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API Documentation

Car Vin Api Reference

Everything you need to integrate vehicle data into your application. Our RESTful API is simple, fast, and reliable.

Quick Start

1

Sign Up

Create a free account — no credit card required.

2

Get API Key

Generate an API key from your dashboard.

3

Make Requests

Start decoding VINs with a simple POST request.

Authentication

All API endpoints require an API key passed via the x-api-key header. The VIN decode endpoint also supports anonymous requests with rate limiting.

curl -X POST https://carvinapi.com/api/v1/decode \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186"}'

Endpoints

POST
/api/v1/decode
Decode a single VIN to get comprehensive vehicle information. Supports both authenticated and anonymous requests.

Authentication

Optional — anonymous requests are rate-limited. Include x-api-key header for higher limits.

Request Body

{
  "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186"
}

Response

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186",
    "make": "Honda",
    "model": "Civic",
    "year": "1991",
    "bodyClass": "Passenger Car",
    "engine": "1.5L L4",
    "transmission": "Manual",
    "fuelType": "Gasoline",
    "driveType": "FWD",
    "manufacturer": "Honda Motor Co., Ltd",
    "vehicleType": "Passenger Car"
  }
}
POST
/api/v1/recalls
API Key Required
Look up vehicle safety recalls by VIN or by make/model/year. Powered by official NHTSA recall data.

Option 1 — Lookup by VIN

{
  "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186"
}

Option 2 — Lookup by Make/Model/Year

{
  "make": "Honda",
  "model": "Civic",
  "year": "2020"
}

Response

{
  "success": true,
  "count": 1,
  "vehicle": { "make": "Honda", "model": "Civic", "year": "2020" },
  "data": [{
    "campaignNumber": "20V123000",
    "component": "AIR BAGS",
    "summary": "Air bag inflator may rupture",
    "consequence": "Injury risk",
    "remedy": "Replace inflator",
    "reportDate": "01/15/2020",
    "manufacturer": "Honda Motor Co."
  }]
}
POST
/api/v1/batch-decode
API Key Required
Decode up to 20 VINs in a single request. Ideal for bulk processing and fleet management.

Request Body

{
  "vins": [
    "1HGBH41JXMN109186",
    "5YJSA1DG9DFP14705"
  ]
}

Response

{
  "success": true,
  "totalDecoded": 2,
  "totalRequested": 2,
  "results": [
    {
      "success": true,
      "data": { "vin": "1HGB...", "make": "Honda", "model": "Civic", ... }
    },
    {
      "success": true,
      "data": { "vin": "5YJS...", "make": "Tesla", "model": "Model S", ... }
    }
  ]
}

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