Honda VIN structure
Honda VINs start with 1HG (USA: Marysville OH, Lincoln AL, Greensboro NC), 2HG (Canada: Alliston ON), JHM (Japan) and SHH (UK: Swindon). The 4th–8th digits encode model line, body and engine.
WMI — the first three characters
| WMI | Manufacturer / region |
|---|---|
| 1HG | Honda USA (passenger) |
| 2HG | Honda Canada (Alliston, ON) |
| JHM | Honda Japan |
| SHH | Honda UK (Swindon) |
| 5FN | Honda USA (SUV/van lines) |
Major assembly plants
| Plant | Models built |
|---|---|
| Marysville, OH (USA) | Accord, CR-V, Acura |
| Lincoln, AL (USA) | Accord, Odyssey, Pilot |
| Greensburg, IN (USA) | Civic, Insight, CR-V |
| Alliston, ON (Canada) | Civic, CR-V |
| Swindon (UK) | Civic (historic) |
| Saitama/Yorii (Japan) | Honda Japan lines |
Model year — the 10th character
10th digit = model year; Honda adopted the 17-digit VIN in 1981 (US market). See the full VIN year chart.
Options and packages
Honda trims (LX/EX/Touring) are partially visible in the VDS, but option packages are not in the VIN — the window sticker is the arbiter. Decoders occasionally mislabel LX vs EX on Civic sedans; verify seat fabric and infotainment physically.
Build sheet channels for Honda
| Channel | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Honda Owners (official) | Free | US owner portal shows factory specs by VIN |
| Honda dealer | Free–varies | Dealers pull the factory build sheet on request |
| Window sticker reproduction | ~$10 per label | Original Monroney label by VIN |
Full comparison across all brands: build sheet channels & prices.
Known decode traps
- Decoder LX/EX confusion on Civics is common — verify physically before quoting a price difference.
- US-built vs Japan-built examples of the same model have different WMI but identical model codes; parts catalogs care.
Recalls and this brand
Honda recall lookups via NHTSA; the Takata campaigns made Honda the most-checked brand — always verify by VIN on the official portal.