Skid steers do not have a VIN. They carry a manufacturer serial number, and on newer machines that number is a 17-character Product Identification Number, or PIN. It is stamped on a metal plate on the frame, and it is the only thing that ties a specific machine to its bill of sale, lien records and theft reports. The same applies to compact track loaders and mini excavators.
Before you pay for a used machine, find the plate yourself, copy every character, and check that it matches the paperwork. This guide covers where to look by brand, what the number can and cannot tell you, and how to verify it.
New to equipment paperwork? Start with our main guide: Do Skid Steers Have Titles?
Quick Answer
| Question | Answer | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Do skid steers have VIN numbers? | No. They have a serial number or PIN | Do not rely on a car VIN decoder |
| How long is a PIN? | 17 characters on machines built to ISO 10261 | Older machines use shorter serial numbers |
| Where is it? | On a metal plate on the frame | Check the brand table below and the operator manual |
| Does it show the year? | Not reliably | Ask a dealer to look up the build date |
| How do I verify it? | Match plate to paperwork, then run theft and lien checks | Follow the five steps below |
Do Skid Steers Have VIN Numbers?
No. A VIN is assigned to vehicles built for public roads. Off-road machines use a PIN instead, and police describe it as the heavy equipment equivalent of a VIN. A 17-character PIN looks like a VIN, which is why sellers and even some forms call it one, but it is issued under a different standard. Free car VIN decoders are not built for equipment and can return errors or nothing at all for a valid PIN.
What the 17 Characters Mean
The international standard for earth-moving machinery, ISO 10261, lays out the PIN in four parts:
| Positions | Section | What It Identifies |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | World Manufacturer Code | The manufacturer |
| 4 to 8 | Machine Descriptor Section | Model or machine type, in the maker's own code |
| 9 | Check letter | A character used to validate the number |
| 10 to 17 | Machine Indicator Section | The individual machine; the last four are always digits |
Machines built before a manufacturer adopted the 17-character format carry shorter serial numbers. Bobcat loader manuals, for example, describe a serial number made of a four-digit model and engine combination code followed by a five-digit production sequence number.
Can You Tell the Year From the Serial Number?
Not reliably. On a road vehicle, the tenth VIN character is always the model year. ISO 10261 only recommends a year character and leaves it to the manufacturer, so some brands encode the year and others do not. The dependable ways to get the year of manufacture are a build date printed on the plate, the operator manual, or a dealer who can look up the serial number in the manufacturer's system. Be cautious with online charts that claim to decode the year for every brand.
Where to Find the Serial Number Plate by Brand
| Brand | Where to Look | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bobcat loaders | Near the back of the loader, on the right or left side of the frame upright | Bobcat directs serial questions to its dealers |
| Bobcat excavators | Front of the cab, to the side of the boom | Same dealer lookup |
| Case skid steers and CTLs | Outside right-hand side of the chassis on vertical-lift models; inside the left loader arm tower on radial-lift models | The manual has a separate year-of-build line |
| Caterpillar | On the outer frame of the machine | Confirm the exact spot in the operator manual |
| Kubota | Check the operator manual for your model | Kubota uses 17-digit serial numbers; its support site accepts the last five |
For John Deere, New Holland, Takeuchi and other brands, plate locations vary by model and series. Use the operator manual or ask a dealer, and do not trust a location you read in a forum post without checking it against the machine.
How to Verify a Serial Number Before You Buy
- Read it off the machine. Photograph the plate and copy every character yourself. Do not accept a number sent by text or copied from an old invoice.
- Match it to the paperwork. The number on the plate must match the bill of sale, any prior invoice and the listing exactly. See our skid steer bill of sale template for where it goes.
- Check the plate against the machine. El Paso Police advise buyers to check plate photos for discrepancies with the equipment's model, load capacity or serial number.
- Run a theft check. Verisk's National Equipment Register sells an IRONcheck report for $49.95 that covers PIN accuracy, theft records, insurance claim history and UCC history. Our guide on how to check if heavy equipment is stolen walks through the free options first.
- Run a lien search. A clean serial number does not mean a clean title to the machine. Follow how to check a lien on heavy equipment before you pay.
Red Flags on a Serial Plate
- The plate is missing. Equipment theft specialists call a missing PIN plate the obvious red flag, because thieves often remove or switch plates.
- The plate looks altered or reattached. The National Equipment Register warns that a missing or altered PIN plate may be a sign the machine was stolen.
- The model on the plate does not match the machine. A plate from a different model or size class means walk away.
- The seller will not let you photograph it. A legitimate owner has no reason to refuse.
- Component numbers do not line up. The engine has its own serial number. Record it too, and ask a dealer whether it fits the machine's build record.
If anything looks wrong, stop and call local law enforcement or a dealer before money changes hands. Manufacturers also place a concealed copy of the number on the machine that police and dealers can use to confirm identity.
When the number checks out, compare new and used skid steers on MachineryList and ask each seller for a plate photo before you travel.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Plate locations and number formats vary by manufacturer, model and year, and no single search guarantees clean ownership.
Sources
- ISO 10261, Earth-moving machinery: Product identification numbering system, PIN length and structure.
- Bobcat serial number locations, loader and excavator plate locations.
- Kubota USA support, 17-digit serial numbers.
- Verisk National Equipment Register IRONcheck, report contents and price.
- National Equipment Register newsletter, Q2 2013, altered and missing PIN plates.
- IRMI expert commentary on equipment theft, PIN plate red flags and component numbers.
- El Paso Police Department buyer advisory, August 2026, PIN checks for buyers.
Related Guides
- How to Check If Heavy Equipment Is Stolen
- How to Check for a Lien on Heavy Equipment
- Used Skid Steer Inspection Checklist
- Do Excavators Have Titles?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do skid steers have VIN numbers?
→
No. Skid steers are off-road machines, so they carry a manufacturer serial number or a 17-character Product Identification Number (PIN), not a VIN. The PIN does the same job a VIN does on a truck: it identifies one specific machine on the bill of sale, lien filings and theft reports.
Do excavators have VIN numbers?
→
No. Mini and full-size excavators use a serial number or PIN on a plate attached to the machine, the same as skid steers. On Bobcat excavators the plate is on the front of the cab to the side of the boom. Check the operator manual for other brands.
How do I find out what year my skid steer is?
→
Look for a build date on the serial plate or in the operator manual first. If it is not shown, give the full serial number to a dealer for that brand, who can look up the build date. The serial number alone does not reliably show the year on every brand.
Ready to shop?
See new and used skid steers for sale from sellers across the country.
