You just won a car at auction. Now you have a short window to pay, a delivery to schedule, and paperwork that runs for weeks after the car arrives. Here is exactly what happens next on Remarket Space, in order, with the deadlines that matter.
The short answer: After you win a car auction on Remarket Space, pay in full online by credit or debit card within 48 hours, then accept your delivery quote in your account. Keys come with the car, temporary tags arrive by email, and plates come with the car or by mail within 2 weeks. Minnesota titles arrive in 1 to 3 months.
Updated November 8, 2026. Checked against the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services buyer guide and the Remarket Space Help Center. Sources are at the bottom.
Still deciding? You can read the steps first, then see the cars in auction right now or browse used cars for sale in Minnesota, so you know what you are signing up for before you bid.
Key takeaways
- Your bid is binding. Winning means you have agreed to buy the car at that price plus fees.
- Pay within 48 hours. Card only, in full. Late fees start on business day 3 and the car gets relisted.
- Every car is delivered. You accept a delivery quote in your account and transport is handled for you.
- Check the car the day it arrives. The 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee gives you 72 hours from delivery to file a claim.
- The title comes later. Minnesota buyers wait 1 to 3 months. Out-of-state buyers and dealers get it within 31 days.
What happens after I win a bid at an auction?
The moment the auction closes with your bid on top, the sale is yours and so is the obligation to pay. On Remarket Space your invoice shows the same out-the-door total the listing showed, so there is no second negotiation. From there it is five steps:
- 1. Pay in full by card within 48 hours.
- 2. Check the total so you know what you paid on top of the bid.
- 3. Accept your delivery quote in your account.
- 4. Take delivery and inspect the car right away.
- 5. Wait for your title and finish registration.
If this is your first time, our walkthrough on how to buy a vehicle on Remarket Space covers the steps before the win, from sign-up to placing a bid.
Step 1: How do I pay for a car I won at auction?
Pay online in your Remarket Space account with a credit or debit card. Cash, personal checks, Venmo and CashApp are not accepted. Licensed dealers can also pay by ACH.
The most common reason a payment fails is a card limit, not a lack of funds. Call your bank before the auction ends and ask about your single-transaction limit and your daily limit. Ask them to raise it if the car plus fees is over either one.
How long do I have to pay after winning?
Treat 48 hours as your deadline. The late fee policy gives a grace period of 2 business days, but the 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee only applies to cars paid in full within 48 hours of winning. Paying late can cost you that protection.
Here is what the late payment fee policy charges if you miss the grace period:
| Business day after the auction | Late fee that day | Running total | What else happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1 and 2 | $0 | $0 | Grace period |
| Day 3 | $25 | $25 | The car is automatically relisted |
| Day 4 | $25 | $50 | Fees continue |
| Day 5 | $35 | $85 | Fees continue |
| Day 6 | $35 | $115 | Last day before you lose the car |
| After day 6 | Relist fee | Varies | The car is no longer available to you |
Once the car is relisted on day 3, another buyer can win it. If that happens before you pay, you owe a relist fee to get your account active again.
Step 2: What do you pay on top of the winning bid?
Your winning bid is not your total. Plan for these lines on the invoice:
- Buyer’s premium: a fee tiered by sale price. Our guide explains what the buyer’s premium is and why every auction charges one.
- Administrative fee: also tiered by price. It covers title work and transaction processing.
- Sales tax: buyers without a dealer license pay Minnesota sales tax. Minnesota DVS lists the motor vehicle sales tax at 6.875% of the purchase price.
- Minnesota title and registration fees: only if you register the car in Minnesota. Dealers and out-of-state buyers do not pay them here.
- Delivery: quoted separately on each listing.
The exact tiers and a worked example are on the buyer’s premium and fees page. Every listing shows an out-the-door total before you bid, so check that number, not the bid, against your budget.
Step 3: Accept your delivery quote
Every vehicle on Remarket Space is delivered. After you win, you get a delivery quote in your account. Accept it and transport is handled for you. Delivery typically takes about 48 hours in the Twin Cities and St. Louis areas and longer farther away.
