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How to check if your car was assembled in the U.S.
The deduction requires final assembly in the United States — and the badge on the car doesn’t decide it. A “foreign” brand may be U.S.-assembled, and an American brand may not be. Here’s how to check for free.
Two ways to verify
- NHTSA VIN Decoder (free): enter your 17-character VIN at the official NHTSA VIN Decoder and read the “Plant Information” — the plant city/country shows where final assembly happened. IRSThomson Reuters
- Window sticker (Monroney label): new cars list a “Final Assembly Point” on the factory window sticker (required under 49 CFR 583.5).
Where do I find my VIN?
The 17-character VIN is on the lower driver’s-side windshield, the driver’s door-jamb sticker, your registration, insurance card, and the loan/title documents.
The same VIN goes on your tax return each year you claim the deduction, so keep your NHTSA decoder result with your records. RSM US
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This is about assembly location, not the EV ‘critical minerals/battery’ sourcing rules from the EV credit — they’re different programs. For this deduction, only U.S. final assembly matters.