FSDRadarNo VIN shows FSD. The 17 characters of a Tesla VIN encode the maker, model, body, seats, motor, model year, factory and serial number. Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is software that Tesla switches on for a car, so it is not in the VIN, and neither is the question that matters: was it bought outright, or is it a subscription or a trial?
The VIN is still essential. Use it to decode the model year and likely computer (our free Tesla VIN decoder does this in your browser), to pull a history report, and above all to check that the screen photo, app screenshot and paperwork the seller sends are all for this car.
What the 17 characters say
Every carmaker files its VIN scheme with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration each model year, and Tesla is no exception. In short:
| Positions | What they encode | Useful for FSD? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Manufacturer and vehicle type (for example 5YJ, 7SA, 7G2) | No |
| 4 to 8 | Model, body, restraints, battery type, motor and drive unit | Indirectly: the model and motor narrow down the trim |
| 9 | Check digit, calculated from the other 16 characters | Catches a mistyped VIN |
| 10 | Model year (L 2020, M 2021, N 2022, P 2023, R 2024, S 2025, T 2026) | Yes, for hardware and for the 2026 dates |
| 11 | Factory (F Fremont, A Austin, C Shanghai, B Berlin) | A little: hardware changeovers differed by factory |
| 12 to 17 | Serial number | No |
The full position-by-position table, with every Tesla code, is on our VIN decoder page. What the VIN gives you for FSD is context: a model year tells you whether the car is likely HW3 or AI4 (see HW3 vs HW4 (AI4)), and whether it could have been first delivered after February 14, 2026, when Tesla stopped selling FSD outright in the US.
VIN-based sources, and what each can prove
Several kinds of report start from a VIN. They are not equal:
| Source | What it can show | What it cannot show |
|---|---|---|
| Free VIN decoders (NHTSA's vPIC decoder, ours at /vin) | Model, model year, motor, factory; ours adds a likely HW3 or AI4 estimate | Anything about software: FSD, Enhanced Autopilot, subscriptions |
| History reports (title, accident, owner count) | Salvage or rebuilt titles, auctions, number of owners, sometimes Tesla as a previous owner | Who paid for FSD. Some list equipment, but we have not seen one that reliably separates purchased FSD from a subscription |
| Option-code reports (third-party tools that read Tesla's data) | Tesla's codes for the car, such as $APF2 (FSD on the record) or $APPB (Enhanced Autopilot), sometimes with a price | A code alone is not proof of purchase, and the record can be out of date (see below) |
| Window sticker or order confirmation (from the first owner) | Options bought with the car, including a priced "Full Self-Driving Capability" line | FSD bought later in the app, or FSD moved away or removed after delivery |
| The car's own Software screen, with the VIN visible | What is switched on today, on this car | Owned versus subscription, unless a renewal or expiry date shows |
| The owner's Tesla app, Upgrades screen | Purchased or subscribed, as of that day | Changes after the screenshot |
Only the last three are evidence about FSD itself, and none of them comes from typing a VIN into a website. That is the honest answer to "Tesla FSD VIN lookup": the VIN finds and matches the evidence; it is not the evidence.
Why a VIN record cannot settle FSD on its own
Even the best VIN-based record, Tesla's own option codes, has four gaps:
- It is a snapshot. Tesla's developer documentation describes its VIN specification lookup as returning "vehicle specifications as recorded at the time of sale". Anything that happened afterwards may be missing.
- Subscriptions can look like purchases. In a sample of 60 public VIN reports we reviewed, 11 of the 12 Model 3, Model Y and 2021-or-later Model S and X records carrying
$APF2were marked as subscriptions. The code says FSD is on the record, not who paid. Details in Tesla option codes for FSD. - FSD can leave a car. Owners could move purchased FSD to a new Tesla through the transfer program until it closed around March 31, 2026, and the old car then dropped to basic Autopilot (Does FSD transfer to a new owner?). Tesla has also removed FSD from some cars it resold itself.
- FSD can arrive later. An owner who bought FSD in the app years after delivery will not have it on the original window sticker.
Be wary of any site that promises a yes or no for FSD from the VIN alone. Ask what data it reads and what date that data is from. If the answer is a build record, it is one piece of evidence, not a verdict.
How to use the VIN properly: six steps
- Decode it. Paste the VIN into our free Tesla VIN decoder. Check the model, model year and motor match the listing. A mismatch is a red flag before you go any further. Note the likely computer (HW3 or AI4).
- Match it on the Software screen. Ask for a photo of Controls > Software where both the VIN and the "Full Self-Driving Capability" package line are visible. A photo with no VIN, or a different VIN, proves nothing about this car.
- Match it in the app. Ask for a screenshot of the Upgrades screen in the seller's Tesla app for this car. It is the best single document for purchased versus subscription. The signs to look for are in FSD subscription vs purchased.
- Run a history report. Look for salvage or rebuilt titles, auctions, and Tesla as an owner between private owners: the situations where FSD has been removed.
- Read any option-code record as support. If you have one,
$APF2with a purchase marker agrees with an owned car;$APFBmeans no FSD purchase;$APF4is Luxe Package FSD that ends at sale. Use a recent record. - Put the VIN on the bill of sale with "FSD (Supervised) purchased and included" if you are paying for it. Then add the car to your Tesla account and check the Software screen again before the seller leaves.
If you are writing to a seller, our questions to ask a Tesla seller include a copy-paste message that asks for steps 2 and 3 in one go.
How FSD Radar uses the VIN
FSD Radar treats the VIN exactly this way. For each listing it reads the car's Software screen in the listing photos and checks the VIN record, and it calls a car "FSD indicated" only when the two agree, with the evidence and a confidence level shown. A listing with only one of the two, or a screen photo for a different VIN, does not get that label. Even then, we tell buyers to confirm with the seller and in the Tesla app before paying, because no outside source can see the seller's account.
Questions buyers ask
Does a Tesla VIN show whether FSD is included?
No character in the VIN refers to software. Tesla switches FSD (Supervised) on for a car in its own systems, so the VIN can lead you to records about the car, but the 17 characters themselves never say whether FSD is on it, who paid for it, or whether it will stay after the sale.
Is there a free Tesla FSD VIN check?
Free decoders, including NHTSA's and ours at fsdradar.com/vin, read the VIN itself: model, year, motor, factory and a likely HW3 or AI4 estimate. None can show FSD, because it is not in the VIN. Use the VIN to match the seller's screen photo and app screenshot to the car.
Does a vehicle history report show FSD?
History reports focus on titles, accidents, owners and auctions. Some list equipment, but we have not seen one that reliably separates purchased FSD from a subscription. They are still worth running, because salvage, auction and Tesla-owned history is where FSD has been removed.
Can I look up a Tesla's FSD status by VIN with Tesla?
We know of no Tesla tool that lets a non-owner check FSD by VIN. The owner can see it in their Tesla app, which is why the Upgrades screenshot from the seller, with the VIN matching, is the evidence to ask for.
FSD Radar is independent and not affiliated with Tesla, Inc. Facts in this guide are dated where they change often; we re-check Tesla's support pages regularly. Spotted something out of date? Email info@fsdradar.com.