A window sticker and a build sheet both describe how one vehicle was built, but they were made for different people and they read very differently. For a vehicle with a 17-character VIN, you can look up its window sticker data by VIN. For a classic built before 1981, the record to look for is its factory build sheet.
The short answer
| Window sticker | Build sheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | The buyer of the new car | The workers on the assembly line |
| Written in | Plain words, with prices | The maker's option codes |
| Shows | Standard and optional equipment, packages, MSRP, fuel economy | Option codes, paint and trim codes, engine, transmission, axle ratio, plant |
| Required by law | Yes, on new cars sold in the US | No, it was an internal factory document |
| Where the original went | Removed after the sale, so most are lost | Often left in the car |
What a window sticker is
The window sticker, also called the Monroney label, is the label a manufacturer fixes to a new car before it reaches the dealer. The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958 requires it to show the manufacturer's suggested retail price, the standard equipment, each factory option with its price, and the transportation charge. Later rules added fuel economy and, for newer vehicles, safety ratings.
It was written for the person buying the car, so it uses plain words and prices. That makes it the easiest way to see what trim and options a vehicle left the factory with, and what it cost new. For a line-by-line guide, see how to read a window sticker.
What a build sheet is
A build sheet, sometimes called a broadcast sheet, is the plant's record of how one vehicle was to be built. It travelled with the body down the assembly line and told workers which engine, transmission, paint, trim and options to fit. Because it was never meant for the buyer, it is written in the maker's own option and paint codes, and it rarely shows prices.
Build sheets were often left in the car after assembly. Owners of classic vehicles still find them under a seat, behind a door panel or on top of the fuel tank. Collectors value them because they can confirm that a car's engine, colour and options are the ones it was built with.
Which one does your vehicle have?
The answer depends mostly on the year.
- Built from the 1981 model year on: US-market vehicles have a standard 17-character VIN, and their factory data is best read as a window sticker. See VIN number explained for what the 17 characters encode.
- Built before 1981: there was no standard VIN. Each maker used its own format, usually 5 to 13 characters, and the build sheet is the main record of how the vehicle was built.
Some classics have both a surviving window sticker and a build sheet. When they do, the two should agree on the engine, paint and major options.
Original document vs factory data
An original window sticker or build sheet is a paper document that may or may not have survived. Window sticker data looked up by VIN is different: ours is rebuilt from the vehicle's build and configuration data for its year, make, model and trim. It can show how the vehicle was built, but it is not a copy of the original label, and some makes and years have less data or none.
If you need the original paper, ask the seller first. For classics, the build sheet may still be in the car, and some makers' archives and owner clubs keep production records.
When each one helps
- Checking a listing: the window sticker confirms the trim, packages and options a seller is advertising.
- Pricing a car: the original MSRP and options help you compare like with like.
- Restoring or valuing a classic: the build sheet shows the factory codes that prove a car is original.
Neither document tells you what happened after the vehicle left the factory. For that you need a vehicle history report; see how to read a vehicle history report.
Frequently asked questions
Is a build sheet the same as a window sticker?
No. Both record how a vehicle was built, but the window sticker was written for the buyer in plain words with prices, and the build sheet was written for the factory in option codes.
Can I get a build sheet for a modern car?
Modern vehicles are best read through their window sticker data. Build sheets on UsedVehiclePro are for classic vehicles, mostly built before 1981.
