Vehicle auction eligibility, by state

General information, not legal advice — rules change, verify before bidding

Salvage and insurance-auction platforms like Copart and IAAI are open to the public in most states — but what you're allowed to buy, and under what conditions, varies a lot by state and by buyer type. This trips up a lot of first-time and out-of-state (or out-of-country) bidders, so read this before you bid, not after you win.

Public buyer vs. licensed dealer

Public buyers (no dealer license) are generally limited to vehicles that have already passed a state safety/smog inspection — often called "clean" or "certified" lots — and are usually required to pay applicable taxes and registration fees.
Licensed dealers get access to the full inventory, including non-certified salvage vehicles, and are typically exempt from sales tax on purchases intended for resale.
Some states restrict public-buyer participation entirely, or add extra steps (a bond, a rebuilder's license) before a salvage title can be reconstructed and the vehicle registered.

If you're bidding from Mexico, or plan to export a vehicle after purchase, treat this as two separate approval processes: (1) whether the source state lets you buy the vehicle at all, and (2) what Mexican customs requires to import it. Confirm both before bidding.

Before you bid on any vehicle auction

Check the specific state's public-buyer rules directly on the auction platform (Copart and IAAI both publish state-by-state licensing pages) — they change, and this page is not a substitute for that.
Confirm whether the lot you're interested in is restricted to licensed dealers before you register to bid.
Budget for taxes, registration, and (if exporting) the separate importation process — see our shipping and cross-border guide.

This page summarizes how public-buyer eligibility generally works — it is not legal advice and is not a substitute for each platform's current, state-specific licensing rules. Verify directly with the source site before bidding.