How to find your build date, series and VIN
Use the build date, series and VIN to match the right part to your vehicle before you order.
If you order by model name alone, you can end up with the wrong part. The build date, series and VIN help you match the exact vehicle, and the build month is the key detail because parts are matched to when the vehicle came off the production line.
Why the build date matters
Build date is the month and year the vehicle came off the production line. Parts are matched to it, so two vehicles with the same model name can still need different parts if they were built in different months.
Do not confuse build date with compliance date. Compliance date is when the vehicle was approved for supply in Australia, and it can be weeks or months after the build date. Model year is a marketing label and can differ from both.
On this site, every listing carries the series and the build month range, and the finder on the home page asks for make, model and build date. That helps narrow the result to the part that fits your vehicle.
Where to find the build date and compliance details
Australian government guidance lists the usual plate or label positions. Look in these places:
- the firewall between the engine bay and the cabin
- a front suspension tower in the engine bay
- the driver side door pillar
- the door jamb or door opening
- the front footwell on forward control vans
Newer vehicles often carry a printed label rather than a riveted metal plate. On 1 July 2021 the Road Vehicle Standards Act replaced the Motor Vehicle Standards Act. Vehicles approved under it are recorded on the Register of Approved Vehicles, a public online database, and many carry no traditional compliance plate.
If you cannot find a plate, check the label positions above and compare the details with the vehicle documents. The build date is the month and year you need for parts matching.
How to find the VIN
The VIN is a 17 character code. You will usually find it in one or more of these places:
- on the build plate or label
- on the driver side door jamb
- through the base of the windscreen on the driver side
- on the registration papers
A VIN lets a parts supplier identify the exact variant, engine, transmission and build period. That makes it one of the best checks before you order.
Some older Japanese built vehicles use a shorter chassis number instead. It works the same way for lookups.
How to identify the series
A series code marks a generation. For example, N80 is a Hilux built from 2015, and PX is a Ranger built from 2011. A facelift can keep the series code but change lights, bumpers and grilles, so the series alone does not always tell you enough.
Use the series with the build month and VIN together. That combination helps separate vehicles that look similar but use different parts.
What to check before ordering
- Find the build date and note the month and year.
- Check the series code and confirm whether the vehicle has had a facelift.
- Record the VIN from the plate, label, windscreen base, door jamb or registration papers.
- Compare the build month range on the listing with your vehicle.
- Use the home page finder with make, model and build date if you are unsure.
If you are still not sure, send your VIN through the contact page and we can help check it for you.