Audi VIN Decoder Australia

What each character on an Audi VIN means, and which ones identify the car.

Audis in our data
132,050
Audis in our data
Characters that identify the model
8 characters
identify the model
Last updated
Sep 2026
last updated

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How to read an Audi VIN

Take a 2019 Audi Q5. Its VIN starts WAUZZZFY, and those eight characters are the useful part. The rest is a check digit, the model year, then a plant code and serial number unique to one car, so it's painted out here.

Q5 (FY) · VIN plate

WAUZZZFY PAINTED OUT 1234567891011121314151617 1 2 3 4 5 6
  1. Characters 1 to 3: Maker (WAU is Audi)
  2. Characters 4 to 6: Filler (ZZZ outside North America)
  3. Characters 7 and 8: Model and generation
  4. Character 9: Check digit
  5. Character 10: Model year
  6. Characters 11 to 17: Plant and serial number

Characters 1 to 8

WAU is Audi, and ZZZ is filler on cars built for markets outside North America. FY is the model and generation: a second-generation Q5.

Characters 9 and 10

A check digit and the model year, the same as on a US car. Of the 4,256 Audis we checked, 98.8% had a valid check digit and 99.7% had a model year within a year of the build year.

Characters 11 to 17

Plant and serial number. Unique to one car, so never shown.

An Audi build plate (illustration)

The VIN gives the model year, not the build date

On an Audi, the 10th character is the model year, the same as on a US car. In September 2026 we checked 4,256 Audis against their build dates, and it was within a year of the build year on 99.7% of them. The model year is not the build date, though: that is on the build plate, and in every Carify VIN check.

Q5 VIN patterns

Each Q5 generation has its own two-character code in characters 7 and 8.

Pattern Generation Built Cars in our data
Q5 8R Also used on the SQ5 2009 to 2016 10,227
Q5 FY Also used on the SQ5 2017 to 2023 12,757

Built: the middle 90% of build years, from 461 decoded cars. Updated Sep 2026.

Q5 (FY) · where to find the VIN
Line drawing of an Audi Q5 (FY), numbered where the VIN is
  1. The VIN plate at the bottom corner of the windscreen on the passenger side, seen through the glass
    1  Base of the windscreenPassenger side. Read it from outside.
  2. The VIN stamped into the body on the right-hand side of the engine compartment, seen with the bonnet open
    2  Engine compartmentRight-hand side, stamped in. Open the bonnet.
  3. The vehicle data sticker under the lifted floor panel in the boot
    3  Under the boot floorOn the vehicle data sticker. Lift the floor panel.

Locations from Audi's owner's manual for the Q5 (FY).

Other popular Audis

The Audis we see most after the Q5, and the patterns that identify them.

  • A3

    and 6 more

    • 8P 2005 to 2012
    • 8V 2013 to 2019
    • 8Y 2022 on

    WAUZZZ8P is also used on the S3.

    WAUZZZ8V is also used on the S3.

    WAUZZZGY is also used on the S3.

    From 670 decoded cars

  • A4

    and 7 more

    • B7 2001 to 2007
    • B8 2008 to 2015
    • B9 2015 to 2021

    From 733 decoded cars

  • Q3

    and 2 more

    • 8U 2012 to 2018
    • F3 2019 on

    From 304 decoded cars

  • Q7

    • 4L 2007 to 2015
    • 4M 2015 on

    WAUZZZ4M is also used on the SQ7.

    From 316 decoded cars

Other makes

About these numbers: generations and build years come from 4,256 Audis decoded from factory records, one per VIN. Build years show the middle 90% of each pattern, and patterns with fewer than 30 decoded cars are left out. Updated September 2026.