You heard you can pick up a car for cheap at a police or impound auction in St. Louis, and you want to know if that is real and how to get in. It is real, but the cars are towed and unclaimed, not traded in, and the paperwork works differently than a normal sale. Here is how each type of auction works, who runs it, and what Missouri asks of you after you win.
The short answer: Most police car auctions in St. Louis are the City of St. Louis tow lot auction. The Towing Division holds unclaimed towed cars for 30 days, then sells them to the highest bidder every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Retired state vehicles sell online through Missouri surplus on GovDeals. You title the car with Form 108 and the city’s bill of sale.
Updated October 14, 2026. Checked against the City of St. Louis Towing Division, the Missouri Department of Revenue, the Missouri Office of Administration surplus program, the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program, and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Key takeaways
- City tow lot: unclaimed towed cars are held 30 days, then sold every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. to the highest bidder.
- Retired police and state cars: Missouri sells state surplus online on GovDeals. The state says there are no on-site auctions at this time.
- Repo cars: there is no single public repo auction in St. Louis. Lenders sell them their own way.
- Paperwork: a city or county sale comes with an Abandoned Property Bill of Sale (Form 4579), and you apply for title on Form 108.
- Condition: expect little or no condition report and no test drive. Budget for repairs.
- Easier option: online public marketplaces like Remarket Space list inspection reports and the out-the-door price, with no dealer license.
Are there police car auctions in St. Louis?
Yes, but the name is a little misleading. Very few of these cars were police cruisers. When people search for police car auctions in St. Louis, they usually mean one of three things:
- Impound and tow lot auctions: cars towed for parking, abandonment, or police holds that the owner never picked up. In the City of St. Louis, the Towing Division sells these every week.
- Government surplus auctions: retired fleet vehicles, sometimes including former patrol cars, sold by the state or a local government when it replaces them.
- Repo auctions: cars taken back by a lender after missed payments. These are sold by the lender, not by the police.
Each one has different rules, different paperwork, and a different kind of car. Here is how they compare.
| Auction type | Who sells | How you bid | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of St. Louis tow lot | City Towing Division | In person, Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. | Unclaimed towed cars, little condition info |
| Missouri state surplus | Missouri Office of Administration | Online on GovDeals (federal items on GSA Auctions) | Retired state fleet vehicles |
| Repo sales | Banks, credit unions, and finance companies | Varies by lender | Cars repossessed for missed payments |
| Online public marketplace (Remarket Space) | Dealers, fleets, lenders, and other sellers | Online, Buy Now or live auction | Inspected cars with a free Carfax and delivery quote |
For every other way to buy at auction in the area, including dealer-only sales, see our hub on car auctions in St. Louis.
How does the St. Louis city tow lot auction work?
The City of St. Louis Towing Division runs the main impound auction in the city. Here is what its page says:
- Holding period: the city holds vehicles 30 days before they are sold at auction.
- Schedule: public auctions happen every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
- How it sells: each vehicle goes to the highest bidder.
- Questions: the Towing Division’s number is (314) 383-7546.
The city page does not list auction payment methods, buyer registration steps, or a public list of the cars up for sale. Call before you go and ask three things: what payment they accept for auction purchases, if you can look at cars before bidding, and what paperwork you leave with.
Also worth knowing: in 2025 the city paused tow lot auctions for about six weeks after an audit, then resumed them in June 2025, according to KMOV. Schedules can change, so confirm the auction is running that week.
Why do impound cars sell so cheap?
Because the owner walked away. The city charges a $100 tow fee and $25 a day in storage to get a car back, plus dolly and labor charges when needed. On an old car with a dead battery or a bad transmission, a month of storage can cost more than the car is worth. Those are the cars that end up on the block, so assume there is a reason nobody came for it.
What about St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and other cities?
St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and the dozens of municipalities around them handle their own towing. We could not find an official public auction schedule for St. Louis County or St. Charles County impounds on their government websites as of October 14, 2026, so we are not going to guess at one.
If a car you want was towed outside the city, call the police department or city hall that ordered the tow and ask how unclaimed vehicles are sold. Under Missouri’s Abandoned Vehicle Manual, a city or county can only sell abandoned vehicles on its own bill of sale if it has filed a statement with the Department of Revenue certifying it has an ordinance regulating those sales. Unclaimed cars at private tow yards follow a separate process for the towing company.
