Volkswagen Paint Codes

On most VWs the paint code sticker is in the trunk area. Open the trunk or hatch and look on the inside of the trunk lid, on the spare tire well cover, or on the side wall of the trunk. It's a small sticker with a barcode and several lines of codes.

On the Golf, GTI, and Jetta, the sticker is typically on the spare tire well or trunk floor area. On the Tiguan and Atlas, check the inside of the tailgate. The paint code line starts with "L" and is 4 characters long.

Volkswagen uses the VAG (Volkswagen Auto Group) paint code system shared with Audi, Porsche, and other group brands. Codes start with an "L" prefix followed by letters and numbers, like LY9B (Oryx White), LA7W (Reflex Silver), or LC9X (Deep Black Pearl). The L stands for Lack, which is German for lacquer or paint.

The code is usually 4 characters total including the L prefix. Some paint suppliers want the full L-code and others just need the 3 characters after the L. Write down the whole thing to avoid confusion.

Since VW and Audi share this system, many colors cross over between the brands. LY9B (Oryx White) on a VW is the same formula as Ibis White on an Audi, even though the marketing names are different.