Quick Answer
Copart adds several stacked fees to your winning bid — a tiered buyer fee, a virtual bid fee, a gate fee ($95 non-clean / $79 clean title), a $15 environmental fee and, for public buyers, a broker fee — so the total usually runs 25–40% above the hammer price. A $3,000 Standard-vehicle win is roughly $975 in fees for an all-in cost near $3,975 before sales tax, and this Copart fee calculator itemises every charge from your bid.
How Much Are Copart Fees? (How They Add Up)
Copart never sells a vehicle for just the hammer price. Your total cost is the winning bid plus a stack of fees, most of which scale with the bid — which is why this Copart fee calculator asks for the bid and then itemises every charge:
The buyer fee and virtual bid fee scale with the bid; the gate fee is $95 (non-clean title) or $79 (clean); the environmental fee is about $15 flat; the broker fee (≈$100) applies to public, non-licensed buyers.
Copart Buyer Fee Chart (Standard Vehicle, Public Buyer)
The buyer fee is Copart’s biggest charge. It runs as flat brackets that rise with the bid, then becomes 7.5% of the bid at $15,000 and above. Here is the full published Standard-vehicle schedule for a public buyer:
| Winning bid | Buyer fee |
|---|---|
| $0 – $49.99 | $25 |
| $50 – $99.99 | $45 |
| $100 – $199.99 | $80 |
| $200 – $299.99 | $130 |
| $300 – $399.99 | $137.50 – $145 |
| $400 – $499.99 | $175 – $185 |
| $500 – $599.99 | $205 – $210 |
| $600 – $799.99 | $240 – $270 |
| $800 – $999.99 | $295 – $320 |
| $1,000 – $1,199.99 | $375 |
| $1,200 – $1,499.99 | $395 – $430 |
| $1,500 – $1,999.99 | $445 – $510 |
| $2,000 – $2,499.99 | $535 – $570 |
| $2,500 – $2,999.99 | $610 |
| $3,000 – $3,999.99 | $655 – $705 |
| $4,000 – $4,999.99 | $725 – $750 |
| $5,000 – $5,999.99 | $775 – $800 |
| $6,000 – $7,999.99 | $825 – $900 |
| $8,000 – $9,999.99 | $925 – $945 |
| $10,000 – $14,999.99 | $1,000 |
| $15,000 and up | 7.5% of bid |
The virtual bid fee (for bidding online) depends on the bid amount and whether you bid Live or set a Pre-Bid:
| Bid amount | Pre-Bid | Live bid |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $99.99 | Free | Free |
| $100 – $499.99 | $40 | $50 |
| $500 – $999.99 | $55 | $65 |
| $1,000 – $1,499.99 | $75 | $85 |
| $1,500 – $1,999.99 | $85 | $95 |
| $2,000 – $3,999.99 | $100 | $110 |
| $4,000 – $5,999.99 | $110 | $125 |
| $6,000 – $7,999.99 | $125 | $145 |
| $8,000 and up | $140 | $160 |
Other Copart Fees: Gate, Environmental, Storage, Late & Relist
Beyond the buyer fee and virtual bid fee, watch for these charges — the storage, late-payment and relist fees are where casual buyers get caught out:
| Fee | Typical amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Gate fee | $79 clean / $95 non-clean | Every sale — vehicle release from the yard |
| Environmental fee | ≈$15 | Every sale — compliant handling |
| Title mailing fee | ≈$20 | When Copart mails the title |
| Storage fee | ≈$20–$40 / day | After the free window (usually 3 business days) |
| Late payment fee | $50 | If unpaid after 3 business days |
| Relist fee | 10% of bid (min $600) | If unpaid by day 8 — the lot is relisted |
Secured vs Unsecured Payment (Why Your Card Costs More)
On high bids your payment method changes the buyer fee. For bids of $15,000 and above, Copart charges 7.5% with a secured payment (bank wire, cashier’s cheque or a Copart-approved method) but around 12.5% with an unsecured one (credit/debit card). Below $15,000 the flat-bracket fee applies either way, so paying by wire mainly helps on expensive lots. This calculator uses the secured 7.5% rate at $15,000+.
How to Use the Copart Fee Calculator
-
Enter your winning bid
Type the high bid you expect to pay for the vehicle, in US dollars. Every fee is calculated from this amount.
-
Set the bid type and title
Choose Live bid or Pre-Bid (Live costs a little more in virtual bid fee) and pick Non-clean or Clean title (this sets the $95 or $79 gate fee).
-
Add broker fee and tax, then read the breakdown
The broker fee defaults to $100 for public buyers — set it to 0 if you hold a dealer licence. Add your state sales-tax rate if you want it included. The result panel lists every fee, the all-in total and the fees as a percentage of your bid.
Copart Fee Examples by Bid Amount
| Bid | Bid type / title | Total fees | All-in cost | Fees % of bid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | Live · non-clean | $480 | $980 | 96% |
| $1,500 | Pre-Bid · clean | $724 | $2,224 | 48% |
| $3,000 | Live · non-clean | $975 | $3,975 | 33% |
| $5,000 | Live · non-clean | $1,110 | $6,110 | 22% |
| $8,000 | Live · non-clean | $1,295 | $9,295 | 16% |
Each example includes the $100 broker fee and $15 environmental fee and excludes sales tax and storage. Notice how fees are a far bigger share of a cheap car (96% of a $500 bid) than an expensive one (16% of an $8,000 bid) — the buyer fee floor is what makes low-value flips expensive.
How to Reduce Copart Fees
-
Pay by a secured method on big bids
For bids of $15,000+, a bank wire or cashier’s cheque drops the buyer fee from ~12.5% to 7.5% — a four-figure saving on an expensive lot.
-
Collect inside the free storage window
Most yards give about 3 business days free. Pick up in time and you avoid the $20–$40/day storage fee.
-
Pay on time to dodge late and relist fees
Pay within 3 business days to skip the $50 late fee, and within 8 days to avoid the relist fee (10% of the bid, minimum $600).
-
Budget with fees, not just the bid
Run your number through this calculator before the auction and set a maximum bid that keeps the all-in total inside your budget.
-
Buy through the right channel
If you buy often, a dealer licence (or buying via a flat-fee broker instead of a percentage one) can cut the broker cost. A Pre-Bid also shaves a little off the virtual bid fee versus a Live bid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buying at a Copart auction outside the US? Use our Copart UK Fee Calculator for Fee B and 20% VAT, or the Copart Canada Fee Calculator for CAD fees plus provincial GST/HST/PST.