Where do retired police cars get sold in Missouri?
If you want an actual former patrol car or another state fleet vehicle, look at state surplus. The Missouri Office of Administration public auctions page says:
- The public can bid: the state encourages the general public to bid on its online auctions.
- State items: listed regularly on GovDeals.
- Federal items: listed on GSA Auctions.
- No in-person sales right now: the page says there are no on-site auctions at this time.
Pickup and payment rules come from the auction site, so read each listing before you bid. Ex-police cars often have high idle hours, holes from removed equipment, and hard use, even when the odometer looks fine. Our guide to bidding on police and government surplus vehicles covers what to check on these cars.
Are there repo car auctions in St. Louis?
Not as one public event. Repossessed cars belong to the lender, and each lender decides how to sell them. Some send them to dealer-only wholesale auctions, which the public cannot enter. Some sell directly. Salvage auctions have their own rules, covered in our guide to buying at Copart and IAA in St. Louis. If you are after a specific repo car, ask the bank or credit union how it sells repossessions.
Before you pay, ask what title you will get. In Missouri, a lender gets a repossession title by filing Form 5005, the Application/Affidavit for Missouri Repossession Title, after giving the owner 10 days of written notice. The repo title fee is $10 plus a $9 processing fee. If the seller cannot show you a title in their name to sign over, slow down.
How do you buy a car at a St. Louis impound auction?
- 1. Call ahead. Confirm the auction is on, what payment is accepted, and if you can look at cars first.
- 2. Set a hard limit. Add tow or transport, a battery, tires, and at least one repair you cannot see yet. Then add Missouri sales tax and title fees.
- 3. Inspect what you can. Check for fluid leaks, rust holes, flood lines, and missing keys. Write down the VIN and run a history report if you have time.
- 4. Bid. The car goes to the highest bidder. Do not chase it past your number.
- 5. Get the right paperwork. You should leave with an Abandoned Property Bill of Sale (Form 4579) signed by the city or county clerk and stamped with the official seal.
- 6. Move the car. Plan for a tow. An unregistered car with unknown problems is not one to drive home.
- 7. Title it. Take the bill of sale, Form 108, inspections, and payment to a Missouri license office (details below).
A history report is cheap insurance on a car with no story. Our guide on how to read a vehicle history report shows what to look for, and these common car auction mistakes are the ones that cost first-timers the most.
How do you title an impound auction car in Missouri?
A city or county impound sale does not come with the old owner’s signed title. Instead, the Missouri Department of Revenue Abandoned Vehicle Manual (revised August 2025) lists what you bring:
| Item | What Missouri requires |
|---|---|
| Title application | Form 108 in your name, marked original, salvage, or junk. Your name must match the bill of sale. |
| Bill of sale | The original Abandoned Property Bill of Sale (Form 4579), with your name and signature, sale price, date, mileage, the clerk’s signature, and the city or county seal |
| Sold for | The bill of sale shows whether the car was sold for junk, salvage, or rebuilding |
| Inspection for an original title | Vehicle Examination Certificate (Form 551), completed by a Missouri State Highway Patrol inspector or the St. Louis City or County Auto Theft Unit |
| Fees and tax | Title fee, processing fee, and state and local sales tax. A junking certificate only needs the processing fee. |
| Late penalty | The manual says title penalties do not apply to this type of sale |
The DOR buying a vehicle page lists the title fee at $8.50 plus a $9 processing fee, and sales tax at 4.225% state plus your local rate. Our guide to Missouri car sales tax in St. Louis shows the local rates, and the full Missouri title transfer guide covers registration and plates.
If the bill of sale says salvage or rebuilding, the car gets a branded title and needs more work before it is road legal. Ask before you bid how the city marks the cars it sells.
Do impound cars need inspections in St. Louis?
Usually, yes. Plan for both of these before the car goes on the road:
- Emissions test: the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program requires one at any sale or title transfer in St. Louis City and St. Louis, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties. It covers gas vehicles 1996 and newer and diesels 1997 and newer, 8,500 pounds or less.
- Safety inspection: DOR requires one unless the car is newer and under 150,000 miles. It must be no more than 60 days old when you title.
