# NHTSA VIN Decoder API - Bulk Vehicle Specs Lookup (`pink_comic/nhtsa-vin-decoder-vehicle-specs-api`) Actor

Decode one or up to 500 VINs with NHTSA's official no-key vPIC API. Get make, model, year, manufacturer, body, engine, fuel, drivetrain, plant, dimensions, and reported safety-technology fields. Supports partial VINs and optional model year. Explicit warnings and source evidence.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/pink_comic/nhtsa-vin-decoder-vehicle-specs-api.md
- **Developed by:** [Ava Torres](https://apify.com/pink_comic) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, AI
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 1,000 vin decode evidence records

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## NHTSA VIN Decoder API - Bulk Vehicle Specs Lookup

Decode one VIN or a batch of up to 500 VINs through the official public **NHTSA Vehicle Product Information Catalog (vPIC)** API. Get normalized vehicle identity, body, engine, fuel, drivetrain, assembly-plant, dimension, restraint, and reported safety-technology fields without an external API key.

### Why use this actor

- Official NHTSA vPIC source
- One VIN or up to 500 VINs per run
- Full and partial VIN support
- Optional model-year hint, recommended by NHTSA for partial and older VINs
- Total `maxResults` cap and duplicate removal
- Stable source-linked output even when fields are missing
- Bounded request, status, and response-read retries
- Explicit clean, warning, no-decode, and source-unavailable outcomes

### Input

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---:|---|
| `vin` | string | `1HGCM82633A004352` | One 5-17 character full or partial VIN |
| `vins` | string\[] | — | Up to 500 VINs; takes precedence over `vin` |
| `modelYear` | integer | — | Optional year hint applied to every input VIN |
| `maxResults` | integer | 100 | Total output cap after de-duplication |

#### One VIN

```json
{
  "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
  "modelYear": 2003,
  "maxResults": 1
}
```

#### Bulk VIN decode

```json
{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCM82633A004352",
    "5YJSA1E26HF000337",
    "1FTFW1ET1EFA00001"
  ],
  "maxResults": 3
}
```

When `vins` is non-empty, it takes precedence over the single `vin` field. This prevents the default example VIN from appearing in buyer batch output. Leave `modelYear` empty for mixed-year batches.

### Output

Every bounded VIN gets one stable record with:

- `evidenceStatus`: `VIN_DECODED_CLEAN`, `VIN_DECODED_WITH_WARNINGS`, or `VIN_NOT_DECODED`;
- normalized input VIN, NHTSA-returned VIN, error code, and official error text;
- make, model, model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, body class, series, and trim;
- engine model/manufacturer, cylinders, displacement, power, configuration, fuel, turbo, and electrification;
- transmission, speeds, drive type, axles, wheels, wheelbase, weights, bed, and cab;
- assembly plant company, city, state, and country;
- airbags, seat belts, ABS, ESC, traction control, TPMS, and available driver-assistance fields;
- bus, motorcycle, and trailer fields where relevant;
- official source endpoint, retrieval time, API message, and interpretation caveat.

Example excerpt:

```json
{
  "evidenceStatus": "VIN_DECODED_CLEAN",
  "inputVin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
  "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
  "decodeSuccessful": true,
  "errorCode": "0",
  "make": "HONDA",
  "model": "Accord",
  "modelYear": 2003,
  "manufacturer": "AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.",
  "vehicleType": "PASSENGER CAR",
  "bodyClass": "Coupe",
  "engineCylinders": 6,
  "displacementL": 2.998832712,
  "fuelTypePrimary": "Gasoline",
  "plantCountry": "UNITED STATES (USA)"
}
```

### Important interpretation limits

vPIC decode output is manufacturer-data-based vehicle specification evidence. It is **not**:

- a vehicle-history or accident report;
- a title, registration, ownership, lien, theft, or odometer record;
- a recall lookup or proof that recall work was completed;
- an inspection, valuation, warranty, or insurance determination;
- proof of a vehicle's current physical equipment, modifications, configuration, or condition.

NHTSA's API states: **missing decoded values mean NHTSA has no data for those variables. Missing values must not be interpreted as proof that a feature or technology is unavailable.** VIN error codes can identify check-digit, length, character, or decode warnings while still returning useful attributes. Verify consequential decisions against the physical vehicle and the relevant authoritative records.

### Source

- [NHTSA vPIC API documentation](https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/)
- Batch endpoint: `https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/vehicles/DecodeVINValuesBatch/`
- Official batch limit: 50 VINs per request; this actor safely chunks larger buyer lists

### Pricing

- Actor start: **$0.0001**
- Dataset item: **$0.002**

A 500-VIN batch costs about **$1.00** plus the negligible start event.

# Actor input Schema

## `vin` (type: `string`):

One 5-17 character VIN. Full modern VINs are normally 17 characters. NHTSA also supports partial VINs and \* for unavailable positions. Ignored when VINs contains entries.

## `vins` (type: `array`):

Optional list of up to 500 VINs or partial VINs. Duplicates are removed. This list takes precedence over the single VIN field.

## `modelYear` (type: `integer`):

Optional model year applied to every VIN. NHTSA recommends supplying it, especially for partial VINs and older/pre-1980 model-year ranges. Leave empty when a batch contains mixed years.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Total output cap after de-duplication. One output row is returned for each bounded input, including decode warnings or no-decode evidence.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
    "maxResults": 100
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("pink_comic/nhtsa-vin-decoder-vehicle-specs-api").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
    "maxResults": 100,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("pink_comic/nhtsa-vin-decoder-vehicle-specs-api").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
  "maxResults": 100
}' |
apify call pink_comic/nhtsa-vin-decoder-vehicle-specs-api --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,pink_comic/nhtsa-vin-decoder-vehicle-specs-api"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/1aVfagG6upd9y3jCa/builds/xORhMEMf42etRen9c/openapi.json