If you want to identify exactly how your Mercedes-Benz was originally built—whether you’re buying, selling, or simply curious—the build sheet is the authoritative source. It documents the car’s original configuration in full detail, including its installed equipment, option and package codes, paint and upholstery selections, drivetrain setup, and every technical specification recorded at the factory.
Because Mercedes-Benz uses different production and data systems across model years, access to these records can vary. To make that process easier, we created a Mercedes-Benz Build Sheet by VIN lookup that retrieves verified factory data whenever it’s available. Entering a car’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) instantly reveals the vehicle’s authentic configuration.
When a complimentary build sheet isn’t accessible, the system automatically searches for an official OEM window sticker as a secondary source. If neither document can be located, we work with an authorized data partner that reconstructs the build sheet or sticker directly from factory records, ensuring it remains both accurate and complete.
The FAQ below explains everything you need to know—how to access a Mercedes-Benz build sheet, what information it contains, and why it’s essential for confirming a vehicle’s true factory specifications.
Inside Mercedes, the official build sheet record is called the Vehicle Data Card (“Datenkarte”). It lists the car’s as‑built configuration: model and platform codes, engine/transmission type, paint and trim codes, and dozens (sometimes hundreds) of option/SA codes tied to the VIN. Today, this lives in the digital VeDoc after‑sales database and is served through internal systems and APIs; historically it was a paper card delivered with the car.
1950s–1990s: Paper data cards came with the owner’s packet and were often glued into the Service/Warranty booklet; many models also had option-code stickers in the car (e.g., under the hood or in the trunk on W220 models). Older archives are on microfiche, so copies can be faint.
2000s–present: The modern data card is digital inside the VeDoc/XENTRY system. Dealers and authorized service users pull it directly; the information is always current because it’s served from VeDoc.
Ask a U.S. Mercedes‑Benz dealer (Service or Parts). Request a printout of the Data Card and, if you want service/warranty entries, a VMI (Vehicle Master Inquiry). These dealer reports come from VeDoc/NetStar/XENTRY and aren’t consumer‑facing portals. Availability is at the dealer’s discretion.
For classics or when the dealer can’t help, contact Mercedes‑Benz Classic Center USA. U.S./Canada owners can request a copy of the data card after providing proof of ownership; club resources and vintage Mercedes-Benz owners commonly report a fee around $150 for this service. Contact info is on MBUSA’s Classic Center page.
Third‑party VIN decoders (use with caution). Sites like Build Sheet by VIN and others can mirror data‑card content for many modern Mercedes-Benz VINs, but cross‑check anything important against a dealer printout.
MBUSA online resources (limited). MBUSA’s VIN pages (e.g., Vehicle Information, Recall portals) can surface some equipment/recall data for recent model years, but they are not substitutes for a full Data Card.
Typically:
Identification: VIN/FIN, model/platform code (e.g., 204.047), order number, production/registration year.
Powertrain: Engine family (e.g., M276, M177) and transmission type (e.g., 722.9/725.0).
Market/regulatory flags: U.S. version codes are common (e.g., 494 U.S. version, noting U.S.-specific EVAP, etc.; older years used 491/494 for U.S./California).
Appearance: Paint code (3‑digit plus a suffix letter on many older models) and trim/upholstery code.
Options (SA codes): Hundreds of numeric/alphanumeric codes describing packages and individual features (e.g., P‑codes like P01 Premium Package alongside the underlying features).
Yes. The Mercedes-Benz archives support pre‑standard VIN formats. In the U.S., request through the Classic Center USA with proof of ownership. Remember: NHTSA’s 17‑character VIN standard begins in the 1981 model year; earlier Mercedes used shorter chassis/VIN formats.
Build sheet/Data Card
Audience: Internal/service record of the configuration for the assembly process.
Content: Technical and option codes (no prices); market codes; paint/trim; sometimes key code references on classic cards.
Window sticker/Monroney label
Audience: Consumer price/information label required by U.S. law at the time of new‑vehicle sale.
Content: MSRP, destination, factory options with pricing, EPA fuel‑economy and emissions label, NHTSA crash‑test ratings (if available), and content/origin disclosures.
A real MB window sticker shows package names and prices and often repeats the underlying codes; the build sheet lists the codes without pricing.
Confirm the VIN format.
Identify primary vehicle elements.
Decode paint and interior.
Map option/SA codes.
Understand packages vs. elements.
Validate physically.
Service/Warranty booklet: Paper Data Card/sticker on many models (e.g., W220).
Under hood /trunk floor: Option sticker on some generations (again W220 example).
Paint plate: Radiator support/door jamb; find the 3‑digit paint code (classics often show a letter suffix).
Classic Center/Archives coverage is extensive (1950s onward), but the quality of copies varies because many older records were archived on microfiche. Proof of ownership is required before they’ll release a data card.
After the merger, AMG and modern Maybach models are fully represented in VeDoc; the Data Card will reflect AMG engines/suspension/options.
Pre‑merger/period AMG conversions may need supplemental documentation (e.g., production letters) beyond a standard Data Card to verify authenticity. Owners frequently pursue separate factory letters through Classic/AMG channels.
MBUSA doesn’t maintain a universal public archive of Monroney labels/window stickers. Third‑party services such as iSeeCars’ Window Sticker by VIN can generate reproductions for many VINs; accuracy and coverage vary. Treat them as helpful reconstructions rather than official records.
No.
Data Card = as‑built configuration.
VMI = dealer‑side record that can show warranty repairs, campaigns, and service actions. Owners usually must request it via a dealer.
Recalls: Check MBUSA’s and NHTSA’s VIN tools for open recalls; that’s separate from the Data Card.
“Any online VIN report is an official build sheet.” False. Unless it’s printed from VeDoc/XENTRY by a dealer or issued by Classic, it’s not the official record. Third‑party decoders can be useful but aren’t authoritative.
“Window stickers and build sheets say the same thing.” No. Window stickers are federally regulated consumer labels (price, EPA, NHTSA, AALA); build sheets are internal configuration records without pricing.
“The code meanings never change.” They do evolve. Example: code 494 has described different U.S./California permutations across eras. Don’t assume a 1978 code equals a 2018 code.
Ask for:
Data Card (Datenkarte) printout for your VIN.
VMI (Vehicle Master Inquiry) if you also want warranty/campaign lines. Dealers access these via VeDoc/XENTRY/NetStar; there’s no public app that shows the same detail.
Rule out misreads first (codes are inconsistent; year‑to‑year meanings change). Then verify the feature physically.
If there’s still a mismatch, ask a dealer for both the Data Card and VMI to see if the item was deleted, substituted at the port, or removed in service. If the discrepancy involves a new vehicle’s window sticker vs. actual equipment, escalate with the selling dealer immediately.
If you have any issues or questions, feel free to reach out to our support team via info at buildsheetbyvin dot com.