Every Mazda Mazda3 (2019–2024) carries a 17-character VIN that begins with the 3MZ WMI. The Mazda3 is a gas sedan; this page shows what each character of a Mazda Mazda3 VIN means and gives 4 checksum-valid sample VINs you can drop straight into test fixtures. Synthetic — not real: no scraping, no real-owner data. The generator below is pre-filtered to the Mazda3.
Each sample below is built from the real 3MZ WMI and the Mazda3's descriptor, so it decodes to a Mazda Mazda3 of the right model year:
Have a real Mazda Mazda3 VIN? Decode it →
Worked on the sample 3MZBPABLXKM721795 — a 2019 Mazda Mazda3:
| Position | Section | Value | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | WMI | 3MZ | Marks the VIN as Mazda, built in Mexico |
| 4–8 | VDS | BPABL | Descriptor for the Mazda3 — sedan body, gas powertrain |
| 9 | Check digit | X | Mod-11 checksum over the other 16 characters |
| 10 | Model year | K | Code K = 2019 |
| 11 | Plant | M | Assembly-plant code |
| 12–17 | Serial | 721795 | Sequential production number |
Positions 1–3 of every Mazda Mazda3 VIN read 3MZ — the World Manufacturer Identifier that marks the vehicle as Mazda, assembled in Mexico (North America). After the WMI, positions 4–8 (BPABL in our seed) describe the Mazda3 itself; see the full 17-digit format.
Position 10 encodes the model year. For the Mazda3, 2019 is code K and 2024 is code R. See the 2024 year code or the check-digit math.
Mazda CX-5 · Mazda CX-30 · Mazda CX-9 · Mazda MX-5 Miata · all Mazda test VINs
A Mazda Mazda3 VIN is 17 characters starting with the 3MZ WMI, for example 3MZBPABLXKM721795. Positions 4–8 describe the Mazda3, position 9 is the check digit, position 10 is the model year, and 12–17 are the serial number.
Read it left to right: 3MZ is the Mazda WMI, positions 4–8 are the Mazda3 descriptor, position 9 verifies the VIN via a mod-11 checksum, position 10 gives the year, position 11 the plant, and 12–17 the serial. Paste any VIN into the decoder to do it automatically.
The Mazda3 in our seed uses the 3MZ WMI (Mexico). Any VIN beginning with 3MZ decodes to Mazda.
No. They are synthetically generated but checksum-valid, use the real Mazda 3MZ WMI, and carry the Mazda3's descriptor and a valid year code — so a decoder returns a Mazda Mazda3. No real vehicle's VIN is used.