You searched ADESA or Manheim St. Louis because that is where the wholesale cars are, and you want to know if you can get in without a dealer license. Short version: not as a regular buyer. Here is what each auction actually requires, what a Missouri dealer license takes, and where the public can bid on cars around St. Louis instead.
The short answer: No. Manheim St. Louis in Bridgeton says it is a dealer only auction and is not open to the public. ADESA St. Louis in Barnhart requires you to register as a dealer with an AuctionACCESS number. Neither is on its company’s list of public sales. Without a dealer license, use a public online auction instead.
Updated October 23, 2026. Checked against Manheim and ADESA location and registration pages, the Missouri Revisor of Statutes, the Missouri Department of Revenue, and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Key takeaways
- Manheim St. Louis: dealer only, in its own words. Registration runs through AuctionACCESS with a picture ID.
- ADESA St. Louis: you register as a dealer and give your AuctionACCESS number. ADESA says most of its auctions are for licensed, registered dealers only.
- Public sales: Manheim and ADESA both run some public auctions, but neither company lists St. Louis as one of them.
- Dealer license: in Missouri it takes a $50,000 bond, a permanent enclosed business building, a display lot, a sign, an inspection, and a state-approved seminar. It is a business, not a shortcut.
- Public option: Remarket Space is an online auction open to the public. You need a free account and a photo ID, not a dealer license.
ADESA vs Manheim St. Louis vs a public online auction
Here is how the two big dealer auctions in the St. Louis area compare with an auction anyone can use.
| Manheim St. Louis | ADESA St. Louis | Remarket Space | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Bridgeton, Missouri | Barnhart, Missouri | Online, delivered to you |
| Who can buy | Dealers only | Registered dealers | Anyone with a government photo ID |
| What you need | AuctionACCESS enrollment and picture ID | AuctionACCESS number, plus state dealer documents at some locations | Free account and government photo ID |
| Main sale days | Tuesdays, plus a mobile sale every other Wednesday | Wednesdays | Live online bidding, plus Buy Now |
| How you see cars | In person or on Manheim’s dealer tools | In person (Tuesday previews) or on ADESA’s dealer site | Inspection report, free Carfax, HD video |
| Fees | Set by Manheim for dealers | Set by ADESA for dealers | Buyer premium and admin fee posted publicly |
Is Manheim St. Louis open to the public?
No. The Manheim St. Louis location page says it plainly in its local policies: “Manheim St Louis is a dealer only auto auction and is not open to the public.” Check-in is required inside the main entrance, so you cannot just walk the lanes.
To buy, a dealer registers through Manheim’s location registration, which says new individual and dealership enrollments go through AuctionACCESS and a picture ID is required. AuctionACCESS describes its membership as a dealer’s gateway into the wholesale auction industry.
Manheim St. Louis sale days and gate hours
| What | When (Central) |
|---|---|
| Open Consignment and Fleet Lease sales | Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. |
| Total Resource Auction | Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m. |
| St. Louis Mobile Sale | Every other Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. |
| Gate hours | Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Storage | Sale day is day 1. Fees start on day 60 at $70 per vehicle per week. |
| Main line | 314-739-1300 |
Does Manheim have any public auctions?
Yes, at some locations, but not St. Louis. Manheim’s public auction sales page lists the sites that run them, including Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Nashville. No Missouri or Illinois location is on the list. At those public sales, Manheim says you must be a licensed driver at least 18 years old, show proof of insurance, register on sale day, and pay a deposit by cashier’s check or money order. Sales are as is, where is, and there are no test drives.
Is ADESA St. Louis open to the public?
Not for regular buyers. ADESA’s Get Started page says that to take part in ADESA vehicle auctions, you need to register as a dealer. Online registration asks for your AuctionACCESS number. To attend in person, some locations also ask for your state dealer license, a sales tax certificate, and a dealer bond. ADESA says online buying is usually approved within five business days of applying.
ADESA’s public auctions page says most ADESA auctions are for licensed, registered car and specialty dealers only, and that select locations host public sales. The ADESA St. Louis page lists services for registered dealers, brokers, manufacturers, rental agencies, and fleets. It does not list a public sale.
ADESA St. Louis sale days and gate hours
| What | When (Central) |
|---|---|
| IN-OP sale | Wednesdays, 9 a.m. |
| Fleet/Lease and Dealer Consignment sales | Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. |
| Boat and RV Specialty sale | Second Wednesday of the month, 9 a.m. |
| Buyer previews and test drives | Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Vehicle pickup and drop-off | Monday to Friday from 8 a.m., closed weekends. Pickup may be restricted on sale day. |
| Gate passes and titles | 636-475-9311 |
If you are comparing the two companies in general, our breakdowns of Manheim auto auction vs Remarket Space and whether Manheim and ADESA auctions are a scam cover how dealer auctions work and what buyers complain about.
