full vehicle history report for ₦9,900.
From VIN to report in a few minutes. Check the free preview before you pay.
Enter the VIN
Type the 17-character VIN (chassis number) from the car or its papers. A Nigerian plate number is not enough on its own.
Check the preview
Confirm the make, model and year match what the seller told you before you pay anything.
Get the full report
Mileage and accident records where available, theft, recalls and value, in one report with a PDF you can forward.
Decide with evidence
Take the report to the inspection, ask the seller about every gap, and only then transfer money.
Why check a VIN before buying a car in Nigeria?
Nigeria spent ₦1.58 trillion importing passenger cars in 2025, and most of them arrived used. A car's history abroad does not follow it to Nigeria on paper; it follows it through the VIN.
Mileage on tokunbo cars
An odometer can be wound back between the last reading abroad and the sale in Nigeria. Dated mileage records, where available, show whether the dashboard fits the car's past.
Accidented and flood cars
Salvage and flood cars are bought cheaply abroad, repaired and sold here as clean tokunbo. Accident and damage records, where available, show what happened before the car was shipped.
Stolen abroad
Vehicles stolen in Canada have been traced to Nigeria and handed back to their owners. A theft check before payment protects you from losing the car and your money.
Year and model on the papers
Customs rules and duty depend on the year of manufacture and the exact model. The decoded year and specification help you test what the papers say.
Ready to check your vehicle?
Enter the VIN number below to get a free instant report.
Sample Vehicle Report
Every Carlytics report covers 24 sections including decoded specs, mileage history, safety recalls, theft status, market value, and cross-border import records. The full report costs ₦9,900 and is available instantly as an interactive page and downloadable PDF.
Here's an example of the comprehensive vehicle report you'll receive. Our reports provide detailed information to help you make informed decisions about any vehicle.
Toyota Corolla (2012)
1.8 L • Petrol • Automatic • Sedan
Vehicle Information
Official records
Vehicle Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know the year of a car from the chassis number?
Is the 10th character always the year?
Why is the year on the papers different from the VIN?
Does Nigeria Customs use the model year?
Can a Japanese-market car show its year from the chassis number?
How much is the full report?
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