IAAI public buyer account: what it covers
IAA describes Public Buyers as buyers without a qualifying business license. You register with a government-issued ID, then bid only on inventory that is open to the public, which you can filter with the “Available to Public” option. Eligibility varies from state to state, and for vehicles that are not open to public bidding IAA itself suggests using a licensed broker.
- Payment is due within two business days of the award for US buyers and four for non-US buyers; storage is charged daily after that.
- Salvage-title and many newer vehicles are usually in the licensed-business pool, not the public pool.
Licensed business buyer: the full IAAI inventory
Dealers, dismantlers and exporters with a qualifying license see and bid on everything. That is the pool BasicMobile opens for you: a bidder account under our Florida dealer license on IAAI, Copart and Manheim, in your name, that you operate yourself.
- One-time $100, credited toward your deposit and your car.
- Deposit to bid: 10% of your bid limit, $600 minimum.
- Service fee only when you win: $200 up to $5,000, $300 up to $10,000, $400 up to $30,000, 1.5% above.
- Account issued within 12 hours, usually within minutes.
IAAI vs Copart for a buyer without a license
Both auctions sell insurance and salvage vehicles, both have a public pool and a licensed pool, and both let a licensed account bid online. Copart tends to have more inventory, IAA often has detailed condition data and its own transport service. With one BasicMobile account you bid on both, so you can compare the same model across both auctions before choosing. See Copart vs IAAI.
Buying from IAAI from outside the US
Non-US buyers can register as public buyers in some cases, but payment, title and export paperwork are easier through a US dealer. BasicMobile invoices you, pays the auction, collects the title and coordinates transport to a port or your address. Read buying auction cars for export.
Questions about iaai without a license
Does IAAI require a dealer license?
Not for public inventory: a Public Buyer account needs a government ID and works for vehicles marked available to the public in eligible states. Everything else requires a licensed business account, a broker, or an account under a licensed dealer.
Can I use one account for IAAI and Copart?
With BasicMobile, yes: your bidder account covers Copart, IAAI and Manheim, and you switch between them in our app.
What deposit does IAAI need through BasicMobile?
10% of your bid limit with a $600 minimum, and your first $100 counts toward it.
Get your auction account today
Direct access to Copart, IAAI and Manheim with your own bidder account under our Florida dealer license. One-time $100, credited to your car. Account issued within 12 hours, usually within minutes.
Related guides
Copart and IAA fee and licensing details are taken from copart.com and iaai.com as of October 2026 and can change; the auction’s own page is the final word. BasicMobile fees and deposits are as published on this site.