nhtsa-vehicle-safety-mcp-server

Nhtsa Decode Vin

nhtsa_decode_vin

Read-only

Decode a Vehicle Identification Number to extract make, model, year, body type, engine, safety equipment, and manufacturing details. Pass a single 17-character VIN string, or an array of up to 50 VINs for batch decode. Partial VINs accepted — use * for unknown positions.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`vin`	Yes	A single 17-character VIN (e.g., "1HGCM82633A004352") or an array of up to 50 VINs for batch decode. Partial VINs accepted — use * for unknown positions.
`modelYear`	No	Model year, a whole number. Helps resolve ambiguity for pre-1980 or partial VINs.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`notice`	No	Present when one or more VINs decoded with VPIC warnings (errorCode != 0) — check errorCode/errorText per vehicle.
`vehicles`	No	Decoded vehicle information per VIN
`effectiveQuery`	No	Number of VINs decoded and the path taken (single or batch).

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed6 schema fields changedAug 21, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedOutput schema / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "vehicles",
+      "effectiveQuery"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / error

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `empty_vin_list`: No non-empty VIN strings supplied. `batch_too_large`: VIN array exceeds the batch limit. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "empty_vin_list",
+            "batch_too_large"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

removedOutput schema / required

Removed value: -[
-  "vehicles",
-  "effectiveQuery"
-]

Changed4 schema fields changedJul 30, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / modelYear / description

Previous value: -"Helps resolve ambiguity for pre-1980 VINs or partial VINs."New value: +"Model year, a whole number. Helps resolve ambiguity for pre-1980 or partial VINs."

addedInput schema / properties / modelYear / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
addedInput schema / properties / modelYear / minimum
```
Added value: +-9007199254740991
```
changedInput schema / properties / modelYear / type
```
Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
```

Changed3 schema fields changedMay 30, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / effectiveQuery

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Number of VINs decoded and the path taken (single or batch).",
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / notice

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Present when one or more VINs decoded with VPIC warnings (errorCode != 0) — check errorCode/errorText per vehicle.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "vehicles"
-]New value: +[
+  "vehicles",
+  "effectiveQuery"
+]

Changed3 schema fields changedApr 24, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / vin / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "items": {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    "type": "array"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "description": "A single VIN string (up to 17 characters, * for unknown positions)",
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "description": "An array of up to 50 VINs for batch decode",
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / vehicles / items / description
```
Added value: +"Decoded details for a single VIN"
```

changedOutput schema / properties / vehicles / items / properties / vin / description

Previous value: -"The decoded VIN"New value: +"The decoded VIN, echoed back from the request"

Changed5 schema fields changedApr 15, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / vehicles / items / properties / errorText / description
```
Previous value: -"VPIC error/warning text"New value: +"VPIC error or warning text"
```

changedOutput schema / properties / vehicles / items / properties / make / description

Previous value: -"Vehicle manufacturer"New value: +"Vehicle manufacturer when provided by VPIC"

changedOutput schema / properties / vehicles / items / properties / model / description
```
Previous value: -"Vehicle model"New value: +"Vehicle model when provided by VPIC"
```
changedOutput schema / properties / vehicles / items / properties / modelYear / description
```
Previous value: -"Model year"New value: +"Model year when provided by VPIC"
```

changedOutput schema / properties / vehicles / items / required

Previous value: -[
-  "vin",
-  "make",
-  "model",
-  "modelYear",
-  "bodyClass",
-  "vehicleType",
-  "driveType",
-  "engineCylinders",
-  "engineDisplacementL",
-  "engineHP",
-  "fuelType",
-  "trim",
-  "manufacturer",
-  "plantCity",
-  "plantState",
-  "plantCountry",
-  "airBagLocFront",
-  "airBagLocSide",
-  "airBagLocCurtain",
-  "airBagLocKnee",
-  "electronicStabilityControl",
-  "abs",
-  "tractionControl",
-  "errorCode",
-  "errorText"
-]New value: +[
+  "vin"
+]

First observedApr 13, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The description adds behavioral context beyond the readOnlyHint annotation by disclosing batch decoding capacity and partial VIN wildcard behavior. No contradictions with annotations exist, though details about error handling or response structure are left to the output schema.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two concise sentences front-load the core purpose and then deliver key usage constraints. Every sentence carries useful information, with no filler or redundancy.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the presence of a complete input schema, output schema, and a readOnlyHint annotation, the description covers the remaining essentials: purpose, batch limits, and partial VIN behavior. Nothing critical is missing for an agent to invoke the tool correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, and the schema already documents the VIN format, batch limit, wildcard usage, and modelYear purpose. The description reinforces these details but does not add meaningful semantics beyond what the input schema already provides.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb ('Decode') with a clear resource ('Vehicle Identification Number') and enumerates extracted attributes such as make, model, year, body type, and engine. This clearly distinguishes it from sibling tools focused on safety ratings, recalls, or complaints.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives concrete invocation guidance: pass a single VIN or an array of up to 50, and partial VINs may use '*' for unknown positions. It does not explicitly mention alternatives or when not to use the tool, but the context is clear and self-contained.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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