How to import a car from Copart or IAA — step by step
Copart and IAA are the largest US car auctions, with many salvage and lightly damaged vehicles. Only licensed dealers can buy on them, so the simplest route is through an agent who bids on their own licence.
Here's the full process — from the first email to picking up your finished car in Europe.
Step 1 — Pick a car and get advice
You point us at a specific Copart/IAA lot, or ask us to help find one. We check the history (Carfax/AutoCheck), assess the damage and whether a lot is worth it, then you set a price cap.
Step 2 — Bidding and purchase
We bid on your behalf up to your cap. You need no auction account and pay no registration fees. After the win we pay for the car and arrange pickup from the yard.
Step 3 — Transport to port and ocean freight
We collect the car by flatbed from the auction and take it to the port in New Jersey or Savannah. There it's loaded into a 40' container (usually with other cars) and shipped to Europe. The ocean leg typically takes 3–5 weeks.
Step 4 — Customs clearance and delivery
Once it reaches the European port we handle full customs clearance: duty, VAT, excise and all paperwork. Finally we deliver the car to your address — ready to register or move to a workshop.
Found a car at auction?
Send us the lot number or auction link — we'll check the car and prepare an import quote.
+1 (973) 372 1100Frequently asked questions
How long does the whole process take?+
Usually 6–10 weeks: a few days to collect from the auction and reach a US port, 3–5 weeks of ocean transit, then 1–2 weeks for customs clearance and delivery.
Can I buy without my own Copart/IAA account?+
Yes. We bid on our dealer licence — you set the cap, we run the bidding and report the result.
Do you advise which car to pick?+
Yes. We help assess the damage, the vehicle history and whether it's genuinely worth it before you commit to a bid.
