Bid & Win Repo, Impound,
and Off-Lease Vehicles

An impounded vehicle is typically taken by law enforcement or a towing company due to various violations. Examples include parking infractions, expired registration or lack of insurance. Vehicles are also impounded when they're abandoned. If the owner of an impounded vehicle doesn't pay the required fees or claim the car within a certain period, it can be sold at an auction. In contrast, a bank-owned, or repossessed vehicle, is seized by a bank, credit union, or auto finance company when the borrower fails to make the required payments on their auto loan. The lender then takes ownership of the vehicle and sells it through an auto auction, like Copart, to recoup the loss incurred.

Yes, repo vehicles can have clean titles. These vehicles are typically auctioned because the borrower defaulted on their auto loan. Vehicles have salvage titles as a result of damage from an accident, a flood, vandalism or fire.

Individuals, or members of the public, can register as a Member to participate in Copart auctions. This means you have no professional licenses and buy for yourself. In this case, your vehicle selection will be limited, and you’ll only be able to purchase vehicles listed in the "No License Required" category. If you do not have a license, you can also use a Broker, who can purchase any vehicle on your behalf and arrange its delivery to your location.

States and Provinces all have different laws about who can bid and buy cars at online auction. For your convenience, Copart provides a State Licensing Overview page to provide general guidelines of what is required where you live and/or where your business operates.

Cars, trucks and SUVs that have been repossessed or impounded are among the many ways that vehicles get assigned to the Copart Wholesale Auction. Used vehicles in this auto auction also come from rental companies and corporate fleets. The Wholesale Auction currently does not include vehicles from dealers or insurance companies – those vehicles run in our 200+ local online auctions

Copart connects our Members and vehicle sellers through our 100% online auction platform. Sellers represent all types of vehicles in all conditions. Copart requires all Basic and Premier Members to have any business licenses in their profile before they’re eligible to bid in our auctions. Learn how it works for detailed instructions on how to participate in our online car auctions.

We have thousands of “No License Required" vehicles that are available to individuals in our public auto auctions.

Copart is an online auto auction that awards the highest bidder the vehicle, as long as the highest bid exceeds the seller’s reserve price – also known as the minimum price. Copart’s Members from all over the world who are eligible to bid on the vehicle you are also interested, so the competition can vary by vehicle listing. You can get a general idea of what the winning bid will be for a particular vehicle by checking resources like Kelley Blue Book.

Licensed auto dealers can apply for floor planning from a third-party auto lender. Dealers often choose to finance the vehicles they win in a Copart auction so you can purchase more inventory for your business. When a financed vehicle sells, you can pay off the loan. Other benefits of flooring your vehicles include:

• Place higher bids
• Bid on more vehicles
• Win more auctions
• Procure more inventory for your customers

Copart offers dealers the ability to finance purchases through a third-party finance company like Westlake Financial, AFC, NextGear Capital and Kinetic Advantage. Individuals who win a vehicle in a Copart auction have other payment options to choose from. Read all about them here.

Individuals who can no longer afford to make payments to the lender that financed the purchase of the vehicle can willingly surrender their car to the financial institution. The lender may then run the vehicle through an auto auction like Copart. To learn how to voluntarily surrender your personal vehicle or how it will impact your credit, please contact your lender.

When considering a Copart auction vehicle, you should read the vehicle’s listing on our website. Here, Copart includes the title type, interior and exterior photos, the auction date and time, and a description of any damage.

Used cars, trucks & SUVs in the Wholesale Auction have sale lights, which are additional indicator or the vehicle’s condition.

If you plan on bidding on a vehicle that’s near you, you can inspect the vehicle in person inspect the vehicle in person and follow these tips.