Read the whole plate.the way it's actually stamped.
Real M-plates are a few continuous lines of stamped text, not a row of separate boxes - and the option codes share lines with the date, destination, model, paint and chassis number. Type in what your plate shows and watch it lay out the same way as the real thing.
How to read an M-plate.
The plate is riveted behind the right-hand front seat on most models (bench, walk-thru, or single-cab position depends on your layout).
Early Bays (68-76): behind the driver's seat. Later Bays (77-79): on the fresh-air vent under the dash, left side. It's a small stamped-metal tag, easy to miss under grime.
A real plate has 3-4 continuous stamped lines. Option codes often share a line with the date, engine code, or paint code - there's no dividing box between them.
Bus M-plates, answered.
Where do I find the M-plate on a VW Bus?
On Splitscreens (1959-1967) the plate is riveted behind the right-hand front seat on most models (bench, walk-thru, or single-cab position depends on your layout). On early Bay Windows (68-76) it's behind the driver's seat; on later Bays (77-79) it's on the fresh-air vent under the dash, left side. It's a small stamped-metal tag, easy to miss under grime.
Why doesn't a real M-plate look like a row of boxes?
A real plate has 3-4 continuous stamped lines. Option codes often share a line with the date, engine code, or paint code — there's no dividing box between them.
Does this tool cover pre-October 1958 Splitscreens?
No. Splitscreens built before October 1958 carried their codes on a plate in the engine bay in a different layout — this tool covers the standard riveted M-plate used from late 1958 on.
Can I use this tool on a Beetle plate?
No. Beetle plates use a related but separately-documented code set — use our Beetle M-Code Decoder instead.
How complete is the Bus M-plate decoding?
Option codes, export-destination codes, and the date decode from sourced references. Bay Window model/body-type codes (1968-79) are cross-checked against TheSamba's Transporter Type 2 model-code archive — only codes with a confirmed meaning are decoded, everything else is shown as recorded rather than guessed at. Engine/gearbox codes are recorded exactly as stamped but don't have a verified meaning table yet.
Know your options. Get the right parts.
Once you know what your Bus rolled off the line with, our vehicle pages have everything that fits - German OE, quality repro, and the parts we make in-house.