vin/chassis number of your vehicle Page 8

The VIN is your car’s 17-character fingerprint, and on modern Aussie vehicles it also serves as the chassis number. You’ll usually find it at the base of the windscreen, stamped on the driver’s door jamb/compliance label, and sometimes on the firewall in the engine bay; it’s also on rego papers and your insurance docs. It uses letters and numbers (not I, O or Q) and should match exactly across the car and paperwork—if it doesn’t, back away like a tradie from a salad. Motorbikes often have it on the steering head, and older vehicles may have a separate chassis stamp on the frame. If the VIN plate looks tampered with, check the PPSR and talk to your state authority before handing over cash. Simple rule: numbers match, you relax; numbers don’t, you run.