Overview
Every motor vehicle needs a unique identity that stays with it for life. Internationally, that identity is the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), a 17-character code whose structure is defined in ISO 3779. The first three characters form the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), which identifies the manufacturer and is allotted under ISO 3780.
Globally, the WMI register is maintained by SAE International, which acts as the registration authority for ISO. Each country has a national body that coordinates applications. In India, that body is the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), through its International Relations & Technical Information Services Department in New Delhi. BIS processes applications from Indian manufacturers and issues the WMI once SAE has assigned it.
Indian motor-vehicle rules require manufacturers to mark a VIN on their vehicles, so a WMI is a basic prerequisite before a new manufacturer can get its vehicles type-approved and registered.
BIS’s official page, with the current forms and checklist, is at https://www.bis.gov.in/standards/world-manufacturer-identifier/.
Who needs it
- New vehicle manufacturers entering the Indian market, including electric two-wheeler, three-wheeler and car makers.
- Commercial vehicle, bus body and trailer manufacturers whose products are registered as motor vehicles.
- Existing manufacturers adding a new plant, a new vehicle category or a change of plant name or address.
- Overseas manufacturers typically use the WMI assigned in their home country; we can advise where Indian assembly changes this.
Products covered
| Vehicle type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Passenger vehicles | Cars, SUVs, vans |
| Two- and three-wheelers | Motorcycles, scooters, electric two-wheelers, e-rickshaws and e-carts |
| Commercial vehicles | Trucks, buses, light goods vehicles |
| Towed vehicles | Trailers and semi-trailers |
| Special-purpose vehicles | Tractors and construction equipment vehicles, where VIN marking applies |
Documents required
BIS publishes an application form and a checklist. Typically you will need:
- Application for a WMI code in the BIS format (current version on the BIS page)
- Company incorporation documents and GST registration
- Manufacturing plant address and proof of the plant
- Details of vehicle categories and types to be manufactured
- Expected annual production volume
- Authorisation of the signatory
- Fee payment as prescribed by BIS
Separate application forms apply for adding a new vehicle type, a new plant, a plant address change or a plant name change.
Process
- Plan the VIN. Decide the structure of the vehicle descriptor section (model, body type, engine or motor type) and vehicle indicator section (model year, plant, serial number), in line with ISO 3779 and Indian requirements.
- Prepare the application. Complete the BIS application and checklist with supporting documents.
- Submit to BIS. File with BIS’s International Relations & Technical Information Services Department and pay the fee.
- Forwarding to SAE. BIS reviews the application and coordinates the assignment with SAE International.
- Issue of WMI. BIS communicates the assigned WMI to the manufacturer.
- Implement. Mark the VIN on the chassis or frame and on the statutory plate, and use it in type-approval and registration documents.
Validity, renewal & surveillance
A WMI is allotted to the manufacturer and does not expire in the way a product licence does. You must, however, keep BIS informed of changes such as new plants, name changes or a change of address, using the BIS forms for each. VIN marking is verified during type approval by the testing agency and at vehicle registration.
Note: BIS’s WMI page lists a fee of Rs 5,000 plus applicable taxes. Fees and forms are revised from time to time, so confirm the current figures before applying.
How Aaditech helps
Aaditech was promoted in 2010 by former Directors of the Bureau of Indian Standards, so we know how BIS departments process applications and what makes them move quickly.
- VIN design: we help you structure the full 17-character VIN so it works for your product range and future models.
- Documentation: application, checklist and supporting documents prepared in the BIS format.
- Filing and follow-up with BIS until the WMI is issued.
- Changes after allotment: new plants, new vehicle types and address or name changes.
- Wider compliance: we can point you to other BIS requirements that apply to vehicle components and accessories.
Planning a vehicle launch? Contact us to get your WMI in place early.