What does it take to get a dealer license in Missouri?
More than most people expect. Missouri law, RSMo 301.560, requires a used car dealer to have:
- A real place of business: a permanent enclosed building you own or lease and actually occupy, with your books and records kept there.
- A sign and a lot: an outside sign with letters at least six inches tall, and a display area for several vehicles that is not a public street.
- A $50,000 bond: a surety bond or letter of credit, plus a dealer garage insurance policy.
- An inspection: the business location is certified, normally by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
- Training: proof you finished a state-approved dealer seminar in the last 12 months.
- Fees: $50 for the first dealer plate or certificate and $10.50 for each extra one, plus the license fee.
Our step by step guide on how to get a used car dealer license in Missouri covers the full application. If you only want one car for yourself, that is a lot of overhead. And if you are thinking about buying a few cars to resell, read how many cars you can sell in Missouri without a dealer license first. On the Illinois side of the river, see how to get a used car dealer license in Illinois.
Can I use someone else’s dealer license or a broker?
Some companies advertise dealer auction access for a fee. They bid under their license and add their charge on top of the auction’s own fees. Before you go that route, get every fee in writing, ask whose name goes on the title, and ask how you get the car home. You still cannot attend the lanes yourself at a dealer only auction, so you are usually buying from photos and a condition report anyway.
Where can the public buy auction cars in St. Louis?
You have a few real options without a license:
- Online public auctions: sites like Remarket Space that let anyone with an ID bid and deliver the car. Details are below.
- Salvage and insurance auctions: some lots are open to the public and some need a broker. Our guide to Copart and IAA in St. Louis explains which.
- Police and tow lot auctions: towed and unclaimed cars. See police impound car auctions in St. Louis.
For every option in one place, start with our hub on car auctions in St. Louis. If you are on a tight budget, used cars in St. Louis under $5,000 and $10,000 shows what each price range really buys.
What do you owe after you buy?
Wherever you buy, the state you live in collects the tax and issues the title.
- Missouri residents: the Missouri Department of Revenue gives you 30 days from purchase to title the car and pay sales tax. Day 31 brings a $25 penalty, rising $25 every 30 days up to $200. Our Missouri title transfer guide and Missouri car sales tax in St. Louis cover forms and local rates.
- Illinois Metro East residents: the Illinois Department of Revenue uses Form RUT-25 for a car bought from a dealer outside Illinois and Form RUT-50 for a private party sale. Both are due within 30 days, and the Secretary of State will not process your title without the tax form.
Buy at auction in St. Louis without a dealer license
If you want auction pricing without a license, a broker, or a trip to the lanes, Remarket Space is an online car auction open to the public. Create a free account, upload a photo ID, and bid. Every listing has an inspection by a Verified Remarket Space Inspector, a free Carfax, and an HD virtual test drive. Pay by card within 48 hours of winning, and the car is delivered, typically within 48 hours. Undisclosed engine, transmission, frame, or flood damage reported within 72 hours 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 $5,000 winning bid, the buyer premium is $629 and the admin fee is $209, for $5,838 before tax and delivery. Cars listed near St. Louis right now include this 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and this 2003 Ford F-350 SuperCab. You can also browse cars under $5,000 in Minnesota, which ship to St. Louis with a quote. Title paperwork can take 8 to 12 weeks, so ask how titling works before you bid.
Frequently asked questions
Not as a regular buyer. ADESA says you must register as a dealer to take part in its auctions, and online registration needs an AuctionACCESS number. ADESA runs public sales at select locations, but St. Louis does not list one.
No. Manheim St. Louis in Bridgeton says it is a dealer only auto auction and is not open to the public. Dealers register through AuctionACCESS with a picture ID and check in at the main entrance.
ADESA St. Louis holds its main sales on Wednesdays at 9 and 9:30 a.m. Central, with buyer previews on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Vehicle pickup runs Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. and may be restricted on sale day.
Manheim St. Louis lists gate hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Its main sales run Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Central.
AuctionACCESS is built for dealers, and ADESA asks in-person buyers at some locations for a state dealer license, sales tax certificate, and dealer bond. A Missouri dealer license itself requires a business building, a $50,000 bond, and a state-approved seminar.
Try an online public auction like Remarket Space, which only needs a free account and a photo ID. Some salvage auction lots and police impound auctions in the St. Louis area are also open to the public.
Sources
- Manheim: St. Louis location, sale days, gate hours, and policies
- Manheim: Location registration
- Manheim: Public auction sales
- ADESA: St. Louis location
- ADESA: Get Started, buyer registration
- ADESA: Public auctions
- AuctionACCESS: About
- Missouri Revisor of Statutes: RSMo 301.560, dealer license requirements
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Buying a vehicle
- Illinois Department of Revenue: Tax requirements for cars
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. ADESA and Manheim change their schedules and rules, so confirm with each auction before you go.
