Manheim gives you 10 calendar days to file an online arbitration claim and until close of business on sale day for an in-lane purchase. Online means Simulcast and Timed Sale (OVE), and the sale date counts as day one. The page states no later window, so plan around these two dates.
Need the fee side? See Manheim buyer fees and the Manheim late fee calculator.
Below is every deadline Manheim states on its pages, checked October 2026, and what each means for a dealer buying monthly.
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.
How long do you have to arbitrate a car at Manheim?
Per Manheim's arbitration process timelines page:
| Purchase channel | Filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Online (Simulcast, Timed Sale/OVE) | "ten (10) calendar days from the sale date," sale date is day one |
| In-lane | "close of business on sale day" |
Manheim's Simulcast help page adds that "the NAAA Arbitration Policy applies to the sale of these vehicles." Read the NAAA policy for the thresholds that decide whether a defect qualifies. Those thresholds are not on the timeline page, so we do not quote them.
Do you have to bring the car back for in-lane arbitration?
Yes, on the same clock. The timeline page says the vehicle "must also be returned to the selling auction by the close of gate hours on sale day." It adds that this may be extended "to noon on the following business day in very limited circumstances."
The practical read: for in-lane buys, inspect before you bid and decide on sale day. If you plan to transport the car off the lot the same afternoon, you have already given up the easy return.
What happens after you file a claim?
The page lists four buyer milestones, each due "within five (5) calendar days of notification or request from the Arbitrator":
- Submit claim documentation.
- Deliver the vehicle to an approved Manheim or authorized third-party site for verification.
- Return the title to the designated Manheim location.
- Submit transportation and reconditioning invoices.
If you miss one, "Manheim may, at its sole discretion, close the arbitration claim." The same page says a seller "has no authority or right to demand dismissal of a claim based solely on a buyer's procedural delay," so the clock is Manheim's rule, not the seller's.
Keep the transport and reconditioning invoices from day one. Step four is the one dealers forget.
What does arbitration do to your payment deadline?
Payment is still due on the purchase date. Manheim's purchase terms say a late fee applies after business day 3 of aging and buying privileges are suspended after business day 4. Aging starts on the latest of three dates, and the "Arbitration resolution date" is one of them.
So an open claim can move the start of aging, but it does not make a car you are keeping free to ignore. For the fee mechanics, see Manheim buyer fees and the Manheim late fee calculator.
What does Manheim say arbitration is for?
Manheim's new dealer buyer FAQ describes it as a process where "Manheim acts as a neutral intermediary to investigate and resolve transaction-related disputes," with outcomes that can include a sale price adjustment or a sale cancellation. It is a dispute process, not a return window for a car you changed your mind about.
How do you protect yourself before you need arbitration?
Arbitration is the backstop, not the plan. Three habits that do not depend on any policy number:
- Read the announcements and the condition report before you bid (see how to read a Manheim condition report).
- Know the sale lights. Red, yellow, green and blue each tell you how the car sells (Manheim sale lights).
- Decide whether to add a post-sale inspection on cars where you cannot see the mechanicals.
Check the exit price before the claim ever comes up
Most arbitration trouble starts with a car bought at a price the market never supported. The free CarFlipIQ Chrome extension shows local resale, days to sell and a max bid after fees on Copart and IAAI lot pages. New accounts start with a 7-day free trial (card required, $0 today). Its manifest also lists manheim.com, so it loads on Manheim search and detail pages too. Manheim publishes no buyer fee table, so net your own rate-sheet fee out of any max bid by hand, or use the max bid calculator.
For a wider view of Manheim's buyer-side charges, start with the Manheim fees calculator guide and our Manheim auction page.