# Where Is My Car Paint Code? Find It by Make and Model

Published 29 October 2026. CarCheckUp guide: https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/where-is-my-car-paint-code/

> Where to find the paint code label on every common make in the UK, what the code looks like, and what to do if it's missing.

Your car's paint code is printed on a label or plate on the car, most often in the driver's door frame, under the bonnet or in the boot by the spare wheel. Where exactly depends on the make, and sometimes the model. This guide shows where to look on every common make in the UK, what the code looks like when you find it, and what to do if the label is missing.

Don't want to search? Enter the registration or the VIN in our [paint code by reg or VIN](https://carcheckup.co.uk/find-my-car-colour-code-by-registration-number) lookup: we list the factory paint codes for your car's make, model, colour and year, so you know what you're looking for on the label.

## The quick answer: the three places to look first

1. **The driver's door frame.** Open the driver's door and look at the pillar (the B-pillar) and the edge of the door. Most Ford, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Citroën, Renault and Land Rover cars have the label here.
2. **Under the bonnet.** Check the slam panel at the front, the inner wings and the tops of the suspension turrets. Volvo, MINI and many Honda models use this spot.
3. **In the boot.** Lift the boot floor and look around the spare wheel well. Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT and Skoda put a vehicle data sticker here, and copy it into the service book.

## Where to find the paint code, by make

| Make | Where the label usually is | What the code looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Ford | Sticker on the driver's door pillar (B-pillar), in the box marked EXT PNT | A short code such as Z2, or a four-character reference such as 7VTA (Frozen White) |
| Volkswagen | Vehicle data sticker in the boot, in or near the spare wheel well, and in the service book | Four characters starting with L, such as LB9A (Candy White), or two characters |
| Vauxhall | Sticker or plate on a door pillar (driver's side on older models, often the passenger side on newer ones), sometimes under the bonnet or in the boot | Three characters, often with a Z in front, in the bottom-left corner of the label (Z20R) |
| BMW | Sticker on the driver's door pillar or under the bonnet on a suspension turret | Three characters, such as 300 (Alpine White III) or 475 (Black Sapphire) |
| Audi | Vehicle data sticker in the boot by the spare wheel well, and in the service book | Four characters starting with L, such as LY9B (Brilliant Black) |
| Mercedes-Benz | Sticker in the driver's door frame; on some models by the door hinges or under the bonnet | Three digits, such as 197 (Obsidian Black), sometimes shown as four (9197) |
| Toyota | Plate in the driver's door frame; on some models under the bonnet or boot lid | Three characters after C/TR, such as 040 (white) or 1K3 |
| Nissan | Plate or sticker in the door frame, or under the bonnet on the slam panel | Three letters or numbers, such as QAB (Pearl White) |
| Peugeot | Sticker on the driver's door edge or frame, sometimes under the bonnet | Three letters, such as EWP (Banquise White) |
| Citroën | Sticker on the driver's side door frame, by the hinges | Three letters, such as KTV |
| Renault | Sticker on a front door frame | TE followed by three characters: TEKNG means paint code KNG |
| Honda | Civic: driver's door frame. Jazz, CR-V and Accord: usually under the bonnet | Letters and numbers, such as NH731P |
| Kia | Vehicle information sticker on the driver's door pillar | Two or three characters, such as UD (Clear White) |
| Hyundai | Vehicle information sticker on the driver's door frame; on some models under the bonnet | Two or three characters, such as PAE |
| Skoda | Vehicle data sticker in the boot by the spare wheel well, and in the service book | Two characters, such as 9P, or four starting with L (LF9E) |
| SEAT | Sticker in the boot floor or spare wheel bay, inside the fuel flap or under the bonnet | Four characters starting with L, such as LS9R |
| Volvo | Sticker under the bonnet, usually on the radiator support or an inner wing | Three digits, such as 717 or 452 |
| MINI | Sticker under the bonnet on the bulkhead or radiator support; on some cars the door frame | Three characters, such as 850 or A62 |
| Fiat | Varies by model: driver's door frame, under the bonnet or inside the boot lid | Three digits with a letter, such as 268/A |
| Land Rover | Sticker or metal plate in the door frame | A number, often shown with LRC in front (LRC867) |

Positions can change between models and model years, so if the label isn't in the first place you look, try the others in the list above.

## How to read the label

A paint code label usually carries several codes: the VIN, the engine and gearbox codes, the trim code and the paint code. The paint code is often marked PAINT, COLOUR, LACK (on German cars), EXT PNT (Ford) or C/TR (Toyota, where the paint code comes before the slash). If the label shows a colour name, check it matches your car. The trim code is for the interior, not the paint.

## Can I find my paint code by registration or VIN?

The DVLA record and the V5C log book show only the colour in plain words, such as grey or blue, not the paint code. Our [paint code lookup](https://carcheckup.co.uk/find-my-car-colour-code-by-registration-number) uses the registration or the VIN to find the car's make, model, year and colour, then lists the paint codes its maker used for that colour, with the label location for your make. It costs £3.99, is emailed to you and is priced separately from the [full car history report](https://carcheckup.co.uk/sample-car-history-report).

## What if the label is missing or unreadable?

- **Check the service book.** Volkswagen group cars copy the vehicle data sticker into it.
- **Use the VIN.** The VIN is also stamped at the bottom of the windscreen and on the V5C: enter it in our [paint code lookup](https://carcheckup.co.uk/find-my-car-colour-code-by-registration-number), or ask a franchised dealer to look up the original paint.
- **Ask the bodyshop.** If the car has been resprayed a different colour, the original label still shows the factory colour. Remember to tell DVLA about the new colour.
- **Use the registration or the VIN.** Our lookup narrows the codes down to the ones the maker used for your car's colour, model and year.

## Before you order touch-up paint

Order by the paint code, not just the colour name: one maker can have several "silvers" in a single year. Metallic and pearl paints often need a clear coat, and some pearl colours have three layers. Test the paint on a hidden area first, as paint on an older car may have faded slightly.

## Paint code FAQs

**Where is the paint code on my car?** Usually on a label in the driver's door frame, under the bonnet or in the boot by the spare wheel. The table above shows where to look on each make.

**Is the paint code on the V5C?** No. The V5C shows the registered colour in plain words, not the manufacturer's paint code.

**Is the colour code the same as the paint code?** Yes. Makers and paint suppliers use both names for the code of the exact shade.

**Can I get my paint code from the VIN?** Yes. Enter the VIN (chassis number) in our [paint code lookup](https://carcheckup.co.uk/find-my-car-colour-code-by-registration-number): we find the car's make, model, year and colour from it and list the maker's paint codes, just as with the reg.

**Can I find my car's paint code online?** Yes: enter your reg or VIN in our [paint code lookup](https://carcheckup.co.uk/find-my-car-colour-code-by-registration-number) to see the factory codes for your car's make, model, colour and year, then match one with the label on the car.