Total Cost of an Auction Car by State
The hammer price is the start of the bill, not the end. On an $8,000 Copart win the auction alone adds $1,409; your state then adds tax and title. Pick your state for the full worked example.
The auction side (same in every state)
| Hammer | Copart buyer fee | Copart online bid | Copart total fees | IAAI buyer fee | IAAI internet bid | IAAI total fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 | $550 | $129 | $809 | $335 | $79 | $528 |
| $8,000 | $1,000 | $279 | $1,409 | $720 | $109 | $943 |
| $15,000 | $1,125 | $279 | $1,534 | $1,125 | $139 | $1,378 |
Totals include Copart's $95 gate fee or IAAI's $79 service fee, a $15 environmental fee and a $20 documentation fee, with no storage. Copart figures use the standard (non-licensed) buyer schedule. Full tier tables: Copart fee calculator, IAAI fee calculator.
Manheim fees
Manheim does not publish one national buyer-fee table; each auction location sets its own. Two published rules apply everywhere:
- A $50 Simulcast buyer fee per vehicle, in addition to the normal buyer's fee charged by each Manheim auction. source
- Payment is due on the purchase date; a 3% late fee (on sale price plus buy fee and added charges, minimum $40, maximum $400) applies after business day 3. source
Get the buyer fee for the lane you buy in from that Manheim location before you bid. Last checked: 2026-09.
Transport
We don't publish a transport number: it depends on distance, whether the car runs, open or enclosed carrier, and the season. Get a quote for the specific lot, add it to the all-in figure, and run the result through the max bid calculator.
All-in cost of an $8,000 car by state
| State | Tax rule used | Copart all-in | IAAI all-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2% state rate | $9,587 | $9,121 |
| Alaska | no state sales tax | $9,424 | $8,958 |
| Arizona | 5.6% state rate | $9,861 | $9,395 |
| Arkansas | 6.5% state sales tax, vehicles under $4,000 exempt | $9,939 | $9,473 |
| California | 7.25% state rate | $10,004 | $9,538 |
| Colorado | 2.9% state rate | $9,648 | $9,182 |
| Connecticut | 6.35% state rate | $9,942 | $9,476 |
| Delaware | 4.25% Document Fee | $9,784 | $9,318 |
| District of Columbia | Not in our data | $9,409 | $8,943 |
| Florida | 6% state rate | $9,966 | $9,500 |
| Georgia | 7% TAVT on fair market value (hammer used as the value here) | $9,987 | $9,521 |
| Hawaii | 4% state rate | $9,734 | $9,268 |
| Idaho | 6% state rate | $9,903 | $9,437 |
| Illinois | 6.25% state rate | $10,059 | $9,593 |
| Indiana | 7% state rate | $9,984 | $9,518 |
| Iowa | 5% state rate | $9,834 | $9,368 |
| Kansas | 6.5% state rate | $9,939 | $9,473 |
| Kentucky | 6% usage tax on retail value per state schedule (hammer used here) | $9,898 | $9,432 |
| Louisiana | 4.45% state rate | $9,834 | $9,368 |
| Maine | 5.5% state rate | $9,882 | $9,416 |
| Maryland | 6% state rate | $9,989 | $9,523 |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% state rate | $9,984 | $9,518 |
| Michigan | 6% state rate | $9,904 | $9,438 |
| Minnesota | 6.88% state rate | $9,967 | $9,501 |
| Mississippi | 5% use tax plus 2.5% privilege tax | $10,018 | $9,552 |
| Missouri | 4.23% state rate | $9,758 | $9,292 |
| Montana | no state sales tax | $9,421 | $8,955 |
| Nebraska | 5.5% state rate | $9,859 | $9,393 |
| Nevada | 6.85% state rate | $9,985 | $9,519 |
| New Hampshire | no state sales tax | $9,434 | $8,968 |
| New Jersey | 6.625% state rate | $9,999 | $9,533 |
| New Mexico | 4% state rate | $9,734 | $9,268 |
| New York | 4% state rate | $9,779 | $9,313 |
| North Carolina | 3% state rate | $9,705 | $9,239 |
| North Dakota | 5% state rate | $9,814 | $9,348 |
| Ohio | 5.75% state rate | $9,884 | $9,418 |
| Oklahoma | 1.25% sales tax plus 3.25% excise tax | $9,780 | $9,314 |
| Oregon | no state sales tax | $9,510 | $9,044 |
| Pennsylvania | 6% state rate | $9,947 | $9,481 |
| Rhode Island | 7% state rate | $10,022 | $9,556 |
| South Carolina | Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, capped at $500 | $9,824 | $9,358 |
| South Dakota | 4% state rate | $9,739 | $9,273 |
| Tennessee | 7% state rate | $9,980 | $9,514 |
| Texas | 6.25% state rate | $9,942 | $9,476 |
| Utah | 4.85% state rate | $9,803 | $9,337 |
| Vermont | 6% state rate | $9,924 | $9,458 |
| Virginia | 4.15% sales and use tax, $75 minimum | $9,756 | $9,290 |
| Washington | 6.5% state rate | $9,941 | $9,475 |
| West Virginia | 6% state rate | $9,904 | $9,438 |
| Wisconsin | 5% state rate | $9,974 | $9,508 |
| Wyoming | 4% state rate | $9,744 | $9,278 |
Hammer + auction fees + state tax on the hammer + title transfer. Local taxes, registration, transport and repairs are extra.
Know the resale before you bid
Costs are half the math. Check what the car sells for near you before you commit.