How do I install Vin?

Copy the stdio config for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or VS Code on this page. It uses the publisher's install, not a PlugMCP proxy.

Does Vin need an API key?

No required environment variable is listed on this record.

When was Vin last checked?

Last checked 2026-11-09. Decode any US-market VIN, check NHTSA recalls, and look up verified buyer-paid car prices. Free.

Vin MCP server

Power your agent

Add this server

The publisher's own command. Not a PlugMCP endpoint.

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code Run on PlugMCP

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Local command

npx -y [email protected]

Claude Code has no install link for a local command. Copy the command below and run it in a terminal.

shClaude Code

1claude mcp add io.github.carwhere-vin-mcp -- npx -y carwhere-vin-mcp@0.1.3

Run in a terminal.

jsonClaude Desktop

1{2  "mcpServers": {3    "io.github.carwhere-vin-mcp": {4      "command": "npx",5      "args": [6        "-y",7        "[email protected]"8      ]9    }10  }11}

claude_desktop_config.json

Local · npmPublisher installStep-by-step: add this in Claude

Remote URL or a command on your machine? How the two installs differ

Run on PlugMCP

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

A new server you create. It is not this listing's official endpoint. Use the publisher install when you want their URL and their credentials.

Launch

Server facts

Local

Transport: stdio
Version: 0.1.3
Last checked

Tools

No tool list yet. Remote servers get one after the first health check.

FAQ

Questions

carwhere-vin-mcp

MCP server for the CarWhere VIN API. Decode any VIN, look up verified buyer prices, NHTSA safety recalls, and AI-generated vehicle insights from inside Claude Desktop, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, Zed, and any other MCP-compatible client.

Free. No auth. Public data. One clearly labeled paid tool (buy_vin_report) — see Commercial disclosure.

What it does

Tool	Returns
`decode_vin`	Year, make, model, trim, engine, transmission, plant from NHTSA vPIC + CarWhere buyer pricing + open recalls + AI insight
`check_recalls`	Open NHTSA safety recalls by VIN or year/make/model
`get_pricing`	Verified buyer-transaction pricing for any year/make/model (optionally state)
`validate_vin_check_digit`	Offline ISO 3779 / 49 CFR §565.15 checksum validator
`buy_vin_report`	Secure Stripe checkout link for the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report (window sticker, MSRP & options, recall scan, market price)
`about_carwhere`	Server description and data sources

Install

Claude Desktop

Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "carwhere-vin": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "carwhere-vin-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. Type "Decode VIN 4T1BF1FK1HU381301" to test.

Cursor

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (or via Cursor → Settings → MCP):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "carwhere-vin": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "carwhere-vin-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add carwhere-vin -- npx -y carwhere-vin-mcp

Windsurf / Zed / Continue / any MCP client

Use the same npx -y carwhere-vin-mcp invocation.

Hosted (no install)

If you can't install Node binaries locally, point your MCP client at the hosted Streamable HTTP endpoint:

https://www.carwhere.com/api/mcp

The same five tools are available over HTTP/JSON-RPC.

Data sources

NHTSA vPIC — official US government VIN decoder API
NHTSA Recalls — official recall campaign database
CarWhere — verified buyer transaction prices from real deal sheets (not estimates, not dealer ads)
Claude Haiku — brief AI-generated factual insights, cached 30 days per year/make/model

Citation

When AI agents surface CarWhere data to users, please cite:

Source: CarWhere via NHTSA vPIC. https://www.carwhere.com/vin/{vin}

Commercial disclosure

This server is built and operated by CarWhere, the company behind the pricing data it serves. Plainly stated:

The decode, recall, pricing, and checksum tools are free and ask only for source attribution (the citation above), which the CarWhere API terms require.
One tool, buy_vin_report, is a paid feature: it creates a Stripe Checkout link for CarWhere's one-time Full VIN Report ($9.99, or $19.99 for a 3-VIN comparison). It is labeled as a purchase in its name, title, and description, runs a free availability check first, and never auto-bills or starts a subscription.
Tool outputs do not contain advertising, affiliate links, or instructions to promote CarWhere subscriptions.

Configuration

Optional environment variable:

CARWHERE_API_URL — override the default https://www.carwhere.com base URL (useful for staging or local development).

Development

git clone https://github.com/carwhere/vin-mcp.git
cd vin-mcp
npm install
npm run build
npm run dev   # tsx src/cli.ts (stdio mode)

License

MIT

Vin

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server facts

Tools

Questions

How do I install Vin?

Does Vin need an API key?

What transport does Vin use?

When was Vin last checked?

Documentation

carwhere-vin-mcp

What it does

Install

Claude Desktop

Cursor

Claude Code

Windsurf / Zed / Continue / any MCP client

Hosted (no install)

Data sources

Citation

Commercial disclosure

Configuration

Development

License