Start Bidding

Start Bidding

Copart Members must have a valid government-issued ID on file in their Copart account, and they must have paid for their Basic or Premier Membership before they can bid.

Preliminary Bidding

Members can submit preliminary bids (also known as pre-bids) on any vehicle that is two minutes or two units away from being the lot on the block in the live auction. Pre-bids are bid values that are placed incrementally on vehicles prior to the auction. Pre-bids are also represented in the live auction and can be the winning bid if a higher bid is not submitted during the pre-bid phase or the live auction. When there is a tie between a pre-bid and live bid amount, the live bid will stand as the higher bid on the auction item.

Max Bid

You can also set a Max Bid, and Copart will bid for you up to that amount. If one more increment bid above your Max Bid wins you the lot, our system can make that final bid for you if you select that option.

Monster Bid

If you have a specific price in mind, you're willing to pay for a vehicle that you think might be a winning bid, you can place a Monster Bid to immediately advance the Current Bid to that amount. A Monster Bid cannot be undone once made, and other bidders may still outbid you.

Live Bid

This is a bid placed during a live auction on Copart.ca. Remember, all bids are a legally binding offer to purchase the vehicle at that specific price.

With Copart's patented online vehicle auction technology, Members experience the excitement of a live auction from the comfort of their home or office, on the go using their computers or mobile devices. Now that you’ve registered, submitted your licenses and joined an auction you are ready to place a live bid in auction on Copart.ca.

Once you have the winning bid, sellers who have placed a minimum bid amount on a vehicle or have placed the vehicle as “Sold on Approval” can counter bid on these vehicles. The highest bid on offer will remain open to the seller’s review/approval until 6 p.m. of the business day following the auction.

Buy It Now

Members can get around the bidding process on vehicles labeled Buy It Now. While you will be able to bid on these vehicles if you wish, buyers can also purchase these vehicles directly for a predetermined price. Once a member clicks the Buy it Now button, they will be re-directed to a page that your invoice which must be paid within three (3) business days. If this invoice is not paid within three (3) business days, the lot will relist. It is best to make sure ahead of time that you have the funds in your account to pay for the vehicle you plan to purchase.

What are the different types of sale statuses?

Vehicles can be sold in different ways with different conditions on Copart.ca. Below are the definitions of the most common sales statuses.

Pure Sale

No minimum bid or reserve price. Vehicle is awarded to the highest bidder at the close of bidding during the virtual auction.

On Approval

The Seller has reserved the right to approve or reject the final high bid from the virtual auction. The Seller has until 5 p.m. PT one (1) business day after the sale to approve the bid. The high bidder is obligated to purchase the vehicle if the Seller accepts the final bid within the approval period.

Reserve Price

The Seller has set a minimum price on a vehicle. If the Reserve Price isn’t met or surpassed during the virtual auction, the Seller has until 5 p.m. PT one (1) business day after the sale to accept or reject the highest bid. If rejected, the Seller has the option to relist the vehicle for sale at Copart.ca.