BMW SA Codes by VIN: Option Code List & Decoder
Every BMW is built to a list of option codes, often called SA codes, tied to its VIN. Here's how to read them, the codes you'll see most, and how to get the full list for your BMW.
- BMW records every factory option of a car as a short code, often called an SA code:
S5ASAis Driving Assistant,S322AComfort Access. - The same option can be written in different ways:
S552Aand0552are both the adaptive LED headlights. - Packages have their own codes:
P337Ais the M Sport package. - Your BuildVIN report lists every option code of your BMW with BMW's own description, in minutes.
What are BMW SA codes?
SA stands for Sonderausstattung, German for optional equipment. BMW gives every factory option a short code and records the codes of each car against its VIN. Together they describe exactly how that BMW was built: the packages, the lights, the assistance systems, the sound system, the seats.
Because the list belongs to one VIN, it describes your car, not the model in general. It is the most reliable way to check what a BMW really has, whatever the badges or the advert say.
How to read BMW option codes
- In BMW's own documents a code often has an S in front and an A at the end:
S322Ais Comfort Access andS610Athe head-up display. The core code is the three characters in between. - Packages can have a P in front:
P337Ais the M Sport package. - Other sources write the same option without the letters, sometimes with a leading zero:
0552andS552Aare both the adaptive LED headlights. So if you search for a code like 5AV, look forS5AVA, Active Guard. - The paint has its own code, such as
475Black Sapphire metallic.
The most common option codes on real BMW build sheets
How often each option appears in the BMW reports we have delivered. The text is BMW's own, and the code is the one your report lists next to it.
| Option | Code | Cars with it |
|---|---|---|
| Packages and lines | ||
| M Aerodynamics package | S715A | 34% |
| Driving Assistant | S5ASA | 22% |
| Sound | ||
| HiFi speaker system | S676A | 24% |
| Harman/Kardon surround sound system | S688A | 21% |
| Lights | ||
| High-beam assist | S5ACA | 48% |
| Ambient interior light | S4URA | 38% |
| Adaptive LED headlight | S552A | 24% |
| Driver assistance | ||
| Park Distance Control (PDC) | S508A | 32% |
| Active Guard | S5AVA | 25% |
| Reversing camera | S3AGA | 22% |
| Infotainment and displays | ||
| Head-up display | S610A | 29% |
| Navigation system Professional | S609A | 28% |
| Comfort | ||
| Seat heating driver/passenger | S494A | 58% |
| Automatic air conditioning | S534A | 56% |
| Comfort access | S322A | 56% |
| Interior | ||
| M leather steering wheel | S710A | 39% |
| Sports leather steering wheel | S255A | 24% |
| Exterior and towing | ||
| High gloss shadow line | S760A | 49% |
Is it a factory M Sport?
M badges, bumpers and wheels can be fitted after the car was built, so the look alone proves nothing. The option codes show what the car had when it left the factory. These are the codes to look for:
P337AM Sport package.S715AM Aerodynamics package.S704AM Sport suspension.S2NHAM Sport brakes.
If an advert says M Sport, check which of these codes the car actually carries.
What to check on a used BMW before you buy
Sellers often list equipment from memory, and some options are expensive to add later. These are worth confirming in the option codes. The share shows how many of the BMWs in our reports have them.
| Equipment | Code | Cars with it |
|---|---|---|
| Driving Assistant Professional | S5AUA | 17% |
| Driving Assistant | S5ASA | 22% |
| Comfort Access (keyless entry) | S322A | 56% |
| Adaptive LED headlights | S552A | 24% |
| Head-up display | S610A | 29% |
| Harman/Kardon surround sound system | S688A | 21% |
| Bowers & Wilkins sound system | S6F1A | 4% |
| Panorama glass roof | S402A | 18% |
| Reversing camera | S3AGA | 22% |
| Surround View | S5DLA | 8% |
| Trailer coupling | S3ACA | 13% |
| Two-axle air suspension | S2VRA | 4% |
If a feature in the advert has no matching code, ask the seller about it before you pay.
What you get in your BuildVIN report
Get your BMW option codes in 3 steps
- Enter the 17-character VIN in the form at the top of this page. You find it on the registration document and at the bottom of the windscreen. On most BMW cars it starts with WBA, WBS or WBY, and on X models built in the USA with 5UX.
- Pay securely by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna or Revolut Pay.
- Get your report by email in minutes, ready to read on screen or to print.
Frequently asked questions
What are BMW SA codes?
SA stands for Sonderausstattung, German for optional equipment. Each SA code stands for one factory option, for example S322A (Comfort Access) or S610A (head-up display). Your report lists every option code of your BMW with BMW's own description.
What does a code like S5ASA mean?
It is an option code written the way BMW's documents do: an S, the three-character code, and an A. S5ASA is Driving Assistant. Other sources may write the same option as 5AS.
Can I get my BMW's option list from the VIN?
Yes. Enter the VIN in the form at the top of this page. Your report lists every option code of your BMW with BMW's own description, all OEM data straight from the source, as two PDFs by email in minutes.
Do the codes show if a BMW has a factory M Sport package?
Yes. The factory M Sport package has its own code, P337A. M badges, bumpers and wheels fitted later do not appear in the option codes.
Is the paint code in the report?
Yes, as the code BMW records, for example 475 for Black Sapphire metallic. Special-order and BMW Individual colours can appear as their own code, sometimes without a full colour name.
What if my car can't be found?
Then you get your money back. If we can't find your car's factory data, we refund the whole payment.
BMW models we decode most
Each model page shows the options, colours and model years found in our reports for that model.