Power Buyers, meaning licensed dealers and buyers with 3 or more completed purchases, get priority same-day delivery at standard rates. If you are shipping a car a long way or comparing carriers, read how to transport a car after you win.
Step 4: What happens on delivery day?
- Keys: they come with the car.
- Temporary tags: emailed to you, so print them and display them as soon as the car arrives.
- License plates: either in the car or mailed to you within 2 weeks.
- Insurance: have a policy in place before the car arrives. Minnesota needs an insurance policy number to transfer the title.
Then look the car over the same day. The 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee covers undisclosed engine failure, automatic transmission failure, frame or structural damage, and flood damage, but only if you file within 72 hours of delivery, weekends included. Do not repair the car or drive it more than 100 miles before you file. Our free inspection checklist works just as well on delivery day as it does before you bid.
Step 5: When do I get the title after a car auction in Minnesota?
| Buyer | Typical title timing |
|---|---|
| Minnesota buyers | 1 to 3 months |
| Out-of-state buyers and dealers | Within 31 days |
Remarket Space handles the title work, which is part of what the administrative fee pays for. The Minnesota wait is longer because the state processes the transfer and mails the new title. Your temporary tags and plates let you drive legally while you wait. For the full process, read how the title transfer works, and for the state fees, see what a Minnesota title transfer costs.
Ready for the next one? See Minnesota cars under $5,000 in auction now.
Can you back out after winning a car auction?
No. Bids on Remarket Space are binding. If you do not pay, late fees build, the car is relisted, and you can lose it to another buyer. Your account is suspended, and getting it back means paying the full buyer’s premium and administrative fee on that car even though you never got it.
The way to avoid that is to do your homework before you bid. Set a maximum out-the-door price, read the inspection report and Carfax, and let the system bid for you up to your limit. Our guides on proxy bidding and tips for first-time auction buyers show how.
Why buy your next car on Remarket Space?
Remarket Space is open to the public, with no dealer license and no membership fee. You bid online, and every listing has real photos, an inspection report, a free Carfax and an out-the-door total, so the number you see before you bid is the number on your invoice. Every car is delivered, in the Twin Cities area and the St. Louis area, and the 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee backs you after it arrives. See how it works, compare more options in our buyer’s guide to online car auctions, then browse cars in auction now.
Frequently asked questions
On Remarket Space you pay in full online with a credit or debit card within 48 hours of winning. You do not pick the car up. Every vehicle is delivered, and you accept a delivery quote in your account to schedule it.
Pay within 48 hours. Late fees start on the third business day, at 25 dollars a day for days 3 and 4 and 35 dollars for days 5 and 6, and the car is relisted on day 3. Paying late can also void the 3-Day Guarantee.
You do not collect it yourself on Remarket Space. Once you accept the delivery quote, the car is brought to you. Delivery typically takes about 48 hours in the Twin Cities and St. Louis areas and longer for buyers farther away.
Minnesota buyers usually receive the title in 1 to 3 months, because the state processes the transfer and mails it. Out-of-state buyers and dealers get it within 31 days. Temporary tags and plates let you drive while you wait.
Yes. Buyers without a dealer license pay Minnesota sales tax on the purchase, and Minnesota DVS lists the motor vehicle sales tax at 6.875 percent of the purchase price. Title and registration fees apply if you register the car in Minnesota.
No. Bids are binding. If you do not pay, late fees build, the car is relisted and can go to another buyer, and your account is suspended until you pay the buyer’s premium and administrative fee on that car.
Sources
- Minnesota DVS: Buying or Selling a Motor Vehicle, Just the Facts
- Remarket Space Help Center: I just won a car at auction, now what?
- Remarket Space Help Center: Late payment fees
- Remarket Space: Buyer premium and fees
- Remarket Space: How it works
- Remarket Space: 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee
General information, not legal or tax advice. Policies and state fees change, so check your invoice and the current Help Center before you pay.
