Copart Fees Explained: Complete Buyer's Guide 2026
The winning bid is just the beginning. Copart adds multiple fees on top of your bid that can add 15-25% to your total cost. Here's every fee you'll pay and how to calculate your real out-the-door number.
Buyer Premium (The Big One)
Copart's buyer premium is a tiered percentage of your winning bid. It's the largest fee you'll pay and it scales with the purchase price:
Example: On a $10,000 winning bid, the buyer premium is $600 (6%).
Other Fees
These fixed fees apply to every purchase regardless of bid amount. That's $273 in flat fees on top of the buyer premium.
Real Example: $15,000 Winning Bid
That's $1,173 in fees — about 7.8% on top of your bid. On cheaper cars (under $2,000), fees can be 20%+ of the bid price.
What About Taxes?
Sales tax varies by state and is NOT included in Copart's fees. You'll pay sales tax when you register the vehicle. Some states charge tax on the full purchase price, others on the bid amount only. Factor in 5-10% depending on your state.
How to Never Overpay
The mistake most buyers make: they bid based on the car's value without accounting for fees, shipping, and repairs. A car worth $20,000 clean that you bid $15,000 on sounds like a deal — until you add $1,173 in fees, $800 in shipping, and $5,000 in repairs. Now you're all-in at $21,973 on a $20,000 car.
That's why we built sendit scan — paste any Copart or IAA listing URL and get the full breakdown instantly: fees, shipping, AI damage assessment, repair costs, and a profit projection. Know your real all-in cost before you bid.
Know your real cost before you bid.
Paste any Copart or IAA link. Fees, repairs, and profit calculated in 15 seconds.