What Are Caravan Year Codes?

If you have purchased a caravan and want to know the year in which it was manufactured, then finding out couldn’t be easier. This is because each caravan has a serial number, sometimes referred to as a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which contains within it a year code. All caravans manufactured around the globe since 1992 feature this year code, which shows you the exact year that the caravan was manufactured. As well as a caravan’s year code the VIN also contains lots of other information about the caravans manufacturer, country of manufacture and more.

By the end of this guide you will be able to locate your own caravans VIN, and identify what year it was manufactured and more. This can be really useful to know when it comes to selling your caravan later down the line.

Where to find your caravan’s VIN

Where you’ll find your caravan’s VIN will vary, depending on how old you caravan is. From 1992 to 2015 VINs were etched onto windows and also by the door or the A frame. From 2016 caravan VINs where marked with a security sticker, usually found on the nearside front window.

How to read your caravan’s VIN

To help you find out the year of your caravans manufacture from the VIN code, let’s show you a sample VIN.

Here is a sample VIN: SGBSX5CBYA1111111

The VIN is broken down into a number of different elements, which we can outline below…

1. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - This is the country code. SG signifies that the caravan has been manufactured in the UK.
2. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - These characters signify the make of the caravan. So in this instance the B would signify that it is a Bailey caravan.
3. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - This character will either be a T or an S. This is to identify whether the caravan is a single or twin axle model.
   • S - Single
   • T - Twin
4. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - The next three characters display additional manufacturer information. In some cases these characters may simply be 000.
5. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - These characters outline the manufacturer’s code. So the BY signifies that the caravan is a Bailey model.
6. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - This is the year code. The A means that the caravan was manufactured in 2010. After we have finished decoding the VIN, we can outline for you the different year codes and their corresponding years.
7. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - The next three digits are there for more optional manufacturer information. This information doesn’t mean too much to the average caravan owner, and often refers to specific ranges of caravans.
8. SGBSX5CBYA1111111 - The final four digits make up the caravan’s unique serial number.

What year is my caravan?

As you can see in point 6 above, caravan year codes are indicated by a single letter or number. They offer a nice and easy way to find out the year in which your caravan was manufactured. Below are the different year codes and their corresponding years:

Caravan VIN: Manufacturer codes explained

Below we have listed the manufacturer codes you may see on your caravan’s VIN, depending on who the manufacturer is.

So there you have it, your caravan’s VIN broken down into easily digestible chunks. By locating and decoding your caravan’s VIN you’re able to easily work out the year in which it was manufactured.