The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators encourages jurisdictions to adopt the following principles to promote uniform Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) replacement and assignment to deter counterfeiting and fraudulent use of VINs.
- Jurisdiction issued VINs should be a minimum of 7 characters.
- Replacement VIN vehicle plates should be placed on the lower B pillar in the driver’s opening, nearest to the door striker. VIN replacement plates for trailers should be placed on the tongue or on a solid base of the trailer easily accessible to being inspected or reviewed.
- Jurisdictions allowing another agency to maintain replacement VINs should approve the VIN provider’s method of securing the VINs prior to issuance.
- Jurisdiction approved personnel should be used to locate and verify the vehicle’s confidential VINs. If the vehicle needing a new VIN is in another jurisdiction, approved personnel in the jurisdiction of the vehicle’s location may be provided the assigned VIN information and asked to locate and verify the vehicle’s confidential VINs.