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Fee breakdown
The number missing from this calculator
IAAI is dominated by insurance auction lots — most are salvage or rebuilt titles. Fees are only half the equation. The other half is how much that branded title actually sells for in your local market. CarFlipIQ tracks real Facebook Marketplace prices for salvage and rebuilt vehicles by ZIP, so you know the resale ceiling before you place a bid.
Estimates only. IAAI updates its fee schedule periodically and certain branches / vehicle types apply surcharges. Always verify final fees against the IAAI buyer fee schedule before bidding.
Calculator assumptions: Standard (non-Public) buyer bidding online, default $105 service, $15 environmental and $20 title fees, no storage. Estimates only. Also available as the standalone IAAI fee calculator.
The winning bid on an IAAI lot is not what you pay. Every purchase adds a layer of fees: the buyer fee, an internet bidding fee, a service fee, title processing, an environmental fee, and storage if you are slow on pickup. A $5,000 winning bid costs about $5,729 at IAAI before transport and sales tax.
This guide breaks down every IAAI fee, explains when each applies, and walks through a complete worked example so you can calculate your real acquisition cost before placing a bid. For the Copart equivalent, see Copart fees.
LocalIQ™ market snapshot
What top flip candidates are asking right now
| Model | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 632 | $29,972 |
| Honda Civic | 5,396 | $15,000 |
| Honda Accord | 4,176 | $15,999 |
| Ford F-150 | 3,134 | $24,000 |
| Toyota Corolla | 3,040 | $14,500 |
| Nissan Sentra | 3,004 | $9,880 |
| Toyota Camry | 2,510 | $17,082 |
| Hyundai Elantra | 2,396 | $9,499 |
LocalIQ™ asking-price median · 24,288 listings · updated every 6 hours. National, last 8 model years; asking price is your resale ceiling.
IAAI Buyer Premium — The Biggest Fee
The buyer fee is charged on top of the hammer price. IAAI's schedule is tiered: a flat dollar amount per bid range up to $10,000, then 7.5% of the winning bid. This table is generated from the same schedule the IAAI fee calculator uses.
IAAI buyer fee by winning bid
Standard (non-Public) registration, from the same schedule the IAAI Fee Calculator uses.
| Winning bid | Buyer fee |
|---|---|
| $0 – $99.99 | $0 |
| $100 – $199.99 | $25 |
| $200 – $299.99 | $40 |
| $300 – $399.99 | $50 |
| $400 – $499.99 | $65 |
| $500 – $599.99 | $80 |
| $600 – $699.99 | $90 |
| $700 – $799.99 | $105 |
| $800 – $899.99 | $120 |
| $900 – $999.99 | $135 |
| $1,000 – $1,099.99 | $150 |
| $1,100 – $1,199.99 | $165 |
| $1,200 – $1,499.99 | $185 |
| $1,500 – $1,999.99 | $215 |
| $2,000 – $2,499.99 | $260 |
| $2,500 – $2,999.99 | $300 |
| $3,000 – $3,999.99 | $335 |
| $4,000 – $4,999.99 | $415 |
| $5,000 – $5,999.99 | $480 |
| $6,000 – $6,999.99 | $565 |
| $7,000 – $7,999.99 | $635 |
| $8,000 – $9,999.99 | $720 |
| $10,000 and up | 7.5% of the bid |
Note: IAAI periodically updates its fee schedule. Always verify the current fee tier on IAAI.com before bidding. Fees vary by state and buyer type.
On a $7,000 hammer price you pay $635 in buyer fee before any other fee is counted. Do not confuse the buyer fee with the total add-on cost: stack all fees before calculating your max bid.
Internet Bid Fee
IAAI charges a fee for online bidding. It is tiered by winning bid and sits on top of the buyer fee.
IAAI internet bid fee by winning bid
Charged on top of the buyer fee for online bids.
| Winning bid | Internet bid fee |
|---|---|
| $0 – $999.99 | $49 |
| $1,000 – $4,999.99 | $79 |
| $5,000 – $9,999.99 | $109 |
| $10,000 and up | $139 |
Buyers using third-party broker services pay an additional broker commission on top of all IAAI fees.
Service / Gate Fee
IAAI charges a flat service fee on every purchase, in the place of Copart's gate fee. IAAI lists a $105 per-unit service fee effective October 1, 2026 (source: IAAI's published licensed-buyer fees), and the calculator assumes it. It applies regardless of the lot price. On a $2,500 hammer price, $105 is over 4% of your acquisition cost, so do not treat it as a rounding error.
Title Processing Fee
IAAI charges a title handling fee to process the vehicle title on your behalf. The calculator assumes $20; the actual amount can vary by state and title type, so confirm the figure on your invoice.
- Salvage titles may require additional documentation and processing time
- Out-of-state buyers should verify title processing timelines, because delays in receiving your title delay your ability to register or resell the vehicle
If you are operating in a state with strict rebuilt title inspection requirements, factor in inspection fees separately after you take ownership of the salvage title.
