VIN Decal for Trucks and Trailers: What It Is and How to Order One

A VIN decal prints a vehicle's 17-character identification number on a decal, so the number can be read from outside the truck or trailer. It is optional lettering. Some owners add one for fleet records or yard checks, or because a lender or insurer asked. It does not replace the manufacturer's certification label or the VIN plate, and the federal marking rule does not ask for it (49 CFR 390.21). Ours is the VIN Decal, $18.99 per decal.

What a VIN is

A vehicle identification number, or VIN, identifies one particular vehicle. Every truck and every trailer has its own, assigned by the manufacturer, and no two units share one. Your title and registration list it. A trailer has its own VIN, separate from the truck that pulls it.

Why owners put a VIN on the outside

Most of these reasons are habits that save time, not rules:

• Matching a unit to its paperwork. A fleet can put the VIN beside the unit number, so a yard hand can match a trailer to its records without pulling the title.
• Telling look-alike trailers apart. A row of trailers of the same make and color looks identical from the gate. A unit number is your own scheme, while the VIN is the number the manufacturer assigned.
• A request from someone else. If a lender, insurer, lessor or state office asks you to show a VIN, ask them for the exact wording, size and placement. We have not found a rule behind this, and we do not claim one.
• Last digits only. Some owners print just the last eight characters, which is shorter and can be set larger. The Trailer / Unit Number decal takes a VIN last-8 in the builder notes.

What a VIN decal does not do

It does not replace the manufacturer's certification label or the VIN plate, and it must never cover either one. The manufacturer applies those. A decal we print carries only the text you type, and nothing checks it against your vehicle, so it changes no rating, title or registration.

If a plate or label is missing, damaged or unreadable, ask the manufacturer or your state agency what to do. The same goes for weight: a decal showing a rating is a convenience copy, as our guide to GVWR and weight stickers explains.

How to type the VIN correctly

1. Copy it from your title or registration, one character at a time. For a trailer, use the trailer's own VIN, not the pulling truck's.
2. Count to 17. A standard VIN has 17 characters.
3. Check the look-alikes. Compare zero with the letter O, and the digit 1 with the letter I, against the title, registration or door-jamb label, because the preview shows exactly what you type.
4. Pick your format. Type just the 17 characters, or the word VIN, a space and the 17, which makes 21. The line holds up to 24 characters.
5. Read the preview against the paperwork. We print exactly what you type, and a mistyped number is not covered by the guarantee (refunds and returns).

Choosing a width and a spot

The VIN Decal comes in 12, 18 or 24 inches wide. A longer line in a given width means smaller characters, so check the preview and think about where a reader will stand. Our truck door decal size guide shows how to measure.

Choose a flat, clean spot away from seams, ribs and rivets so the vinyl lies flat, and keep it clear of any manufacturer's label or plate. Our installation page has the prep checklist. A single decal covers one spot. For the number on both sides, choose the Set of 2 option.

Other decals that can carry a VIN

• The Trailer / Unit Number decal, $24.99: a pair with a unit number, a GVWR line and a VIN last-8 in the builder notes.
• The Single Regulation Number decal, $18.99: one free-text line, so a VIN fits.
• The USDOT, MC, CA and GVW four-line decal, $28.99: in the builder, you can swap a line for a VIN.

For many units, see fleet and truck number decals. For what the rules say about trailers, read DOT requirements for trailers, and for lettering ideas, our trailer decals page.