VIN vs Registration Number: What Is the Difference?

Your registration can change with a private plate. Your VIN never does.

Registration

  • Shown on the number plates
  • Can change with a private plate
  • Identifies the vehicle on the road

VIN

  • 17 characters on the car and V5C
  • Set at the factory, never changes
  • Identifies the vehicle itself

The registration can change, the VIN does not

A registration is assigned to the vehicle for the road and can move between vehicles. The VIN is set when the vehicle is built and stays with it for life.

Private plates and transfers

When a private plate is put on or taken off, the registration changes but the VIN stays the same. That is why the VIN is the better way to identify the car itself.

When you need the VIN rather than the reg

Parts suppliers, insurers, recall checks and import or export paperwork often ask for the VIN, because it pins down the exact vehicle and build.

Checking the two match before you buy

Make sure the VIN on the windscreen, the door pillar and section E of the V5C all agree, and that the V5C shows the registration on the car. Read our UK VIN check guide or use our reg to VIN lookup.