Storage Fees
Storage is the fee that catches buyers off guard most often. IAAI provides a short pickup window after the auction closes. After that window expires, storage fees accumulate daily.
- Free storage window: the calculator assumes 2 free days; it varies by location, so confirm with your branch
- Storage rate: the calculator assumes $30 per day; actual rates vary by vehicle size and facility
If your transport is delayed (carrier no-shows, weather, scheduling conflicts), storage compounds fast. A 10-day delay at $30/day is $300 added to your cost stack. Always confirm the exact pickup window with your specific IAAI location and arrange transport before bidding.
Environmental Fee
A small flat environmental fee applies to every IAAI purchase. The calculator assumes $15. Minor in dollar terms but still part of your cost calculation.
Sales Tax
Whether you pay sales tax on an IAAI purchase depends on your buyer status and state:
- Licensed dealers with a valid resale certificate: typically exempt from sales tax on purchases for resale
- Individual buyers: may owe sales tax based on the vehicle's value and your state's rules
- Multistate purchases: if you buy in one state and register in another, you generally pay tax in your registration state
Confirm your tax status with your accountant before scaling your auction buying operation. Getting this wrong costs real money.
Worked Example: 2021 Toyota Camry SE — Front End Damage
Here is what a complete IAAI purchase costs on a representative mid-range lot with a $7,800 winning bid (Standard buyer, online bid, no storage).
2021 Toyota Camry SE — IAAI Lot, Front End Damage
That $7,800 hammer price becomes $9,084 before you spend a dollar on repairs. Fees alone add $884, or 11.3% of the bid.
Max Bid Calculator
CarFlipIQ's built-in max bid calculator accounts for the buyer fee, other fees, transport, and repairs. Enter your retail target, input your estimates, and get a hard walk-away number before the auction opens.
Try the calculator →How to Calculate Your IAAI Max Bid
The professional workflow starts at retail and works backward:
Max Bid = Retail Value − Repair Costs − All IAAI Fees − Transport − Sales Tax − Your Target Margin
Fees depend on the bid itself, so solve it by trial: pick a bid, add the fees from the calculator above, and check that the total still clears your resale price minus repairs, transport, tax and margin. If bidding goes past that number, you walk. No exceptions.
The critical number in this formula is retail value. If you are using national price guides, you are working with a number that may differ from your actual local market. Use CarFlipIQ to check what the same vehicle is actually listed for in your ZIP code before you set your max bid.
See it on the lot page
The CarFlipIQ extension drops a live pricing card right on the Copart, IAAI & Manheim lot page — local resale, max bid, and profit, without leaving the auction.
IAAI Fees vs Copart Fees: Quick Comparison
Both columns use the Standard (non-licensed) buyer schedule, an online bid, and default flat fees, at a $5,000 winning bid.
| Fee at a $5,000 bid | IAAI | Copart |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer fee | $480 | $750 |
| Internet bid fee | $109 | $179 |
| Service / gate fee | $105 | $95 |
| Environmental | $15 | $15 |
| Title | $20 | $20 |
| Total fees | $729 | $1,059 |
| All-in cost | $5,729 | $6,059 |
The fee schedules differ most in the internet bid cap ($139 at IAAI vs $279 at Copart) and in the buyer fee tiers. The bigger variable is which platform prices your target vehicle lower, which comes down to bidding competition and inventory. For a full platform comparison, read IAAI vs Copart, or run the same car through the Copart fee calculator.
Common Fee Mistakes New Buyers Make
1. Forgetting the internet bid fee. First-time buyers often calculate buyer fee + service + title and forget the online bidding fee entirely. On a $3,000 hammer, that $79 is about 2.6% of the hammer price.
2. Assuming the free storage window is longer than it is. Two free days go fast. If your transport is booked for day four or five, you may already be accruing storage. Confirm the exact window with the branch, not just the IAAI website.
3. Not accounting for state-specific fee variations. IAAI fees vary by state and buyer registration type. The fee schedule you see on IAAI.com may not reflect what you actually pay in your state. Check your specific facility before bidding.
4. Using the hammer price to calculate your return. Your investment is the all-in cost, including fees and transport. If you bought a vehicle for $7,800 hammer but your actual cost was $8,684 before transport, your math needs to start at $8,684.
How to Reduce IAAI Fees
You cannot negotiate most fees, but you can minimize them through smarter operations:
- Pick up vehicles promptly. Storage fees are the most preventable cost. Arrange transport before you bid, not after you win.
- Register as a licensed dealer. Buying on your own dealer account avoids a third-party broker's commission. Compare your broker costs against your license costs.
- Batch nearby purchases. If you win two lots at the same IAAI facility in the same week, transporting them together on a multi-car carrier can reduce your per-unit transport cost.
- Know your local tax exemption status. If you qualify for a resale exemption and are not using it, you are paying sales tax you do not owe.
Calculate Your Max Bid Before Every Auction
CarFlipIQ accounts for all auction fees, transport, and repairs. Get your real walk-away number in seconds. Start free — no credit card required.
