How to find your final assembly plant
The deduction turns on where your vehicle was finally assembled and how heavy it is. Both facts are recorded in three official places - and the regulations let you rely on any of them.
1. The VIN: position 11 is the plant
A 17-character VIN is structure, not branding:
| Positions | What they mean |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | World manufacturer identifier - who built it, and where the manufacturer is registered. |
| 4-8 | Vehicle attributes: model, body, engine, restraint system. |
| 9 | Check character. We recalculate it on every check - a mismatch is nearly always a typo. |
| 10 | Model year. |
| 11 | Plant code - the assembly plant. This is the one that matters here. |
| 12-17 | Sequential production number. |
The first character is a rough country hint - "1", "4" and "5" mean the manufacturer is registered in the United States, "2" is Canada and "3" is Mexico - but it identifies the manufacturer, not necessarily the plant. Only a decoder turns position 11 into a plant. Our VIN checker calls NHTSA's vPIC decoder and shows you the country, city, state and plant name.
2. The window sticker: the Final Assembly Point
Every new car sold in the United States carries a Monroney label. Under 49 CFR 583.5 it must state the final assembly point, including city, state and country, and it must show the percentage of US and Canadian parts content. The regulations let a taxpayer rely on this label for the assembly test, so a photo of your window sticker is good evidence for your file.
Do not confuse the two numbers. The parts-content percentage is not the assembly test. A vehicle can be 60% US/Canadian content and still be finally assembled in Canada - and then it does not qualify.
3. The door-jamb label: the GVWR
The safety compliance certification label on the driver's door jamb states the GVWR in pounds. The deduction needs a GVWR under 14,000 lb, which covers essentially every car, minivan, SUV, light pickup and motorcycle, but excludes heavy-duty trucks, larger chassis-cab vehicles and RVs.
| GVWR class | Pounds | Under the limit? |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 (1A-1C) | 6,000 lb or less | Yes |
| Class 2 (2A-2F) | 6,001 - 10,000 lb | Yes |
| Class 3 | 10,001 - 14,000 lb | Yes, but check the label - the limit is "under" 14,000 lb |
| Class 4 and above | 14,001 lb and up | No |
NHTSA's AALA reports only cover vehicles up to 8,500 lb GVWR, which is why our model pages tell you to confirm the GVWR on the label even when the assembly data is settled.
Three steps, five minutes
- Write down your 17-character VIN from the windshield or the door jamb.
- Run it through the VIN checker - it shows the plant country, city and state from NHTSA's live data.
- Photograph the window sticker's "Final Assembly Point" and the door-jamb GVWR, and keep them with your loan documents.
Common questions
Can I tell the assembly country from the VIN alone, without a decoder?
Partly. The 11th character of a VIN is the plant code, and the first character is the country of the manufacturer - "1", "4" and "5" are the United States, "2" is Canada and "3" is Mexico. But the plant code is assigned by the manufacturer, so you need a decoder to turn it into a city and state. That is exactly what NHTSA's vPIC does, and what our VIN checker calls for you.
What is the "Final Assembly Point" on the window sticker?
US law (49 CFR 583.5) requires the Monroney label - the window sticker - to state the final assembly point, including the city, state and country. It is the single clearest piece of evidence, and the regulations let you rely on either the VIN plant of manufacture or this label.
Where is the GVWR shown?
On the safety compliance certification label, usually on the driver's door jamb or the edge of the driver's door. It states the front and rear GAWR and the GVWR in pounds. The deduction needs a GVWR under 14,000 lb.
My car says "assembled in the USA" but the decoder says Canada. Which is right?
The decoder and the window sticker are the ones that count for this test. Marketing phrases like "built in America" or "American-made" describe brand or content, not the Part 583 final assembly point. If the parts content is high but final assembly is north or south of the border, the deduction is not available.
Is US/Canada parts content the same as final assembly?
No, and this is the most common mix-up. The AALA label shows the percentage of US and Canadian parts content alongside the final assembly point. A vehicle with 60% US/Canadian content can still be finally assembled in Canada, and then it does not qualify.
Sources for this guide
- NHTSA Part 583 American Automobile Labeling Act (AALA) reports - final assembly point by carline, MY2025 and MY2026 — accessed 2026-10-07.
- NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder (named in the regulation preamble as a way to check the plant of manufacture) — accessed 2026-10-07.
- T.D. 10054, final regulations under 26 CFR §1.163-16 and §1.6050AA-1, 91 FR (September 8, 2026); effective November 9, 2026 — accessed 2026-10-07.
We link to primary sources: the statute, the regulations, IRS forms and instructions, and NHTSA's own vehicle data. Where those sources do not settle a question, we say so rather than guess.