Do you own a truck and need to know its exact age to comply with legal regulations regarding its service life? Determining the age of your truck not only gives you peace of mind while operating it but also helps you avoid unnecessary legal risks. This article from Xe Tải Mỹ Đình experts will provide the most detailed guide on how to calculate truck age according to current regulations, helping you easily and accurately determine your vehicle’s age.
Why is Knowing How to Calculate Truck Age Important?
According to Vietnamese law, cargo trucks have a maximum service life of 25 years. This means that after 25 years from the year of manufacture, trucks are not allowed to circulate on the roads. Understanding how to calculate truck age is extremely important because:
- Legal Compliance: Ensures your truck does not violate service life regulations, avoiding fines or vehicle confiscation.
- Safety Assurance: Older trucks may pose technical safety risks. Knowing the truck’s age helps you proactively plan maintenance and vehicle replacement.
- Vehicle Value: The age of the truck is a significant factor affecting its value when you want to buy, sell, or trade it.
How to calculate truck age: Determine the year of manufacture of the truck to comply with the 25-year service life regulation.
Close-up of a person pointing at a VIN number on a truck frame
Steps to Accurately Determine Truck Age
To know how to calculate truck age accurately, you need to determine the year of manufacture of the vehicle. According to Circular 21/2010/TT-BGTVT, determining the year of manufacture of a truck is prioritized based on the following sources of information:
1. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), also known as the chassis number, is a unique serial number assigned to each vehicle by the manufacturer. The VIN contains important information, including the year of manufacture of the vehicle.
- VIN Location: The VIN is usually stamped on the vehicle frame, near the driver’s seat or under the hood. Additionally, the VIN is also recorded in the vehicle registration certificate and vehicle insurance policy.
- How to Read the VIN for Year of Manufacture: Typically, the 10th character in the VIN indicates the year of manufacture of the vehicle. However, VIN decoding rules may vary depending on the manufacturer and the standards of each country. You can use online tools or contact the vehicle manufacturer directly to decode the VIN and know the exact year of manufacture.
Close-up of a VIN number plate on a truck
2. Chassis Number
If you cannot determine the year of manufacture through the VIN, you can look for information on the chassis number. The chassis number is usually printed or stamped directly on the vehicle frame. Similar to the VIN, you may need to refer to the manufacturer’s technical documentation or online resources to decode the chassis number and find the year of manufacture.
Image showing the location of a chassis number on a truck frame
3. Vehicle Technical Documents
The technical documents accompanying the truck are an official source of information for determining the truck’s age. You can find the year of manufacture in the following documents:
- Vehicle Catalog: Catalogs usually provide detailed information on technical specifications and the year of manufacture of vehicle models.
- Technical Specifications Manual: Similar to catalogs, technical specifications manuals also contain information about the year of manufacture.
- Manufacturer’s Recognition Software or Information: Contact the manufacturer or authorized dealer directly, providing the VIN or chassis number to get support in looking up the year of manufacture.
Example of a truck catalog with vehicle specifications
4. Manufacturer’s Labels
Information about the year of manufacture is sometimes printed directly on the manufacturer’s labels, which are usually attached or stamped on the truck. Check these labels carefully, especially in locations such as door frames, engine compartments, or cargo boxes.
Image of a manufacturer's label inside a truck door frame
5. Vehicle Records
Records related to the truck are also reliable sources for determining the vehicle’s age:
- Quality Certificate: For domestically manufactured vehicles, the ex-factory quality certificate usually clearly states the year of manufacture.
- Ex-factory Quality Inspection Sheet: Similar to the quality certificate, the quality inspection sheet may also contain information about the year of manufacture.
- Inspection or Acceptance Records, Certificate of Quality for Modified Road Motor Vehicles (for modified vehicles): These documents may contain information about the original year of manufacture of the vehicle before modification.
- Original Records Managed by the Police Authority: Original records stored at the police authority managing the vehicle are also an accurate reference source.
- Import Documents (for imported vehicles): Import documents may clearly state the year of manufacture of the vehicle.
Important Note: If your truck does not have at least one of the documents, records, or bases mentioned above to determine the year of manufacture, the vehicle will be considered to have exceeded its service life according to regulations.
Time to Start Calculating Truck Age
According to Decree 95/2009/NĐ-CP, the time to calculate the service life of a truck is calculated starting from the year of manufacture of the vehicle.
In some special cases, if approved by the Prime Minister, the service life may be calculated from the year of first vehicle registration. However, this case is very rare and not commonly applied.
Thus, the simplest way to calculate truck age is to determine the year of manufacture of the vehicle according to the steps above. From the year of manufacture, you can easily calculate the number of years the vehicle has been used and compare it with the 25-year regulation to ensure your truck operates legally.
A mechanic inspecting the engine of a truck
Conclusion
Understanding how to calculate truck age is the responsibility of every vehicle owner and driver. Hopefully, this article has provided complete information and detailed instructions so you can easily determine the age of your truck. If you have any questions, please contact Xe Tải Mỹ Đình for the best advice and support.