Impound cars fail these more often than most, because many sat for a reason. Our St. Louis emissions testing guide explains what fails a car and how retests work.
Live in the Illinois Metro East?
Cities on the Illinois side of the river run their own towing. The East St. Louis vehicle reclamation page, for example, covers getting a towed car back but does not describe auctions, so call the police department that towed the car.
If you live in Illinois and buy a car from a private seller, the Illinois Department of Revenue says you file Form RUT-50 within 30 days of purchase. A car bought from an out-of-state dealer uses Form RUT-25. Our guide to car auctions in Illinois covers the rest of the state, and car auctions in Missouri covers the Missouri side outside St. Louis.
Are police impound auction cars worth it?
They can be, if you know cars and have a place to fix one. Here is the honest tradeoff:
| Good | Not so good |
|---|---|
| Low starting prices on some cars | Little or no condition report |
| Open to the public, no dealer license | In person, on a weekday morning |
| Fast: 30 days from tow to sale | Sold as is, with no return if it will not start |
| Simple bill of sale paperwork | Extra inspection if you need an original title |
If you are shopping on a tight budget, compare before you commit. Our guides to cheap cars in St. Louis under $3,000 and cars under $1,000 in St. Louis show what each budget really buys. Planning to flip impound cars? Check how many cars you can sell in Missouri without a license first.
A simpler way to buy at auction prices
If a Wednesday morning at the tow lot with no condition report sounds like a gamble, Remarket Space is an online car marketplace open to the public. You need a free account, not a dealer license. Every listing has an inspection by a Remarket Space inspector, a free Carfax, an HD virtual test drive, and the out-the-door total with the delivery quote. Buy Now or bid in a live auction, pay by card within 48 hours, and the car is delivered to the St. Louis metro, typically within 48 hours. Undisclosed engine, transmission, frame, or flood damage reported within 72 hours of delivery is covered by our 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee.
See cars up for auction now, read how bidding works, or check the buyer premium and fees. On a $2,000 winning bid, the buyer’s premium is $459 and the admin fee is $189, for $2,648 before delivery. Budget shoppers can start with cars under $5,000 or used sedans. Those cars are currently in Minnesota and ship to St. Louis with a quote. Title paperwork can take 8 to 12 weeks, so ask how titling works before you bid to stay ahead of Missouri’s 30-day clock.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The City of St. Louis Towing Division sells unclaimed towed vehicles to the highest bidder every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., after holding them for 30 days. Retired state fleet vehicles, including some former police cars, are sold online through Missouri state surplus on GovDeals.
The city holds towed cars for 30 days. If nobody claims a car, it goes to the weekly public auction and sells to the highest bidder. Expect little condition information and no test drive. Call the Towing Division before you go to confirm payment rules.
A city or county sale comes with an Abandoned Property Bill of Sale, Missouri Form 4579, signed by the clerk and stamped with the official seal. You use it with Form 108 to apply for a Missouri title in your name.
Yes. City tow lot auctions and Missouri state surplus auctions on GovDeals are open to the public, with no dealer license needed. Dealer-only wholesale auctions are different and require a license to register.
There is no single public repo auction in St. Louis. Lenders decide how to sell repossessed cars, and some go to dealer-only auctions. Ask the lender directly, and confirm they hold a title they can sign over to you before you pay.
Usually. Missouri requires an emissions test at sale or title transfer for gas vehicles 1996 and newer and diesels 1997 and newer, 8,500 pounds or less, registered in St. Louis City or St. Louis, St. Charles, or Jefferson counties.
They can be cheap, but many were left because repairs or storage cost more than the car was worth. Budget for towing, repairs, tax, and title fees. If you want an inspection report and a return option, an online public marketplace is lower risk.
Sources
- City of St. Louis Towing Division: Retrieval of a towed car
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Abandoned Vehicle Manual
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Buying a vehicle
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Repossession title requirements
- Missouri Office of Administration: Surplus property public auctions
- Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program: Does my vehicle need a test?
- City of East St. Louis: Vehicle reclamations
- Illinois Department of Revenue: Tax requirements for cars
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Auction schedules and fees can change, so confirm with the agency running the sale and the Missouri Department of Revenue before you bid.
