VINlink Decoder

Need to quickly validate the accuracy of a vehicle identification number (VIN)? Insurance Bureau of Canada's (IBC's) convenient VINlink decoder online service can help save your insurance company time and money.


What It Does and How It Works

You can use the online VINlink decoder to validate the accuracy of any vehicle's VIN. Using a built-in, check-digit algorithm, VINlink performs a calculation to confirm if a VIN is accurate. If it's inaccurate, the decoder alerts you so you can have it corrected.

You can decode any VIN as long as it contains accurate attributes for a given make, model and model year combination. You can decode VINs for cars, light trucks, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. VINlink decoder finds all dependencies among attributes, including: 

  • Make and model description
  • Engine
  • Model year
  • Body style
  • Restraint systems
  • Manufacturing plant
  • Country of manufacture



How VINlink Can Save Your Company Time and Money

With this online service, you can access vehicle code and rate group information when writing new business, or when changing an existing policy to add a vehicle or make a substitution. The decoded information can be automatically transferred to other software applications.

Key features of this exclusive decoding service include:

  • User-friendly navigational tools;
  • Current VIN information maintained in a central database;
  • Access to any vehicle's VIN in North America;
  • Time savings – spend less time correcting VIN errors;
  • Increased productivity with quick access to accurate vehicle identification;
  • Ability to send VIN questions to IBC's Vehicle Inquiry service;
  • Bulk decoding of VINs through the Batch Decoder service;
  • Vehicle validation, decoding, rating and identification tools;
  • Ability to launch and/or integrate within other online applications;

The VINlink decoder can help you reduce the number of uninsured vehicles on the road, leading to increased road safety.

To learn more about VINlink's features and benefits, contact IBC at 1-800-761-6703.