The Model S has only ever been built in Fremont, but its VIN codes come in two eras. Cars up to about 2021 use charger and capacity letters in position 7 (A–D, H, S, V) and the digits 1–4 or a few battery-tier letters in position 8. After the 2021 refresh the motor digits 5 (dual motor) and 6 (tri-motor Plaid) appear. Early cars can also have a letter in the serial number – P for early Performance builds, for example.
How a Tesla Model S VIN is built
Every Tesla Model S VIN has 17 characters. Premium liftback, offered with VINs from model year 2012. Its VIN starts with 5YJ (Fremont) and has the model code S in position 4. The rest of the structure is explained in our position-by-position guide.
Body type and steering side (position 5)
| Code | Body | Steering | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
A | 5-door liftback | Left-hand drive | Confirmed |
B | 5-door liftback | Right-hand drive | Confirmed |
Motor and drivetrain codes (position 8)
| Code | Drivetrain | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
1 | Single motor, standard (induction) · RWD | Confirmed |
2 | Dual motor, standard (induction) · AWD | Confirmed |
3 | Single motor, Performance · RWD | Confirmed |
4 | Dual motor, Performance · AWD | Confirmed |
5 | Dual motor · AWD (2021+ refresh) | Confirmed |
6 | Tri-motor Plaid · AWD | Confirmed |
G | Single motor, base battery tier (≈ 60 kWh class) | Uncertain |
N | Single motor, ≈ 85 kWh battery tier | Likely |
P | Single Performance motor, ≈ 85 kWh battery tier | Likely |
T | Dual Performance motors | Uncertain |
Single-motor cars use 1, 3, G, N, P; dual-motor or tri-motor cars use 2, 4, 5, 6, T.
Battery code (position 7)
E means a lithium-ion pack (NMC/NCA) and F means lithium iron phosphate (LFP). Early cars also use H, S and V for capacity classes and A–D for charger options. Read more in LFP vs NMC batteries.
Where it is built (position 11)
| Code | Plant | Location |
|---|---|---|
F | Fremont Factory | Fremont, California, USA |
Model year (position 10)
The tenth character is the model year, for example L = 2020, N = 2022, P = 2023, R = 2024, S = 2025, T = 2026. See the full table.
Example
The VIN 5YJSA1E67NF123456 is a synthetic Tesla Model S example. See how it decodes.
Frequently asked questions
What does the 4th character of a Tesla Model S VIN mean?
It is the model code. For the Model S it is "S". Together with the manufacturer code in positions 1–3 (5YJ (Fremont)) it identifies the car as a Tesla Model S.
Where is the Tesla Model S built?
According to the plant code in position 11, Model S cars are built at: Fremont Factory (Fremont, California, USA).
How can I tell from the VIN if a Tesla Model S is single-motor or dual-motor?
Look at the 8th character. Single-motor codes are 1, 3, G, N, P; dual-motor or multi-motor codes are 2, 4, 5, 6, T. Note that the code does not map reliably to retail trim names such as Long Range.