VIN decoder API: NHTSA vehicle data plus open recall check as JSON
A pay-per-result VIN decoder built on the official NHTSA vPIC database: make, model, year, fuel type, assembly plant, WMI, and active open recalls as one clean JSON record per VIN.
What the API returns
Each run writes one record per company to the default dataset. Field names below are the actual dataset schema of the VIN Decoder & Recall Check — Official NHTSA Vehicle Data actor.
| Field | Contents |
|---|---|
vin | The decoded vehicle identification number |
make / model / year | Vehicle identity from vPIC |
fuelType | Fuel type |
plant | Assembly plant (city) |
wmi | World Manufacturer Identifier (VIN characters 1-3) |
recalls | Open recall count and top recall items |
Official source, no API key needed
NHTSA vPIC (Vehicle Product Information Catalog) and recall data. The actor decodes each VIN against NHTSA's official vPIC database and joins the open-recall data for the same vehicle. Both sources are keyless US government services, so results are fresh per run with no account required.
Pricing
$0.00125 per result found (volume tiers down to $0.0009), plus $0.05 per actor start. Pay-per-event pricing: pay for results, not for a subscription.
VIN Decoder & Recall Check — Official NHTSA Vehicle Data on the Apify Store
FAQ
Is there a free official VIN decoder?
Yes, NHTSA's vPIC service decodes VINs against the official US vehicle catalog and publishes open recall data. This actor wraps both for automation: batch a list of VINs and get one JSON record per vehicle with make, model, year, fuel type, plant, WMI, and active recalls.
How is the actor priced?
Pay per event: $0.00125 per decoded vehicle (tiering down to $0.0009 at volume) plus $0.05 per run start. No monthly fee.
Does it include recall data?
Yes. Every record carries a recalls block with the open recall count and top recall items from NHTSA's recall data for the decoded vehicle.