Per NHTSA’s New Manufacturing Handbook (pg5), a vehicle is defined as, “vehicles that are driven or drawn by mechanical power, and manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, or highways.” Some examples are: Passenger Car, Multi-Purpose passenger vehicle, Truck, Bus, Motorcycle, Trailer, Low-Speed Vehicle and Pole Trailer.

No, a low-speed vehicle is not compatible with FedCert Suite. NHTSA has different vehicle attributes that are required for an LSV, such as brake system, and engine type. FedCert Suite is designed for towable non-motorized vehicles.

VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number, is a unique 17-character identifier assigned to all on-road vehicles manufactured after 1981. It functions like a fingerprint for your vehicle, providing details such as the manufacturer, model year, and key specifications. VINs are used for recalls, insurance, registration, and theft tracking.

1. Initial Login Requirement At first login—whether starting a trial or using a paid subscription—new customers are automatically prompted to enter all VIN criteria on the VIN criteria page. This step must be completed before you can proceed.

2. Define and Enter VIN Criteria Click More Info (top-right) to learn how a VIN is calculated from these criteria. Criteria can be added manually by selecting the Add button for each section. For a quicker setup, you may use the Quick-Add Setup wizard, which walks you through industry-standard VIN criteria. You can also mix pre-defined and custom entries using either the Quick-Add or Add options. Each criteria section must have at least one record defined to enable vehicle creation and VIN calculation. If you need additional clarification, refer to the NHTSA guidelines for trailer manufacturers.

3. Calculate and Report VINs After completing your VIN criteria, navigate to Reports → VIN Calculation. Send the VIN report to NHTSA 60 days before the sale of your first vehicle. Reports may be mailed or submitted electronically through the online portal.

4. Adjust Vehicle Attributes (If Needed) FedCert Suite organizes vehicle attributes for VIN calculation. If your attributes differ in order or configuration, contact NHTSA about the adjustments 60 days before the sale of the first affected vehicle. All required forms and NHTSA contact details are available under Reports → VIN Calculation.

FedCert Suite’s VIN setup was built using NHTSA’s earlier example for the vehicle attribute section. While NHTSA updated its example in the October 24, 2025 Manufacturer Handbook (see page 15), the regulations themselves did not change—so our format remains fully compliant and NHTSA-approved. There is no rule that dictates the exact placement of details within the attribute section.

If your VIN structure differs from FedCert Suite’s, simply notify NHTSA. The system generates a VIN Decoder Report with their mailing address included, making the update easy.

Yes. We recommend submitting an updated VIN deciphering scheme to NHTSA to document any changes to your information. Once it’s approved, you can begin using FedCert Suite. If you need to start at a specific production sequence number, please call us at 800-225-6879.

A WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier) is the first three characters of a vehicle's 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which uniquely identifies the manufacturer of a motor vehicle or trailer.

If you are manufacturing more than 999 vehicles in a calendar year, you'll be assigned 3 digits; if you are manufacturing fewer than 999 vehicles, you'll receive 6 digits, to be utilized in positions 12-13-14.

To get your WMI, please contact Kris Siddall, the WMI Coordinator at SAE International. The address is:

400 Commonwealth Drive

Warrendale, PA 15096-0001

You can also contact Kris by phone at 724-772-8511 or via email at ksiddall@sae.org

If you’re using FedCert Suite to generate VINs for vehicles that will not be used in the U.S., you still need a WMI. To obtain one, contact SAE and complete the WMI application at: https://www.sae.org/standardsdev/groundvehicle/wmi/application/

“HZZ” is a placeholder WMI that SAE recognizes as a test code. In the registered version of FedCert Suite, you can replace it with your own assigned WMI.

If your current VIN structure differs from FedCert Suite’s, you can notify NHTSA of the change. The program provides a VIN Decoder Report that can be mailed to NHTSA when you begin using FedCert Suite, and their mailing address is included on the report.

Yes. If your WMI has changed, contact our support team to update it in FedCert Suite.

Labeling requirements depend on your vehicle’s weight. Use our Mandatory Label Guide to help determine the exact labels required for federal compliance.

Yes. To add your company logo in FedCert Suite, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the My Company tab on the left side of your screen.

2. Click Label & Doc Preferences.

3. Scroll down to the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin Options section.

4. Use the available buttons to enable Logo Graphic, Signature Graphic, and Warranty Graphic.

5. Review the required image dimensions listed in this section before uploading.

6. Upload your logo (and other graphics) in PNG format with a transparent background for the best print quality.