Copart charges five main fees on top of your winning bid: a tiered buyer's premium ($59 to $609 + 5%), a gate/storage fee (~$79), an environmental fee (~$15), a title/admin fee (~$20), and a virtual bid fee (~$79) for online buyers. Use the free calculator on this page to see every fee and your true out-the-door cost for any bid amount and state.
| Winning Bid | Buyer's Premium |
|---|---|
| Under $100 | $59 |
| $100 – $499 | $109 |
| $500 – $999 | $159 |
| $1,000 – $1,499 | $209 |
| $1,500 – $1,999 | $259 |
| $2,000 – $3,999 | $329 |
| $4,000 – $5,999 | $409 |
| $6,000 – $7,999 | $509 |
| $8,000+ | $609 + 5% of the amount over $8,000 |
$5,000 bid + $409 buyer's premium + $79 gate fee + $15 environmental fee + $20 title fee + $79 virtual bid fee = $5,602 before transport — about $602 in fees, or 12% on top of the bid. Lower bids carry proportionally higher fee percentages: a $600 car carries ~$352 in fees (59%).
On a $5,000 winning bid at member rates, expect roughly $602 in Copart fees: $409 buyer's premium, $79 gate fee, $15 environmental fee, $20 title fee, and $79 virtual bid fee. Add transport (typically $450 to $750) for your true out-the-door cost.
Copart charges a tiered buyer's premium from $59 (bids under $100) to $609 + 5% (bids over $8,000), plus a gate/storage fee (~$79), environmental fee (~$15), title/admin fee (~$20), and a virtual bid fee (~$79) for online bidders. Total fees typically add $250–$900 on top of the winning bid, before transport.
A Copart Basic membership is free to register; a Premier membership costs $99–$249/year and unlocks higher daily bid limits and no deposit requirement. Fee schedules also differ slightly between licensed (dealer) and public buyers.
Not always. In many states anyone can buy with a public membership, but some states and some title types are dealer-only. Copart marks these restrictions on each lot page, and licensed brokers can buy restricted vehicles on your behalf for a fee.
Register a membership, place a deposit (usually 10% of your max bid, $600 minimum for public buyers), then bid in the pre-bid window or the live virtual auction. Set your ceiling before the lane starts — winning bids are binding, and fees plus transport are added on top.
Total cost = winning bid + buyer's premium + gate fee + environmental fee + title fee + virtual bid fee + transport + repairs. The fee calculator handles everything except repairs — an AutoEstimatePro Damage Report ($14.99) adds line-item repair costs, live parts pricing, and your exact max bid (MFB/MRB/MSB).
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