How to Find the Paint Color Code on Ford Vehicles

Co-authored by Audra Fordin and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: December 23, 2022 References

Auto manufacturers assign specific codes to their vehicles' exterior paint colors. If your Ford needs a touch-up or a new paint job, finding the paint color code in your vehicle can help you purchase the right kind of paint. If you cannot find the paint code, you can use your vehicle registration number to find out the correct color. If you can’t find your VIN number, don’t have a door panel information card, or have a vintage Ford, an online vehicle color database can help you figure out your color code.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding Your Color Code in Your Car

1
Look on the driver's side front door panel. In most cases, the color paint code in Ford vehicles is written on a manufacturer’s label located on the driver's side front door panel, usually along the rear edge of the door. If you open your door and look along the side of the door, towards the bottom you should see a manufacturer's label. This will contain the color code.^{[1]
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- These labels are rectangular and may be printed with a Ford watermark and/or a patterned background. They typically say “MANUFACTURED (or MFD.) BY FORD MOTOR CO. (or COMPANY)” at the top.
- Modern manufacturing labels typically have a barcode printed on them, while older examples may not.
2
Check the driver's side front door jamb. The majority of Fords will have the manufacture's label on the front door panel. However, it may be on the rear part of the front driver’s side door jamb. Open the front car door on the driver's side. Look at the small ridge around the doorframe on the inside of the car, usually blocked when the door is closed.^{[2]
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- The manufacturer's label may be towards the bottom of the jamb, on the rear side (closer to the back of the car).
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3
Locate the color code on the manufacturer's label. Once you've found the manufacturer's label, you can use this to locate the color code. The color code is found below the bar code and is usually marked by 2 characters, which can be either numbers or letters. The 2 digits are listed above or next to the words "exterior paint colors." For example, if you saw the letters "PM" written above "exterior paint colors," this would mean the color code is PM.^{[3]
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- Some Ford color codes—especially for older vehicles—may be longer than 2 characters. They may also consist of a mixture of letters and numbers. For example, the color code for the shade “Maroon,” used on the 1964 Ford Fleet, is MX705160.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using the Vehicle Identification Number

1
Find the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) under the dashboard. In the event your manufacturer's label is missing, you can use your vehicle identification number to find your color code. You can either contact the Ford company or look the code up online. Your VIN is usually listed on the lower left-hand corner of the dashboard, just in front of the steering wheel. You can read your VIN by looking through the windshield.^{[5]
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2
Check other locations if the VIN is not under the dashboard. Usually, you should have no problem finding the VIN by looking through the dashboard. However, if your VIN does not appear there, you can look in a variety of other locations.^{[6]
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- If you pop the hood, look at the front of the engine. The VIN may be listed here. You may also find the VIN near the front of your car's frame, next to the frame of the windshield.
- You can try opening your driver's side door and looking inside the door frame. You may see the VIN roughly where the side-view mirror would be if the door was closed. You may also see the VIN near where the door latches closed.
3
Call the Ford company to ask about your color code. As long as you provide the VIN, someone at Ford should be able to let you know your color code. You can call the Ford company at 1-800-392-3673. Make sure to call sometime between Monday and Friday, as the company is closed on weekends.^{[7]
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4
Enter your VIN on a website. There are various websites, such as Chipex, where you can type in your VIN. The website will be able to provide you with your color code based on your VIN. You may want to call the Ford Company, however, just to double-check that your code is accurate, as websites you find through an Internet search engine may not be officially affiliated with the Ford Company.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Consulting an Auto Paint Color Library

1
Do a search for an online paint color library. Sometimes, particularly if you have a vintage Ford, you may have a hard time finding a manufacturer’s label or a VIN number. Fortunately, there are numerous websites that allow you to search for Ford color codes using basic information about your vehicle.
- Do a web search for something like “car color code library” or “auto paint code database.” You can also do a more specific search, like “1949 Ford paint color codes.”
- Sites like AutoColorLibrary.com or PaintRef.com are good places to start. Websites for Ford enthusiasts, such as MustangAttitude.com, are also great resources for finding color codes.
2
Enter the year and make of your vehicle. Depending on the format of the color code database you are using, you may be able to narrow your search by selecting the year, make, and model of your Ford. In other cases, you may simply be able to browse a list of color codes for each year.
3
Examine the list of colors in use that year and find the best match. Once you’ve narrowed down the year, make, and model of your car, examine the list of “chips” or swatches to see which one is the best match for your car.
- For example, if you have a 1977 Ford F150 truck in a pale green color, the color is likely to be “Ford Light Jade Metallic,” for which the color code is 7L.^{[9]
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4
Check with a vehicle enthusiast forum if you can’t find a good match. Sometimes it can be hard to pin down the color of a car, especially if it’s a very old vehicle or the original paint is damaged, faded, or modified. Ask around on communities such as FordForum.com if you’re having trouble narrowing down the most likely color matches.

Community Q&A
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Question

Where is the paint code on a 2016 Ford Focus?

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Check the driver's side doorjamb. The manufacturer's label with the paint color code should be located there.
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How do I change my paint color code?

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The color code is simply a way of identifying the shade of paint that was used on your vehicle when it was manufactured. You can't change the color code unless you repaint your Ford in a different color.
Question

What color is a Ford H9?

Community Answer

Look for the stickers in the driver's side door jam. The paint code will be listed, then you can Google the code.