Every Nissan Sentra (2020–2024) carries a 17-character VIN that begins with the 3N1 WMI. The Sentra is a gas sedan; this page shows what each character of a Nissan Sentra 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 Sentra.
Each sample below is built from the real 3N1 WMI and the Sentra's descriptor, so it decodes to a Nissan Sentra of the right model year:
Have a real Nissan Sentra VIN? Decode it →
Worked on the sample 3N1AB8CV7L7578961 — a 2020 Nissan Sentra:
| Position | Section | Value | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | WMI | 3N1 | Marks the VIN as Nissan, built in Mexico |
| 4–8 | VDS | AB8CV | Descriptor for the Sentra — sedan body, gas powertrain |
| 9 | Check digit | 7 | Mod-11 checksum over the other 16 characters |
| 10 | Model year | L | Code L = 2020 |
| 11 | Plant | 7 | Assembly-plant code |
| 12–17 | Serial | 578961 | Sequential production number |
Positions 1–3 of every Nissan Sentra VIN read 3N1 — the World Manufacturer Identifier that marks the vehicle as Nissan, assembled in Mexico (North America). After the WMI, positions 4–8 (AB8CV in our seed) describe the Sentra itself; see the full 17-digit format.
Position 10 encodes the model year. For the Sentra, 2020 is code L and 2024 is code R. See the 2024 year code or the check-digit math.
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A Nissan Sentra VIN is 17 characters starting with the 3N1 WMI, for example 3N1AB8CV7L7578961. Positions 4–8 describe the Sentra, position 9 is the check digit, position 10 is the model year, and 12–17 are the serial number.
Read it left to right: 3N1 is the Nissan WMI, positions 4–8 are the Sentra 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 Sentra in our seed uses the 3N1 WMI (Mexico). Any VIN beginning with 3N1 decodes to Nissan.
No. They are synthetically generated but checksum-valid, use the real Nissan 3N1 WMI, and carry the Sentra's descriptor and a valid year code — so a decoder returns a Nissan Sentra. No real vehicle's VIN is used.