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Mazda VIN decoder

Our free decoder reads a Mazda VIN the moment its 17th character goes in. This page explains Mazda’s own layout, where two letters name the car line and one digit names the factory.

By Tayron Bram

Updated October 2026 · 3 min read

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Letters and numbers, no I, O or Q. It decodes as soon as all 17 are in.

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On this page
  1. What the free decode covers
  2. Mazda manufacturer codes (WMI)
  3. How Mazda codes positions 4 to 8 and 11
  4. Mazda checks: year code, VIN location and recalls
  5. Before you buy a used Mazda

What the free decode covers

Behind the box is NHTSA’s vPIC database. For a Mazda it typically returns the model year, model, trim, body, drive type, engine size, cylinders and fuel, the plant, airbag positions and the weight class, as Mazda reported them. Then come the recalls NHTSA lists for that year and model. A decode isn’t a history check: it won’t show a salvage or flood title, a crash or the mileage the car has done. That takes a report (pricing). The general VIN decoder handles every make.

Mazda manufacturer codes (WMI)

Source: NHTSA vPIC. Mazda also holds other codes (JC1, JC2, 3MY, 3MD, 7MU), some for cars sold under partner brands; not an exhaustive list.
WMIManufacturer as registeredVehicle type
JM1Mazda Motor CorporationPassenger car
JM3Mazda Motor CorporationMultipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV)
JM2Mazda Motor CorporationTruck
3MZMazda Motor Manufacturing de MexicoPassenger car
3MVMazda Motor Manufacturing de MexicoMultipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV)
7MMMazda Toyota Manufacturing, USAMultipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV)

Position 1 gives the country: J for Japan, 3 for Mexico and 7 for the United States in Mazda’s codes. Mazda’s own coding sheet ties them to models: 3MZ for the Mazda3 and 3MV for the CX-30 built in Mexico, and 7MM for SUVs from Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, U.S.A.

How Mazda codes positions 4 to 8 and 11

Mazda’s filings with NHTSA split the descriptor section like this:

  • Positions 4 and 5, carline: two letters for the model family. The 2026 sheets use KM for the CX-5, DM for the CX-30, ND for the MX-5 and KJ for the CX-70.
  • Position 6: trim level together with the restraint system and GVWR class, so a CX-5 S and a CX-5 Premium differ here.
  • Position 7: transmission, driven axle and body style.
  • Position 8: engine type, which Mazda’s sheet defines with fuel, cylinders, displacement, horsepower and electrification level.
  • Position 11, plant: 0 is Hiroshima and 1 is Hofu (Yamaguchi), both in Japan; M is Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico; N is Mazda Toyota Manufacturing in Huntsville, Alabama.

Mazda checks: year code, VIN location and recalls

Mazda’s sheet prints the coming year codes in advance: T for 2026, V for 2027, W for 2028, X for 2029 and Y for 2030. Earlier years are in VIN year codes.

According to Mazda USA, the VIN is on a sticker in the driver’s door jamb and at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, as well as on the registration and insurance card. To check one car’s recall status, enter the VIN on Mazda’s recall page or at NHTSA; the decoder’s list is for the model as a whole.

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Letters and numbers, no I, O or Q. It’s on the dashboard by the windshield, on the driver’s door frame, and on the title.

Before you buy a used Mazda

  • Compare the door-jamb and windshield VINs with the title. A different VIN is a reason to walk away.
  • Check positions 4 and 5 against the model in the ad, and position 6 against the trim.
  • Look for salvage, rebuilt or flood brands in the title history (salvage title check).
  • Check the mileage against earlier records (odometer rollback check).

With us, a CARFAX report is $8.99 and an AutoCheck report $7.99.

Questions

Where was my Mazda built?

Read position 11. Mazda’s filings list 0 for Hiroshima, 1 for Hofu, M for Salamanca in Mexico and N for Huntsville, Alabama. A VIN starting with J was built in Japan, 3 in Mexico and 7 in the United States.

Which characters show the Mazda model?

Positions 4 and 5. For 2026, Mazda codes the CX-5 as KM, the CX-30 as DM, the MX-5 as ND and the CX-70 as KJ.

Does a Mazda VIN show the trim level?

Yes, through position 6, which Mazda uses for trim along with restraints and weight class. The decoder shows the trim NHTSA has for the VIN when Mazda reported it.

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About the author

Tayron Bram

Data Validation Officer

Tayron Bram is the Data Validation Officer at Smart VIN Check, with 41 years of experience in used-car sales, auto auctions and vehicle data. Tayron has checked thousands of vehicle history reports and worked with dealers importing cars from the US. At Smart VIN Check, Tayron checks that every fact in our guides matches its source, from state title rules to NMVTIS and NHTSA records, and goes back to those sources when they change. Before a guide is published, Tayron reads it the way a buyer would, looking for anything unclear, out of date or not backed by a source. Tayron also keeps the prices we quote from other sellers current, so the comparisons on our pages stay accurate.

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