Land Rover and Range Rover VINs start with SAL; the fourth character names the model line.
Specs are free. The Land Rover's history is the part that costs money — $5.99 of it.
Accident records, title brands, odometer readings, service history and open recalls for this VIN.
Get the full report — $5.99Land Rover VIN decoder: reading the code yourself
Every Land Rover and Range Rover VIN starts with SAL, so the interesting part comes next: the fourth character names the model line, which is the quickest way to catch a Range Rover Sport listed as a full-size Range Rover, or an Evoque sold as a Velar. The eleventh names one of three plants.
| Position | What Land Rover encodes there |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | World Manufacturer Identifier: SAL, Jaguar Land Rover Limited. |
| 4 | Model line (table below). |
| 5–8 | Wheelbase, body, engine and restraint codes; the decoder translates them. |
| 9 | Check digit. |
| 10 | Model year (table below). |
| 11 | Assembly plant (table below). |
| 12–17 | Production serial. |
Land Rover model letters (position 4, 2020-era VINs)
| Code | Model | Plant |
|---|---|---|
| G | Range Rover | Solihull |
| W | Range Rover Sport | Solihull |
| Y | Range Rover Velar | Solihull |
| Z | Range Rover Evoque | Halewood |
| R | Discovery | Nitra |
| C | Discovery Sport | Halewood |
| E | Defender | Nitra |
Each letter above was checked against NHTSA's database with a 2020 sample VIN. Earlier generations used other letters; the decoder resolves them from the full VIN.
Land Rover assembly plant codes (position 11)
| Code | Plant | Builds |
|---|---|---|
| A | Solihull, England | Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar |
| H | Halewood, England | Range Rover Evoque, Discovery Sport |
| 2 | Nitra, Slovakia | Discovery, Defender |
Model-year letters (position 10)
Every maker uses the same tenth-character code. 2001–2009 are the digits 1–9; from 2010 the alphabet starts again at A, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z so nothing is mistaken for a digit. The same letters were used for 1980–2000, which is why a VIN's seventh character matters: a letter there means the vehicle is 2010 or newer, a digit means 2009 or older.
| 1 2001 | 2 2002 | 3 2003 | 4 2004 | 5 2005 |
| 6 2006 | 7 2007 | 8 2008 | 9 2009 | A 2010 |
| B 2011 | C 2012 | D 2013 | E 2014 | F 2015 |
| G 2016 | H 2017 | J 2018 | K 2019 | L 2020 |
| M 2021 | N 2022 | P 2023 | R 2024 | S 2025 |
| T 2026 | V 2027 | W 2028 | X 2029 | Y 2030 |
Land Rover trouble spots to check in the history report
Land Rovers are expensive to repair, which is why the service history matters more than the mileage. Years are approximate.
- Air suspension (Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar, Discovery): leaking air springs, tired compressors and valve blocks. A car sitting low on one corner in the listing photos is a clue.
- 5.0 V8, about 2010–2013 (Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, LR4): timing-chain guide and tensioner wear; a chain job on record is good news.
- Supercharged V6 and V8: coolant leaks from plastic pipes, thermostat housings and water pumps.
- Diesels (Td6, about 2016–2019): particulate filter and AdBlue system faults, especially on cars used for short trips.
- Electrics: infotainment glitches, battery drain and module faults; software updates at a dealer fix many of them.
- Recalls: Land Rover issues a lot of them. The free recall check above lists the campaigns for the model and year; nhtsa.gov/recalls confirms whether this VIN's repairs were done.
A VIN-first checklist for buying a used Land Rover
- Decode the VIN and check the model letter and engine against the listing.
- Run the history report for accidents, title brands and a dealer or specialist service record.
- Get a pre-purchase inspection that includes the air suspension and a diagnostic scan.
- Match the VIN on the windshield, the door-jamb label and the title.
- Pull the original window sticker to confirm packages, which move these prices a lot.
What a Land Rover VIN decode can't tell you
Everything above was fixed on the day the vehicle was built, which is exactly why it is reliable and exactly why it is incomplete. A collision, a flood title issued in another state, a rolled-back odometer or a skipped timing-chain service all happen later, so none of them touch the VIN. They live in the vehicle history report: accident and damage records, title brands, the odometer timeline, open recalls, service entries and ownership changes. Decode here for free as often as you like; buy history only for the Land Rover you are serious about. Dealers and flippers who check every car can bring that to $1.30 a report.
Guides that go with this decoder
- How to read a vehicle history report — which flags are deal-breakers.
- What the 17 digits in a VIN mean — the full position-by-position breakdown.
- Signs of a rolled-back odometer — what a decode can't catch and a report can.
- Is a salvage-title car worth buying? — every brand, and what it does to value.
- Dealer auction VIN checks — the pre-bid routine volume buyers use.
- Other makes: any VIN · Ford · Chevrolet · GMC · Toyota · Honda · Nissan · Hyundai · Kia · Subaru · Mazda · Jeep · Dodge and Ram · Tesla · BMW · Mercedes-Benz · Audi · Volkswagen · Lexus · Land Rover · Porsche · window sticker lookup
Frequently asked questions
How do I decode a Land Rover VIN?
Enter the 17-character VIN above. The decoder returns model, model year, trim, body, engine, drivetrain and assembly plant from the official NHTSA vPIC database. Every Land Rover and Range Rover starts with SAL, the code of Jaguar Land Rover.
Which character shows the Land Rover model?
The fourth. On 2020-era VINs, G is the Range Rover, W the Range Rover Sport, Y the Range Rover Velar, Z the Range Rover Evoque, R the Discovery, C the Discovery Sport and E the Defender. Older generations used other letters, so let the decoder confirm it.
Which plant built my Land Rover?
The eleventh character. A is Solihull, England (Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar), H is Halewood, England (Evoque, Discovery Sport) and 2 is Nitra, Slovakia (Discovery and Defender). Each was checked against NHTSA's database with a sample VIN.
Is a Range Rover a Land Rover in VIN terms?
Yes. Range Rover models are made by Land Rover and carry the same SAL code; the fourth character tells the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar and Evoque apart.
What should I check on a used Land Rover?
The air suspension, the service history and the recall status. Repairs are expensive, so a car with a dealer or specialist service record and completed recalls is worth more than one without, even at higher mileage.
Does a VIN decode show if a Land Rover has been in an accident?
No. A decode returns factory build data only. Accidents, branded titles, odometer readings, service records and open recalls appear in the full vehicle history report, $5.99 for a single VIN.