SALVAGE TITLES

Salvage title cars from auction: what you are actually buying

Most Copart and IAAI inventory carries a salvage title. It is not a defect in itself, but it changes what you can do with the car and what it costs to get it on the road.

Direct access to Copart, IAAI and Manheim for $100. Not a broker bidding for you: your own login on the three official auction sites, under our Florida dealer license. You see every lot, you place every bid, you keep full control. No dealer license needed, no membership. The $100 is one-time and is credited toward your deposit and your car.

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Title types you will see on a lot page

Clean / clear: a normal title. The car may still be damaged; the title just has no brand.
Salvage: an insurer declared the car a total loss. It cannot be registered until it is repaired and inspected.
Rebuilt / reconstructed: a former salvage car that passed the state inspection and can be registered, with the brand kept on the title.
Bill of sale / parts only / non-repairable: no title or a certificate of destruction; parts or export only.
Export only: must leave the US; cannot be registered domestically.

On Copart the title line shows a state and a code (for example “FL CT” is clean, “FL SC” is salvage certificate). On IAA the title type is listed on the vehicle details.

What to check before bidding on a salvage car

Primary and secondary damage codes, and the run-and-drive or starts note.
Airbag deployment, frame or structural damage, flood or fire history.
Keys present, odometer status (actual, not actual, exempt).
Your state’s rebuilt inspection: what paperwork and receipts it requires.
Export destination rules if the car is leaving the country: some countries refuse salvage, some require it.

Who can buy salvage titles

Many states only sell salvage vehicles to licensed businesses: dealers, dismantlers, rebuilders, exporters. See the state table. A bidder account under a dealer license, which BasicMobile opens for you, is the standard way a private buyer gets to salvage inventory in those states.

One-time $100 opens your own bidder account on Copart, IAAI and Manheim under our Florida dealer license; it is credited toward your deposit and your car.
Deposit to bid: 10% of your bid limit, $600 minimum (Copart, IAAI); 50% for Manheim.
Service fee only when you win: $200 up to $5,000, $300 up to $10,000, $400 up to $30,000, 1.5% above (Manheim from $300).
You bid yourself from our app; we pay the auction, handle the title and coordinate transport.

Budget for a salvage purchase

Hammer price + auction fees (Copart, IAAI) + our service fee + transport + repairs + inspection and title fees. A clean-title car from Manheim is often the better buy if you cannot repair; see Copart vs Manheim.

Questions about salvage title cars

Can I register a salvage title car?

Not as-is. It has to be repaired and pass your state’s inspection, after which the state issues a rebuilt or reconstructed title.

Can anyone buy a salvage car from Copart?

In some states yes, in many only licensed businesses. An account under a dealer license removes the restriction at the auction; your state still governs registration.

Is a salvage car from auction a good deal?

It can be if you can repair it or export it. Price the repairs and the inspection before bidding, not after.

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.

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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.