What are ESN, HSN, and TSN?
The abbreviations you need to know about your car
If you own a car, or are thinking of buying one, you may have heard of emission key numbers (ESN), manufacturer key numbers (HSN) and type key numbers (TSN).
But what do they mean, and why do you require them? Here we explain the key numbers you need to find and use.
WHAT ARE THE KEY NUMBERS?
The key numbers are individual registration numbers for each vehicle registered by the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) in Flensburg.
They consist of letters and numbers (only numbers for older vehicles up to approx. 2005) and allow each vehicle to be clearly identified. The key numbers consist of the following elements:
WHAT DO YOU NEED THE KEY NUMBERS FOR?
The key numbers are used for several purposes, including
WHERE CAN I FIND THE KEY NUMBERS?
You can find the key numbers on the Registration Certificate Part 1, the former vehicle registration document. The HSN is in field 2.1, the TSN is in field 2.2 (the first three digits) and the ESN is in field 14.1 (the last two digits). If you do not have access to your registration certificate, you can try to look up the key numbers online.
There are several websites that can help you find the HSN and TSN by make, model, and year. You can also request them from the registration office or your car dealer. You can often find the ESN using the KBA CO₂ calculator.
CONCLUSION
The key numbers are important information for every driver or car buyer.
They help you to uniquely identify your vehicle and take care of various matters relating to your car.
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