First, you have to find it. That is the trouble with many RV makers, where certain pieces of information should go does not mean that they put them there. Usually, the VIN on a trailer is located on the tongue. If it isn’t there, then you have to do a little seeking until you find it.
VINs are usually mostly numbered and you have to read them in order to understand what they are saying. Jayco’s VINs are usually 17 digits long and each digit or pair of digits has a specific meaning. The last 6 are the serial number for that particular trailer or RV.
To learn more about the Jayco VIN system and its meaning, just continue to read our article. it has the information you want to know about o you can get all the legal information about the trailer as possible.
There is no special trick to reading the VIN number. The key is understanding what the digit is referring to. Here is a breakdown of what all the numbers mean when you find it:
Digit location | Meaning | Description |
1st digit | Country | this tells you the country the trailer was made |
2nd digit | Manufacturer’s code | world’s manufacturer index and shows where the trailer was built |
3rd digit | Model number | the RV model series |
4th digit | Line | actual manufacturer’s line the trailer was assembled |
5th & 6th digit | Body style | length, axles, body type, etc. |
7th digit | Restraint system | safety features in the trailer |
8th digit | Engine | the type of engine in the RV |
9th digit | Check digit | calculated based on other information to meet DOT regulations |
10th digit | Year | the year it was made |
11th digit | Assembly plant | the plant where it was assembled |
12th to 17th digits | serial number | specific to the RV or trailer |
For motorized RVs, you should be able to find the VIN number on a little stamped plate attached to the driver’s side door frame or door jam. It is not that hard to find and if one is not there look on the vehicle registration form.
For trailers, it should be on the frame of the trailer also on the driver’s side. Or you can look on the tongue of the trailer to find it. There should be a stamped plate or the number is directly stamped onto the frame itself located somewhere on the trailer.
If your trailer does not have one then you may need to have the local DMV or state police assign you a new number. You would need to call them and ask what the process and the cost will be for this new number.
Make sure to write it down in a place where you won’t lose it. Or you can attach your own tag to make sure the VIN number is on the trailer in case anyone stops you and asks.
There are lots of legitimate reasons why you would want to look up the VIN number of a trailer or RV. One very good reason is to learn the history of a used vehicle or trailer. The DMV and insurance companies do this all the time, they are looking for the history including, title transfers, damage claims, recalls, and more.
The good news is that there are plenty of websites that let you do the same thing. Knowing these details will help you negotiate or decide if you want to buy the trailer or not.
To find these websites, you can use the search words ‘RV VIN lookup’ and you should get more than enough results to conduct a thorough search. Another reason to look up the VIN number is to make sure the trailer or RV has not been damaged or if you are buying stolen property.
You should do this search to protect your money. These websites spell out all the details you need to know about so you can conduct the search correctly. We did not check to see if any of these searches cost you any money. If they do it will be good money well spent. Protecting yourself is the key here.
If you are not sure about a Jayco trailer and its history, you can always look up its VIN number and see what has transpired throughout its service. There is a website that will check these numbers for you.
The list goes back to 1993 so you are covered for most of the years Jayco has been in business making trailers. The website is called EPIC VIN and it is supposed to be a free check.
All Jayco trailers going back to 1981 have a VIN number so for those earlier years not covered by that website, you would have to look for another website that covers those missing years. Vin Vaquero is such a website and they cover the following trailers- Hybrid Trailer, Jayco, RV Trailer, & Sport Utility Trailer.
It is worth checking out used trailers as you never know if the owner is telling you the truth or not. They may not know either so it is not smart to accuse them of lying when you are negotiating a price.
Then if you can’t find the number on the trailer, check your insurance documents, DMV registration, MCO, or insurance ID cards. There will be one somewhere in most cases.
While part of the total VIN number, the serial number should give you specific information about the particular trailer or RV you already own. If you are worried about recall notices, etc., searching the serial number should give you that information.
One site to use for information on recalls is called Recall Finder. It covers the years from 1983 to 2022 so you can get all the information you need before you buy. The last 6 digits will give you your specific serial number making it easy to find out what you need to know about the trailer or RV.
At the bottom of this article, we put a list of different websites’ URLs so you can quickly go to those VIN’s lookup options and check your trailer or RV out. Or you can search for a prospective trailer you hope to buy.
The model numbering system may be a bit complicated to understand. The 3rd digit in the VIN number provides the model number but that is not the only number that talks about a particular model.
There are other comes used by RV makers to help describe the type of trailer or RV you own. For example, then may print somewhere the code-338 rets. This means the trailer is 33’ 8” long not including the tongue; there is a rear entertainment system inside and a triple slide model.
You may have to read the brochures or talk to the dealer several times to understand what all the different codes mean. BH means bunkhouse, RKS means rear kitchen with slide-out, REKS means rear entertainment kitchen slide and on it goes.
There seems to be a code for every detail included in your trailer or RV.
The year the camper was made is found in the 10th digit. As to the decade that may not be known. If you have 1 in that spot, then it was made in the first year of that decade. A 5 indicates year 5 and on it goes.
The 10th digit in this sample VIN 1UJAJ01GX81BC0261 — 2008 Jayco Series 1006 / Series 1207 (no engine), Trailer will indicate the year the trailer was made. The words after it just put the information in proper order for easier understanding. They do not indicate the order of numbers.
It can get a bit complicated trying to figure out what all the letters and numbers mean. You may have to talk to Jayco or their dealers directly to find the correct meaning behind each one. While you are at it ask for a list of codes so you can understand what is inside the RV you want to buy.
Decoding all the letters, numbers and special symbols can take a lot of work. It is a good thing you do not need to know what the VIN digits mean to search for information on a given trailer.
You just have to copy it into the right search box to find its history. Knowing that history should help protect you from making a bad purchase from a dishonest owner.
https://recallsfinder.com/jayco.html
https://epicvin.com/vin-lookup/jayco/rv-trailer
https://www.faxvin.com/vin-check/rv-motorhome
https://www.dmv.org/rv-vin-check.php
https://vinpit.com/vin-check/rv-motorhome