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Copart Fee Calculator: Buyer Fees & Total Cost 2026

Calculate Copart buyer fees, virtual bid fees, gate fees, and total cost. Full 2026 fee schedule for secured and unsecured payments included.

$

Payment Method

Secured payments have significantly lower buyer fees.

How Are You Bidding?

Vehicle Title Type

Additional Fees

× $30/day (3 free business days included)

How to Use This Calculator

  1. 1

    Enter your winning bid

    Type the amount you won (or plan to bid) in the Winning Bid Amount field. The fee table adjusts automatically for any amount from $1 to $100,000+.

  2. 2

    Select your payment method

    Choose Secured (wire transfer, cash, debit card, cashier's check) or Unsecured (credit card, wallet app). Secured payments have lower buyer fees — on a $5,000 bid, secured saves $250 over unsecured.

  3. 3

    Choose how you are bidding

    Select Pre-Bid Online (before the auction goes live), Live Bid Online (bidding in real time during the auction), or In-Person / Kiosk (no virtual bid fee). Live bids cost $10–$20 more than pre-bids for the same amount.

  4. 4

    Select the title type

    Clean title vehicles have a $79 gate fee; salvage title vehicles have a $95 gate fee. The title type only affects the gate fee.

  5. 5

    Add any optional fees

    Toggle gate fee, environmental fee, and title handling fee on or off. Enter storage days if you won't pick up within 3 free business days ($30/day average). Toggle the late payment fee if you expect to pay after 3 business days.

What Each Value Means

Buyer Fee (USD)
The main auction fee charged by Copart on every winning bid. Follows a tiered flat-fee schedule up to $14,999; bids of $15,000+ are charged as a percentage (7.5% secured, 12.5% unsecured). The single largest fee you'll pay.
Virtual Bid Fee (USD)
Charged when you bid online (pre-bid or live bid) rather than in person. Pre-bid fees are lower than live-bid fees for the same bid amount. In-person and kiosk bidders pay no virtual bid fee.
Gate Fee (USD)
A flat per-vehicle fee charged at pickup for yard handling. $79 for clean title vehicles, $95 for salvage title vehicles. Paid when you collect the vehicle.
Secured vs. Unsecured Payment (payment method)
Secured payments (wire, cash, cashier check, debit) qualify for lower buyer fee tiers. Unsecured payments (credit card, wallet apps) are charged higher buyer fees — often 25–35% more than secured for the same bid amount.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How are Copart buyer fees calculated?
Copart buyer fees follow a tiered flat-fee table based on your winning bid amount. For secured payments (wire transfer, cash, cashier check, debit) fees range from $25 on bids under $50 up to $900 for bids of $10,000–$14,999. Bids of $15,000 or more switch to a percentage: 7.5% for secured payments and 12.5% for unsecured (credit card). Use a secured payment method to minimize fees.
What is the Copart gate fee?
The gate fee is a flat $79 for clean title vehicles and $95 for salvage title vehicles. It covers yard handling and vehicle preparation for pickup. The gate fee is charged per vehicle regardless of your bid amount and is due at time of payment.
What is the Copart virtual bid fee?
Virtual bid fees apply when you bid online rather than in person at the yard. Pre-bid fees (placed before the live auction) range from $0 for bids under $100 up to $129 for bids $8,000 and above. Live bid fees (real-time during the auction) are $10–$20 higher: $0 under $100, up to $149 for bids $8,000+. In-person and kiosk bids have no virtual bid fee.
What is the difference between secured and unsecured payment at Copart?
Secured payments include wire transfer, ePay, debit card, cashier's check, cash, and money orders. Unsecured payments include credit cards and digital wallet apps. Secured payments receive significantly lower buyer fees — for example, on a $5,000 bid the secured buyer fee is $775 versus $1,025 for unsecured. Use wire transfer or cashier's check to pay the least in fees.
Does Copart charge storage fees?
Copart provides 3 free business days after the auction closes. After that, storage fees run approximately $25–$40 per day depending on the yard and location. This calculator uses $30/day as an average. Late payment beyond 3 business days also triggers a $50 late payment fee. Pick up your vehicle promptly to avoid both charges.
How much does Copart charge on a $2,500 bid?
On a $2,500 bid with secured payment, pre-bid online, clean title: buyer fee $550, virtual bid fee $99, gate fee $79, environmental fee $15, title handling $20 — total fees of $763, grand total $3,263. Paying with a credit card (unsecured) raises the buyer fee to $700, making total fees $898 and grand total $3,398.