The vehicle identification number is usually printed on a paper sticker inside a trailer or any commercial motor vehicle made after June 1976. This is called the vehicle plate, and it shows the trailer’s VIN and other important information. The VIN is made up of 17 characters and is called the serial number from the manufacturer. Note that the model number is different from the VIN.
If there is no data plate inside the trailer, check the tongue, which is a set of steel beams at the front of the trailer where the tow hitch is attached. Find the I-beam by looking behind the skirting at the front of the metal bars. Most likely, the VIN is stamped into the metal either horizontally or vertically. The VIN may also be on the frame of the trailer, near the axle at the back, or on any of the main frame members of the vehicle.
At the time of inspection, it is hard to check the VIN of many older trailers. In this case, the trailer’s new owner can go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and ask for a new VIN. A valid title or proof of ownership, as well as a bill of sale, must be shown by the buyer. Once the DMV inspector says that the trailer’s VIN can’t be read or is missing, the owner must fill out an affidavit and send it to the DMV to have the VIN changed.
