VIN Decoder API + NHTSA Recalls: Bulk Make, Model, Year

Bulk-decode VINs into make, model, year, trim, engine, body and plant with NHTSA vPIC, plus open NHTSA safety recalls for each vehicle. Official free data. $2 per 1,000 VINs.

What does it do?

VIN Decoder + Recalls bulk-decodes Vehicle Identification Numbers with NHTSA's official vPIC API into make, model, model year, trim, body class, drive type, fuel, engine, transmission and plant, and attaches NHTSA safety recalls for each vehicle.

• ✅ Official public data source: no login, no cookies, no proxies
• ✅ Fast: plain API calls, typical runs finish in seconds
• ✅ Clean, flat JSON / CSV / Excel output, ready for Sheets, BI tools or AI agents
• ✅ Pay only for results: no monthly rental

Use cases

• Dealers & auto marketplaces: enrich inventory listings.
• Fleet & insurance: decode and recall-check vehicles in bulk.
• Auto repair: surface open recalls for customer vehicles.

How to use it

1. Click Try for free. The input is prefilled with a working example.
2. Edit the input (see examples below) and click Start.
3. Download results as JSON, CSV, Excel or HTML, or pull them via API.

Input examples

Decode two VINs with recalls

{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCV1F34JA000001",
    "5YJ3E1EA7KF000001"
  ],
  "includeRecalls": true
}

Output

Sample rows:

vin	make	model	modelYear	trim	bodyClass	engineHP	recallCount
1HGCV1F34JA000001	HONDA	Accord	2018	Sport	Sedan/Saloon	192	6
5YJ3E1EA7KF000001	TESLA	Model 3	2019		Sedan/Saloon		22
NOTAVIN

Sample JSON record (long fields shortened):

{
  "vin": "1HGCV1F34JA000001",
  "decoded": true,
  "make": "HONDA",
  "model": "Accord",
  "modelYear": "2018",
  "trim": "Sport",
  "series": null,
  "bodyClass": "Sedan/Saloon",
  "vehicleType": "PASSENGER CAR",
  "driveType": "4x2",
  "fuelTypePrimary": "Gasoline",
  "engineCylinders": "4",
  "displacementL": "1.5",
  "engineHP": "192",
  "transmissionStyle": "Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)",
  "doors": "4",
  "gVWR": "Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)",
  "manufacturer": "AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.",
  "plantCountry": "UNITED STATES (USA)",
  "plantState": "OHIO",
  "plantCity": "MARYSVILLE",
  "electrificationLevel": null,
  "errorCode": "1",
  "errorText": "1 - Check Digit (9th position) does not calculate properly",
  "recallCount": 6,
  "recalls": [
    {
      "campaign": "20V314000",
      "reportDate": "28/05/2020",
      "component": "FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP",
      "summary": "Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Acco...",
      "consequence": "If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.",
      "remedy": "Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge.  The recall began July 22, 2020.  Owners may co..."
    },
    {
      "campaign": "20V771000",
      "reportDate": "10/12/2020",
      "component": "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE",
      "summary": "Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, and 2019-2020 Insight vehicles.  A software ...",
      "consequence": "Various system malfunctions such as inoperative windshield wipers, defroster, rearview camera, or exterior lighting can increase the risk...",
      "remedy": "Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the BCM software, free of charge.  The recall is expected to begin February 22, 2021.  ..."
    },
    {
      "campaign": "18V629000",
      "reportDate": "13/09/2018",
      "component": "BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA",
      "summary": "Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Accord and 2019 Honda Insight vehicles.  In certain scenarios, the back-...",
      "consequence": "If the rearview camera display does not show what is behind the vehicle, it can increase the risk of a crash.",
      "remedy": "Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the display audio unit software, free of charge.  The recall began October 30, 2018...."
    },
    "..."
  ],
  "recallNote": "Recalls are matched by make/model/year, not by this specific VIN; confirm open status at nhtsa.gov/recalls.",
  "source": "NHTSA vPIC + NHTSA Recalls API"
}

Pricing

Pay per event: $0.002 per VIN decoded ($2.00 per 1,000). No start fee, no monthly rental. Rows for not-found inputs and errors are free.

Results	Cost
100 VIN decodeds	$0.20
1,000 VIN decodeds	$2.00
10,000 VIN decodeds	$20.00

Apify's free plan includes monthly platform credit, so you can try it at no cost.

Integrations

• Google Sheets: use Apify's Google Sheets integration, or import the dataset CSV link with =IMPORTDATA().
• Zapier & Make: trigger runs and receive the dataset via the official Apify apps.
• Webhooks & schedules: run daily or hourly and post results anywhere.
• AI agents (MCP): available to Claude, ChatGPT and other agents through the Apify MCP server.
• API & SDKs: call from Python, JavaScript or any HTTP client:

curl -X POST 'https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/clearpathdata~nhtsa-vin-decoder-recalls/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"vins": ["1HGCV1F34JA000001", "5YJ3E1EA7KF000001"], "includeRecalls": true}'

FAQ

Worldwide VINs?

vPIC is best for vehicles sold in the US.

Recalls by VIN?

Recalls are matched by make/model/year from NHTSA; confirm VIN-specific status with the manufacturer.

Something not working?

Open an issue on the Actor's Issues tab, and it will be fixed quickly.

More details

Bulk-decode VINs into make, model, year, trim, engine, body and plant data with NHTSA vPIC, and attach the NHTSA safety recalls for each vehicle.

Decode VINs in bulk with NHTSA's official vPIC database and get each vehicle's safety recalls from the NHTSA Recalls API, all in one row per VIN.

Uses: dealers and used-car listings, fleet management, insurance intake, parts compatibility, recall outreach.

Output fields

make, model, model year, trim, series, body class, vehicle type, drive type, fuel, cylinders, displacement, HP, transmission, doors, GVWR, manufacturer, plant location, electrification, decode error code/text. With recalls on, you also get the recall count and a list of campaigns (number, date, component, summary, consequence, remedy, park-it flags).

Notes

NHTSA lists recalls by make/model/year, so a listed recall does not mean this specific VIN is unrepaired. Confirm open status at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Data comes from public U.S. DOT/NHTSA APIs. Not affiliated with NHTSA.

Pricing

Pay per event: vin-decoded. Charged per VIN decoded (recalls included). You pay only for results. Not-found/error rows are free. Apify platform usage is included.

Example input

{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCV1F34JA000001",
    "5YJ3E1EA7KF000001",
    "NOTAVIN"
  ],
  "includeRecalls": true
}

Built by clearpathdata, a maker of official-government-data Actors. Questions and feature requests are welcome in the Issues tab.