Use the VIN [VIN] attribute, or the vehicle identification number, as a unique identifier for each vehicle.
On this page
When to use
Required for each vehicle ad listed in Merchant Center. Exceptions below:
Optional for vehicle ads listed in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Optional for build to order
[build_to_order] offers.
Format
Follow these formatting guidelines to make sure Google understands the data you submit. Learn when and how to submit your product data.
| Formatting specifications | |
| Technical name | VIN |
|---|---|
| Type | String (Unicode characters) Recommended: ASCII only |
| Limits | 1-17 digits |
| Repeated field | No |
| Schema.org property (What’s this?) | No |
File format examples
To ensure your attribute is recognized correctly, use the formatting specific to your data source type.
| Data source format | Examples |
| Text (TSV or CSV) data sources | 4Y1SL65848Z411439 |
| XML data source | <g:vin>4Y1SL65848Z411439</g:vin> |
| Merchant API | To format your data for Merchant API, go to the Vehicle ads Merchant API guidelines. |
Minimum requirements
This is the requirement that you must meet to show your product in Merchant Center. If you don't follow this requirement, we'll disapprove your product and let you know in your Merchant Center account.
- The VIN
[VIN]should be unique for each vehicle.
Best practices
This best practice can help you go beyond the basic requirements to optimize your product data for performance.
- The VIN
[VIN]attribute should not be duplicated in a given data source.- Note that a separate data source that targets another language can use the same VIN value.
