Paint Code Lookup

Every vehicle leaves the factory with a paint code — a short manufacturer reference that names the exact colour the body was sprayed. It matters because a colour name like “silver” or “red” is useless for matching: a single make may offer a dozen subtly different silvers across model years, and the eye cannot tell them apart on a shelf. The code removes all guesswork, so the touch-up pen, spray can, or mixed quart you buy is the precise shade on your car.

The catch is that there is no industry-wide standard for where the code lives or how it is formatted. Most makers print it on a sticker in the driver-side door jamb, but others hide it in the glove box, under the hood, in the trunk, or in the owner’s documentation. The format varies too — a two- or three-character code, an alphanumeric string, or a longer descriptor — and some manufacturers list two codes (one for the body, one for interior or trim). The table below shows where each major brand puts it and roughly what to look for.

Once you have the code, give it to any auto-paint supplier or enter it into a paint-matching service to get the exact formula. A few tips: clean the sticker so faded characters are readable, photograph it for reference, and note any prefix letters — they often distinguish a metallic from a solid version of the same colour. For two-tone or special-edition vehicles, double-check which code applies to the panel you are repairing.

Where to find the paint code

Notes

• Most codes decode to both a manufacturer color name and a basecoat / clearcoat formula.
• Popular touch-up suppliers: ColorRite, Dr. ColorChip, PaintScratch — enter your paint code for a custom-mixed match.