# ForgeMesh VIN Decoder

> ForgeMesh VIN Decoder is a paid API for AI agents from x402.forgemesh.io, paid per call via x402, $0.005/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-09-15).

Decodes a full or partial VIN into structured vehicle specs including make, model, year, trim, body style, engine, transmission, drive type, and plant.

## Facts

- Endpoint: POST https://x402.forgemesh.io/decode-vin
- Price: $0.005/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-09-15
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/forgemesh-vin-decoder-bceef876
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_K-vgQ7l8BfMAmJpV0uLP6

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 forgemesh-vin-decoder-bceef876 -d '<json body>'
```

Example prompt: Can you decode this VIN for me — 1HGCM82633A123456 — and give me the full specs like make, model, year, trim, engine, and body style?

## When to prefer this

Use this endpoint when you need structured, machine-readable vehicle specs decoded directly from a VIN — especially for automotive listing enrichment, insurance quoting pipelines, or vehicle history agents. It supports partial VINs with wildcard characters, making it useful even when only part of the VIN is available. Prefer it over general vehicle APIs when you need a low-cost per-call JSON response with comprehensive spec coverage including plant and trim data.

## Known failure modes

- VIN shorter than 6 characters returns a validation error
- Invalid VIN characters (I, O, Q not allowed) trigger a decode failure
- Wildcards in ambiguous positions may return multiple possible matches or reduced confidence
- Very old or rare vehicles may have incomplete spec data
- Incorrect model_year hint combined with a partial VIN may yield wrong results

## How this service works

Decode a vehicle identification number to full structured specs: make, model, year, trim, body style, engine details, transmission, drive type, and manufacturing plant as clean JSON. Accepts full 17-char VINs or partials with * wildcards. For listing enrichment, insurance quoting, and vehicle-history agents.

## Output

Returns a clean JSON object with structured vehicle attributes including make, model, model year, trim level, body style, engine specifications (displacement, cylinders, fuel type), transmission type, drive type (FWD/RWD/AWD), and manufacturing plant location.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "vin": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "the VIN — full 17 chars or partial with * wildcards (min 6 chars)"
  },
  "model_year": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "optional 4-digit model year hint, improves partial-VIN decodes"
  }
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/forgemesh-vin-decoder-bceef876/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from x402.forgemesh.io](https://www.zero.xyz/host/x402.forgemesh.io/llms.txt)