Find Your Car's Paint Code
Your paint code is the short code the factory uses for your car's exact colour. A colour name like "silver" or "white" is not enough, because most makers have several versions of each. With the code, we can mix a match for touch-ups, aerosols or a full respray.
What a paint code looks like
Paint codes are short mixes of letters and numbers, usually two to six characters. On the label, look for words like Paint, Colour, Color, C/TR or EXT PNT. Do not confuse it with the trim code, which is for the interior, or the VIN, which is 17 characters long.
Where to look first
- Door jambs. Open the driver's door and check the edge of the door and the pillar it closes against. Then check the passenger side.
- Under the bonnet. Look at the firewall at the back of the engine bay, the strut towers and the radiator support panel.
- Compliance plate or VIN label. On many cars the colour code is on, or close to, the compliance plate or VIN label.
- Paperwork. Some service books and build sheets show the colour code.
Paint code locations by make
Locations change between models and years, so treat this as a starting point. If you cannot find it, call us with your VIN or rego details.
| Make | Where to look | Our paint code aerosols |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota | Usually on a sticker inside the driver's or passenger's door jamb. | HiLux, Corolla, RAV4, LandCruiser |
| Ford | Usually on the label in the door jamb. | Ranger, Falcon, Territory, Fairlane |
| Holden | Check the driver's door jamb or ask us. | Commodore, Colorado, Kingswood, Monaro, Torana |
| Mitsubishi | Usually on a plate on the firewall in the engine bay. | Triton, Outlander, ASX, Pajero Sport |
| Hyundai | Normally the driver's door jamb. Some models have it in the engine bay. | i30, i30 Sedan, Tucson, Kona |
| Kia | On the driver's door jamb. | Cerato, Sportage, Seltos |
| Mazda | On the chassis plate under the bonnet, at the rear of the engine bay. | CX-5, Mazda3, BT-50 |
| Nissan | Usually the driver's door jamb. | Navara, X-Trail |
| Suzuki | On the plate with the VIN, on the firewall or the driver's door jamb. | Swift, Swift Sport, Vitara, Jimny |
| Isuzu | Check the driver's door jamb or ask us. | D-Max, MU-X |
| GWM and Haval | Check the driver's door jamb or ask us. | GWM Ute, Haval Jolion, Haval H6 |
| MG | Usually on the door jamb or under the bonnet. | ZS, MG3 |
| Chery | Check the driver's door jamb or ask us. | Tiggo 4, Tiggo 7 Pro |
Still cannot find it?
- Ask a dealer. A dealer for your make can usually look up the colour from your VIN. Ford Australia, for example, publishes paint codes by model year on its support website and suggests contacting a Ford dealer if your model is not listed.
- Ask us. Call (03) 9396 8096 or email sales@meltonpaint.com.au with your make, model, year and VIN.
- Bring in a part. If the car has been resprayed, or the code is missing, bring in a fuel flap or other small painted part. See our colour matching page.
Older and resprayed cars
Paint fades over time, and a car that has been resprayed may no longer match its factory code. For older Holdens, Fords and Valiants, or any car that has had panel work, it is worth spraying a test card first to check the match before you paint the car.
Common questions
Is the paint code the same as the colour name?
No. One colour name can cover several codes, and the code is what we mix from.
Can you fill an aerosol with my colour?
Yes. Once you have the code, see our paint code aerosols or ask us to mix it.
Do you post aerosols?
Yes. Aerosols can be posted Australia-wide for a flat $22. Click and collect from our Melton store is free.
For a step-by-step touch-up, read how to touch up car paint with an aerosol.