What is a window sticker?

A window sticker — officially the "Monroney label" — is the printed sheet the factory attaches to the window of every new vehicle. It has been federally required on new cars in the United States since the Monroney Act of 1958, and decades later it remains the single most authoritative summary of how a particular vehicle left the assembly line.

It lays out the standard equipment, the optional equipment and packages the original buyer selected, the EPA fuel-economy ratings, the warranty terms, the percentage of U.S./Canadian parts content, and the full price breakdown — base MSRP, each individual option, the destination charge, and the grand total. That original data is exactly what lets you confirm, years later, how a used vehicle was really configured.

Window sticker vs. build sheet

The two documents describe the same factory configuration in different ways. A window sticker is written for the buyer: plain equipment descriptions, fuel-economy ratings, warranty details, and a price breakdown right down to the destination charge.

A build sheet is the factory's own assembly record — the complete list of option codes a vehicle was built with, without pricing. WindowStickerVin.com returns the window sticker whenever one is on file, and automatically falls back to the build sheet when it isn't, so you always come away with the underlying factory data either way. For a deeper comparison, see our guide on window sticker vs. build sheet.

Why check your window sticker or build sheet?

Whether you're buying a used car, selling one, arranging insurance, or just settling a curiosity, the factory record is the most reliable way to confirm exactly how a vehicle was equipped the day it was built — far more dependable than a listing description or a faded memory.

It lets you verify the trim level, the engine and drivetrain, the option packages, and individual features, and it makes it easy to tell factory-installed equipment apart from anything a dealer or previous owner added afterward. For buyers especially, it's a quick way to make sure a seller's claims actually match how the vehicle left the line.

Equipment & Options Examples by Category

A factory build sheet organizes a vehicle's option codes into equipment categories. Here's what each category covers, with common GM examples, so you know what to look for when you decode your VIN.

Engines

Code	Engine
LS3	6.2L V8
L86	6.2L V8 EcoTec3
L83	5.3L V8 EcoTec3
LFX	3.6L V6

Suspension & off-road

Code	Equipment
Z71	Off-Road Suspension Package
Z85	Standard / heavy-duty suspension

Axles, differentials & trailering

Code	Equipment
G80	Locking / limited-slip rear differential
NHT	Max Trailering Package
Z82	Trailering equipment

Interior, audio & technology

Code	Equipment
UQA	Bose premium audio system
AG1	Power driver-seat adjuster
C49	Rear-window defogger

These are common GM examples for illustration only; exact code-to-equipment mapping varies by model, year, and division. FCA / Stellantis vehicles (Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, RAM, Fiat, Alfa Romeo) list equivalent equipment under factory sales codes — see RPO & sales codes explained. Your VIN's build sheet is the definitive list — look it up.