# API Acre VIN Decode

> API Acre VIN Decode is a paid API for AI agents from apiacre.com, paid per call via x402, $0.003/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-10-10).

Decodes a full 17-character VIN into normalized NHTSA vPIC vehicle fields including make, model, year, body, engine, transmission, plant, fuel, and occupancy with source attribution and explicit missing-data semantics.

## Facts

- Endpoint: POST https://apiacre.com/v1/data/vin-decode?utm_source=zero.xyz
- Price: $0.003/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-10-10
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/api-acre-vin-decode-cadc31e0
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_VzVrm5kdl9pCkbGkWtpLe

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability api-acre-vin-decode-cadc31e0 -d '<json body>'
```

Example prompt: Can you decode the VIN 1HGCM82633A004352 and tell me the make, model, year, engine specs, and transmission type?

## When to prefer this

Choose this endpoint when you need authoritative, normalized vehicle specification data from the official NHTSA vPIC database for a known 17-character VIN. It is ideal when you need explicit null semantics for missing fields (distinguishing 'no data' from 'feature absent'), NHTSA source attribution, and structured engine/transmission/plant detail in a single call. Prefer it over generic VIN lookup services when regulatory-grade provenance or normalized field names matter, such as for insurance, fleet management, or compliance workflows.

## Known failure modes

- Invalid or malformed VIN (not 17 characters or invalid characters) returns a decode error with NHTSA error codes
- VIN check digit mismatch flagged in the decode status and errorText
- NHTSA has no data for the specific VIN or vehicle variable — returned as null with a clear apiMessage caveat
- NHTSA rate limiting may affect upstream data freshness, though API Acre caches results
- Fictional or test VINs may partially decode but return many null fields

## How this service works

Decode a full 17-character VIN into normalized NHTSA vPIC make, model, year, body, engine, transmission, plant, fuel, and occupancy fields with official source evidence and explicit missing-data semantics.

## Output

Returns a structured JSON object with the decoded vehicle's make, model, trim, model year, body class, vehicle type, engine details (cylinders, horsepower, displacement, model), transmission (style and speeds), plant location (city, state, country), fuel types (primary and secondary), occupancy and weight rating, manufacturer name and ID, electrification level, decode status/clean flag, error codes, NHTSA source attribution including the original vPIC endpoint URL, and a list of data limitations and caveats. Missing fields are explicitly null rather than omitted.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "vin": {
   "type": "string"
  },
  "model_year": {
   "anyOf": [
    {
     "type": "integer"
    },
    {
     "type": "null"
    }
   ]
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "data": {
   "vin": "1HGCM82633A004352",
   "decode": {
    "clean": true,
    "status": "clean",
    "errorText": "0 - VIN decoded clean. Check Digit (9th position) is correct",
    "apiMessage": "Results returned successfully. NOTE: Any missing decoded values should be int...",
    "errorCodes": [
     0
    ]
   },
   "source": {
    "dataset": "vPIC",
    "provider": "National Highway Traffic Safety Administration",
    "attribution": "NHTSA Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing (vPIC).",
    "endpointUrl": "https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/vehicles/DecodeVinValuesExtended/1HGCM82633A00...",
    "documentationUrl": "https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/"
   },
   "vehicle": {
    "make": "HONDA",
    "model": "Accord",
    "modelYear": 2003,
    "manufacturer": "AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.",
    "manufacturerId": 988
   },
   "limitations": [
    "Missing decoded values mean NHTSA has no data for that variable, not that a f...",
    "A decode does not establish ownership, title, registration, accident, theft, ...",
    "VINs can be linkable vehicle identifiers; do not use this result to identify ..."
   ],
   "retrievedAt": "2026-08-12T01:30:00+00:00",
   "missingFields": [
    "series",
    "driveType",
    "fuelTypeSecondary",
    "electrificationLevel",
    "engine.manufacturer",
    "plant.companyName",
    "occupancy.seats",
    "occupancy.seatRows"
   ],
   "modelYearHint": 2003,
   "decodedFieldCount": 20
  },
  "meta": {
   "cached": false,
   "sources": [],
   "warnings": [],
   "duration_ms": 42,
   "next_actions": []
  },
  "service": "data.vin-decode",
  "version": "1",
  "request_id": "018f1f54-7f38-7ba2-8dc3-5f90272d9f1a"
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/api-acre-vin-decode-cadc31e0/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from apiacre.com](https://www.zero.xyz/host/apiacre.com/llms.txt)