Car-auction & import glossary

The car has no branding on its title — it was never declared a total loss. Usually the highest resale value and the easiest to import and register. See which titles your country accepts →

An insurer declared the car a total loss (repairs would cost more than a set share of its value) — from a crash, flood, theft-recovery or hail. It can often be repaired and re-titled, but some countries ban salvage imports outright. Salvage rules by country →Order a history report →

A salvage car that was repaired and passed a state inspection, so it's road-legal again. Worth more than salvage but less than clean — and a few countries still refuse it. Rebuilt acceptance by country →

The most severe brand — the car is legally non-repairable and can only be sold for parts or scrap. It can never be re-titled for the road. Also called junk, non-repairable or parts-only. Buy only if you want parts.

The car sat in water deep enough to damage the drivetrain or electronics. Corrosion and electrical faults show up months later, so flood cars are cheap for a reason. Check the history first →

The maker bought the car back under a state 'lemon law' because of a defect it couldn't fix. The brand stays on the title even after the fault is repaired.

The mileage on the dash is lower than the car's true mileage — either tampered with ('rollback') or simply unverifiable ('TMU — true mileage unknown'). Inflates the price of a more-worn car. Our report flags a rolled-back reading automatically. Run a rollback check →

Moving a car between states to make a salvage or flood brand 'disappear' from the new title. A clean-looking title can still hide a washed history — always check the full record, not just the current title. Detect a washed title →

How the mileage is certified: 'actual' = believed true; 'not actual' = known wrong; 'exempt' = too old for federal mileage rules (usually pre-2011). 'Not actual' hurts value the same way a rollback does.

The two damage fields on every lot. Primary is the main hit (e.g. 'Front End'); secondary is any additional damage. 'All Over', 'Undercarriage' or 'Mechanical' as primary are red flags for hidden cost.

The auction confirmed the car started, moved and stopped under its own power on sale day. It is NOT a mechanical guarantee — it means only that it ran in the yard, not that it's roadworthy.

Copart's condition tags. 'Run & Drive' (green), 'Starts' (it powered up but didn't necessarily move) and 'Enhanced' verification give you a little more confidence — but still inspect photos and history.

Damage to the car's structural frame or unibody. Expensive and sometimes unsafe to repair properly — many buyers avoid it, and some countries won't register a structurally damaged car.

The airbags went off in a collision. Replacing airbags, clock-spring and modules can run into thousands, so factor it into your bid. Estimate the true landed cost →

ACV (actual cash value) is what the insurer said the car was worth before the loss; estimated retail value is a rough undamaged market price. Both are guides, not appraisals — treat them as a ceiling, not a target.

Whether the auction has the key/fob. 'No keys' means you'll pay to source and program one before the car can move — a small but real extra cost.

One of the two largest US salvage-and-used auto auctions, selling mostly insurance total-losses online across hundreds of yards. Browse Copart lots →

Insurance Auto Auctions — the other major US salvage auction. Similar model to Copart, with its own fee schedule and sale rules. Browse IAAI lots →

Only a licensed auction member can bid at Copart/IAAI — the public can't buy directly. You bid through a broker (like us), who charges a service fee on top of the auction's own fees. How buying with us works →

The seller set no reserve — the highest bid wins, full stop. The cleanest way to buy, with no approval step after the hammer.

A hidden floor price. If bidding stops below it, the sale goes 'on approval' and the seller decides whether to accept your bid.

When your top bid is under the reserve, it isn't final — the seller has a window (often a day or two) to approve, counter or reject it. 'Approved' means it's yours.

A maximum bid you set before the live auction. The system bids for you up to that limit, so you don't have to watch the sale in real time.

A fixed price to skip the auction and buy immediately — available on some lots before they go to live sale. Usually higher than a lucky auction win, but certain.

The auction's own sliding-scale fee based on the sale price — often several hundred dollars. It's separate from, and on top of, your broker's fee.

Small fixed auction charges added to nearly every sale for yard handling and environmental compliance.

The auction stores the car free for a few days after the sale, then charges per day. Pay and arrange pickup fast — storage and late-payment fees add up quickly and can erase your saving.

A penalty charged if you win a bid 'on approval' and then back out, forcing the car to be re-listed. Don't bid on approval unless you mean it.

The all-in total to get the car to your door: winning bid + auction fees + broker fee + US inland transport + ocean freight + your country's duty, VAT and clearing. The only number that really matters. Calculate your landed cost →

Whether the paper title is already in hand at the auction. 'Title absent / pending' can delay export by weeks while it's mailed in — a real factor in your timeline.

The core shipping document from the ocean carrier — proof of receipt, contract of carriage and title to the goods. You typically need the original B/L to clear the car at destination.

Two ways to ship a car overseas. Container (often shared, or a full FCL) is more secure and lets you load parts; RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) is cheaper but the car must drive on and off and travels empty. We quote container and consolidation rates. Compare ports & shipping prices →

Sharing one container between several cars to cut the per-car ocean cost. A little slower (you wait for the container to fill) but cheaper than shipping alone. See consolidation rates →

Where the car leaves the US (loading — e.g. Newark, Savannah, Los Angeles) and where it arrives (discharge — the port nearest you). The pair sets your ocean route and price. Pick the nearest port on the map →

A daily charge if your container or car sits at the destination port longer than the free days allowed — usually because clearing paperwork is late. Have your documents ready before the ship arrives.

Estimated Time of Departure (from the loading port) and Estimated Time of Arrival (at the discharge port). Both shift with sailings, so treat them as estimates. Track your car by VIN →

At your border the car is taxed by its HS (tariff) code: an import duty (a % of the value), then VAT, and sometimes excise by engine size or age. Rates vary widely by country — our per-country guides spell them out. Import rules & taxes by country →

The car's 17-character Vehicle Identification Number — its fingerprint. Decode it for the build spec and pull the full title, damage and mileage history before you bid. Run a VIN report →