Mercedes Paint Color Codes

Mercedes-Benz uses a paint code system that spans a long luxury vehicle heritage, with numeric codes that can, confusingly, be reused for different colors across different eras and model lines — making VIN confirmation especially important for this brand specifically.

Below you will find the Mercedes-Benz factory colors we have on record, organised by model and model year, with the OEM paint code for each, plus guidance on finding the exact code on your vehicle, which remains the only fully reliable source for any specific repair or paint order.

Find your Mercedes model

Most widely used Mercedes factory colors

These colors appear across the most models. Codes in the last column are the main factory code; alternates for the same color are listed on each model page.

Swatches are approximate screen colors picked from the color name. The paint code is the real identifier.

Mercedes's Color History

Mercedes-Benz's long luxury vehicle heritage has resulted in an extensive historical color catalog, with the brand's premium positioning reflected in particularly sophisticated metallic and pearl formulations across many model generations.

The brand's history of reusing short numeric codes across different eras is a known quirk within the Mercedes-Benz enthusiast and restoration community specifically, making careful VIN-based confirmation a well-established best practice among experienced Mercedes-Benz painters and restorers.

Mercedes-Benz's paint archive, accessible through dealer networks, has become an increasingly important resource for accurately dating and matching older vehicles as more classic models reach collector status.

Where to Find Your Mercedes Paint Code

Mercedes-Benz typically places the paint code on a data plate or sticker in the engine bay, trunk, or driver's-side door jamb, with exact placement varying by model and generation. The code is often listed alongside other build specifications on the same plate.

If you can't locate it, a Mercedes-Benz dealer's parts department can decode your VIN to recover the original factory paint code with confidence, which is particularly valuable given the brand's history of code reuse across different eras.

Because Mercedes-Benz has used a few different labeling conventions across its long history, older or imported models may have the data plate in a less typical location — a Mercedes-Benz specialist shop, not just a general dealer, can often help track down harder-to-find placements.

How Mercedes's Color Program Has Changed

Mercedes-Benz's color program includes both long-running standard colors and more distinctive, sometimes limited-availability metallics and specialty finishes across its various model lines. Because the brand has a long production history and has, at points, reused short numeric codes for genuinely different colors across different model generations, code confirmation matters more here than with most other manufacturers.

Higher trim and AMG-associated models have historically offered a broader or more distinctive color palette than standard trims, adding another layer of consideration when confirming an exact match.

One more practical note: if your vehicle has ever had prior body work, don't assume the existing paint on every panel is necessarily the original factory code — a previous repair may have used a close but not identical match. If you're planning a larger project, it's worth checking a panel you're confident is original (often the roof or an inner door jamb, areas less likely to have been repainted) against the code before assuming the whole vehicle is consistent.

Model-Specific Notes

AMG-badged and higher trim Mercedes-Benz models have, in various generations, had access to an expanded or different color selection compared to standard trims of the same underlying model, which is worth mentioning specifically when sourcing paint or repair quotes.

Ordering Touch-Up Paint or a Repair for Your Mercedes

Always provide your full paint code along with your VIN when ordering touch-up paint or requesting a repair quote for a Mercedes-Benz — given the brand's history of code reuse across different eras, a code alone without VIN confirmation carries real risk of a mismatch.

For anything beyond a small touch-up, insist on a test spray-out compared against your actual panel in daylight, since Mercedes-Benz's premium metallic and pearl finishes in particular can be visually distinctive in ways a generic match might miss.

Given the brand's premium metallic and pearl formulations, DIY touch-up products are best reserved for very small chips on a Mercedes-Benz — anything more visible generally benefits from a professional repair to properly match flake, pearl, and gloss characteristics.

Given the brand's history of code reuse, it's worth specifically choosing a supplier or shop experienced with Mercedes-Benz paint matching, or working directly through a Mercedes-Benz dealer parts department, rather than a general-purpose supplier unfamiliar with the brand's specific quirks.

Common Mistakes When Matching Mercedes Paint

The most significant and Mercedes-specific mistake is trusting a short numeric code alone without VIN confirmation — unlike many manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz has reused some codes for different colors across different eras, making this verification step more important here than almost anywhere else. Another common mistake is assuming a code from one model line applies directly to another.

It's also worth remembering that even a perfectly correct code produces a freshly-mixed paint that may look slightly different from years-old, sun-faded factory paint on the rest of the vehicle — an experienced painter will typically blend the edges of a repair into adjacent panels specifically to smooth over that natural aging gap, rather than relying on the code alone to guarantee an invisible repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other makes

Color names, codes and model-year ranges come from public reference listings (chiefly ChipFixx) and may contain gaps or errors. Always verify against your vehicle's label or VIN before ordering paint. Spot a mistake? Let us know.