Buying Vehicles with Copart
Commonly Asked Questions
- About Copart Auctions
- Buying vehicles with Copart
- Common Copart Terms
- International Buyers
- Membership Questions
- Payment
- Registering
- Searching Inventory
- Selling
- Support
- Vehicle Icons
How do I buy vehicles on Copart?
Follow these steps to begin bidding and buying with Copart:
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Submit Business Licenses (if applicable) or Find a Broker (if applicable)
Find more information and details on these topics visit our How to Buy section.
Can I view Copart vehicles before I bid?
Yes! We encourage all Copart Members to inspect vehicles in person before bidding. Copart provides 10 high-quality images and a general description for each vehicle. Any information provided is for convenience. By visiting one of our Copart locations and inspecting vehicles, you can be sure you are bidding on the right vehicle for you.
Copart Basic and Premier Members with business licenses may preview vehicles any time during preview hours Monday through Friday. Please call your Copart location for preview hours. Individual Basic and Premier Members should contact their local Copart location to determine their preview days and hours.
Currently all Copart Canada locations are eliminating nonessential foot traffic and are implementing social distancing guidelines. Please call your Copart location for more information.
If you’re unable to visit a Copart location to inspect a vehicle yourself, Copart has provided a list of inspection services that you may hire to inspect vehicles on your behalf. Please keep in mind that these inspectors are not Copart employees and would be working as a third-party on your behalf.
Do I need a license to bid on vehicles from Copart? If so, how do I get one?
Copart Members don’t always need additional licenses beyond their government issued Photo-ID to bid. In Canada Members who do not have a Business or Dealers license are free to bid on inventory located in Alberta Canada, these vehicles are categorized as No License Required.
To purchase clean or salvage title vehicles the licensing requirements may vary by province, you can visit our Help With Licensing map to learn about the licensing requirements for each province where you are interested in bidding.
In order to increased your ability to bid on vehicles you can upload the following documents to your Copart account:
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Operational business licenses (dealer and/or Master business licenses)
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Sales tax license
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Sales tax exemption forms (Currently this form is formatted for the US, please fill in the form as best you can and contact any of our locations for assistance)
Unsure what licenses/ forms you have on file? Go to the Account Information page to view what licenses and forms you have on file.
How do I get a business license? Business licenses can typically be obtained through your provincial government and are issued when a business is registered with the government for tax purposes. Every province has its own requirements for business licenses please check with your provincial government for a more detailed process.
What is a Broker?
Brokers are companies that can assist individuals who may not have the licenses required for the vehicles they want. Brokers may offer bidding and buying advice, repair services, transportation, export shipping and more.
The best way to use a Broker is to first find the vehicles find the vehicles that you would like to buy. When you attempt to bid on these vehicles you will be re-directed to Copart’s list of approved Brokers for further assistance. Not all Brokers will be able to assist with every vehicle. It is important to select the desired vehicles prior to contacting your broker of choice.
Please keep in mind that Brokers are third-party companies and are independent from Copart. If you decide to use a broker you are buying the vehicle from the Broker and not from Copart. As such members who choose to use a broker are advised to carefully understand the Broker’s terms and conditions (including payment processes and conditions). You should also be sure that the Broker has the licenses needed to bid on the vehicles you are looking at purchasing.
What is a total loss vehicle?
Total loss is a label that is applied to vehicles by insurance companies.
There are several factors that determine whether a vehicle would be determined a total loss, including, whether it can be repaired safely, individual provincial/ regional laws and the insurance company’s standards.
What is a salvage title?
An ownership/title may receive a "salvage" brand after it has been deemed a ‘total loss’ by the insurance company. This branding is implemented by the provincial motor vehicle governing body and can be the result of several things, including collision damage, hail damage and vandalism.
Once a vehicle has been issued a salvage title, it can potentially limit who is able to purchase it. There can also be special inspections required before a salvage titled vehicle is able to become road legal again.
What is an irreparable title?
An ownership/title may receive a "irreparable" brand after it has been deemed a ‘total loss’ by the insurance company. This branding is implemented by the provincial motor vehicle governing body and can be the result of several things, including flood damage, collision damage and elemental damage.
Once a vehicle has been issued an irreparable title, it can potentially limit who is able to purchase it. Canadian irreparable titled vehicles, cannot be repaired and licensed again in Canada and are typically used for parts or exported.
Why can’t I place a bid? Is there a fee to participate in the auction?
If you have uploaded all necessary documents (government issued ID or business licenses) wait 1-3 business days for the documents to be processed. You will be notified by email when your account becomes active or if there is further documentation required.
Once your account is active, you are immediately qualified as a Basic Buyer, this means that you can place bids on vehicles up to a total of $2000 CAD. If you would like to place a higher bid, add a 10% deposit or Upgrade to Premier.
(At this time, we are unable to facilitate Canadian dollar transactions online - to upgrade to premier using Canadian Dollars you will need to contact one of our Canadian locations)
There is no fee to participate in the auction. There will, however, be auction fees applied to the lot that you win. To check the auction fees, log in to your Copart account and review the fees here, you may also contact any of our Copart locations with any questions you have.
What is the process for buying cars in Buy It Now category?
The Buy It Now option is a way to bid on and win a vehicle without waiting for the Live Auction. Buy it now means that the buyer will receive the vehicle – upon pressing that button, and paying the predetermined asking price – lot is awarded to the buyer.
Upon clicking the confirmation of a ‘Buy It Now’, you are directed to the Invoice screen to make payment.
Please keep in mind that then you purchase/ win a “Buy It Now” vehicle outside of the auction you have 3 business days, including date of purchase/ sale, to make payment IN FULL to prevent the lot from relisting and accumulating fees. This would include Sale Price, Buyer Fee, Gate Fee, Internet Bid Fee, and any applicable Tax. Storage rates may vary by location and can be found on the Locations pages.
If you click on Buy It Now button and nothing happens, it is probably due to a lack of funds or a licensing issue.
What happens if I won a lot and need to cancel it?
If you win a lot and don’t finalize the purchase (meaning, the lot is not paid in full within 8 calendar days after the lot is won) the Lot will Relist. The Relist fee will be 10% of the final sale price OR $600 – whichever is higher.
If you have already paid Copart, please contact the Yard at which the vehicle was sold directly. Each of the yard locations are individually managed and solely responsible for addressing all lot specific inquires/disputes.