Find Your Paint Code On Your Car Fast

Co-authored by Audra Fordin and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: December 22, 2022 References

You can easily cover scratches or spots on your vehicle by touching them up with your car’s original paint color. Finding an exact match for your paint color is the only way to ensure your touch-ups blend in seamlessly—but how do you find the color code for your paint? In this article, we’ll tell you exactly where to look on your car to find your color code for the perfect match. And, if you can’t find your color code anywhere, we’ll give you some alternative solutions you can try instead.

Things You Should Know

Look for your vehicle information sticker to find your color code. Usually, it’s located on your dash, inside your door jamb, or in the trunk.
If you can’t find your vehicle information sticker, try looking up your VIN on your car title or insurance. Then, you can contact your dealership.
Look up your car’s make and model on a color code database for an easy way to find your color code.

Section 1 of 4:

Where do I find the paint color code on my car?

Check the driver’s side dashboard or the inside door jamb. Most vehicles have a vehicle information sticker that lists the VIN and the paint color code. Check the dashboard on the driver’s side or the inside of the driver’s side door jamb to find this sticker and check the color code.^{[1]
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Research source} Other possible locations for this sticker include:
- On the passenger side door jamb
- In the trunk under the spare tire
- Underneath the engine block
- To save yourself time and effort, read your car’s manual to see where the vehicle information sticker is.

Section 2 of 4:

What does a paint color code look like?

A paint color code is usually labeled with “EXT PT.” When you’re looking at the vehicle information sticker, check near the bottom to find the paint color code. The color code is usually a mixture of numbers and letters (or it might just be letters).^{[2]
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Research source} In some cars, the code may be labeled with “C” instead.
- These codes may be separated into the body color and trim color, which are sometimes different.

Section 3 of 4:

Can you use the VIN to find the paint color code?

Yes, you can use your VIN to look up your paint color code if needed. Maybe you can’t locate your paint color code on the car, but you have the VIN written down somewhere. If that’s the case, you can simply call up your car dealership and read them the VIN, and they’ll look up the paint color code for you.^{[3]
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- You can also look up the paint color code with your VIN, year, make, and model using an online database. Try sites like Paint Scratch, Auto Color Library, and HD Paint Code.

Section 4 of 4:

How to Find Your VIN

1
Look for the 17-character VIN on your vehicle title. Your vehicle title is the legal document you receive when purchasing a car that lists you as its owner. This document will feature important information about your car, such as the make, year of manufacture, and current license plate number.^{[4]
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Research source} Locate your vehicle title and look for a code with a combination of 17 letters and numbers.^{[5]
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- There may be fewer characters in your VIN if your vehicle was manufactured before 1981.
2
Get the VIN from your vehicle registration certificate. Your registration certificate is proof that your vehicle is owned by you and registered to you. This document features information about the driver and the car, including the make and model of the vehicle and the year it was manufactured. Look for the VIN right after these other car details.^{[6]
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- A car must be registered before it can be driven on public roads.
3
Check your insurance papers to see if your VIN is listed. When you insure your vehicle, you have to provide information about it to the insurance company. As such, your VIN should be listed on your insurance policy and may appear on insurance documents that you receive by mail. Check your automobile insurance papers to look for the 17 character VIN.^{[7]
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- Contact your insurance company for assistance if you can’t find your paperwork.
4
Search your car repair records if you have had work done. Knowing your car’s VIN allows mechanics to find out precise details about how it was manufactured and what parts were used to build it. Check any repair receipts and records you may have to look for the VIN. The number may be written on these documents for reference.^{[8]
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- You should keep copies of your car repair records to prove that you have done your part to keep your vehicle in good shape if you eventually want to sell it.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I match the paint color on my car?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Once you find the color code, visit your auto body shop. They can use the code to pick out a paint that matches the color of your car, and can make adjustments if the match isn’t exact.
Question

What color is my Ford?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

To find the color code for your Ford, look at the door jamb on the driver’s side. You should find an information label there. The color code should look like 2 characters (letters or numbers) followed by a / and a longer string of letters and numbers.
Question

What is the hardest color to match on a car?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Silver and metallic paints are the most difficult to match, since it’s hard to achieve the same level of metallic shine when mixing up new paint.