You want a car in Minnesota without dealer markup, and you keep hearing that auctions are cheaper. The catch is that many big auctions only let licensed dealers bid. This guide shows how online car auctions in MN work for regular buyers, what the fees really are, and what to check before you place a bid.
Ready to look now? See the cars up for auction this week or start with Minnesota cars under $5,000.
The short answer: Remarket Space, the new name of Twin Cities Auctions, runs online car auctions in Minnesota that anyone can join. Create a free account, verify your ID, then Buy Now or bid live. No dealer license or membership fee. Every listing shows an inspection, a free Carfax and the out-the-door price, and Minnesota buyers pay 6.875% motor vehicle sales tax plus DMV fees.
Updated October 28, 2026. Checked against Minnesota Statutes sections 168.27 and 297B.02 and the Remarket Space How It Works, Pricing and Fees, and 3-Day Guarantee pages. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Key takeaways
- Same company, new name: Twin Cities Auctions, LLC now does business as Remarket Space, so the Twin Cities auctions you knew are the online car auctions on this site.
- Open to the public: a free account and a verified ID are all you need. No dealer license, no membership fee.
- Fees are published: a buyer’s premium plus an administrative fee. On a $5,000 car that is $838 before tax, DMV fees and delivery.
- Minnesota costs on top: 6.875% motor vehicle sales tax and $119.50 in DMV fees for Minnesota individuals and businesses.
- Pay fast: payment is due within 48 hours by card, and bids are binding.
- Backed after delivery: undisclosed engine, transmission, frame or flood damage can be claimed within 72 hours of delivery.
Is Twin Cities Auctions now Remarket Space?
Yes. The legal company is still Twin Cities Auctions, LLC, and it does business as Remarket Space. If you searched for Twin Cities auctions online or the Twin Cities auto auction, you are in the right place. Read why Twin Cities Auctions became Remarket Space for the full story.
Inventory now comes from the Twin Cities area and the St. Louis area, and every car is delivered, so you can buy from anywhere in Minnesota without driving to a lot.
Can the public buy at online car auctions in MN?
At a public auction, yes. At a dealer-only auction, no. That is the first thing to check, because the big wholesale names are mostly built for licensed dealers. Our comparisons of Manheim vs Remarket Space, OpenLane in Minnesota, whether ADESA Minneapolis is open to the public and IAAI and its Minnesota alternatives show who can bid where.
Remarket Space is open to anyone with a free account. If you want the wider list of options, start with our guide to public car auctions in Minnesota or the statewide Minnesota car auctions guide.
How do online car auctions in Minnesota work?
Here is the process on Remarket Space, taken from the How It Works page:
- 1. Create a free account. It takes about a minute. You verify your ID. No dealer license and no membership fee.
- 2. Check the car. Every listing has a full inspection by a Verified Remarket Space Inspector, a free Carfax and an HD virtual test drive.
- 3. Buy Now or bid. Buy Now makes the car yours at the listed price. In the live auction, bids are binding and move in $50 steps. Offers placed before the live auction act as proxy bids.
- 4. Pay within 48 hours. Pay the full amount by credit or debit card. Licensed dealers can pay by ACH. Miss the deadline and the account is suspended and the car is relisted.
- 5. Get it delivered. Every car is delivered, and the delivery quote is on the listing.
- 6. Get your title. State processing usually takes 8 to 12 weeks, and title issues are guaranteed for life.
New to bidding? Our tips for first-time auction buyers cover how to set a maximum bid and stick to it.
What fees do you pay at a Minnesota online car auction?
Two fees go on top of the winning bid: a buyer’s premium and an administrative fee. Both are published on the Remarket Space pricing and fees page, and every listing already shows the out-the-door total.
| Winning bid | Buyer’s premium | Administrative fee | Total before tax, DMV and delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 | $499 | $189 | $3,688 |
| $5,000 | $629 | $209 | $5,838 |
| $8,000 | $729 | $209 | $8,938 |
| $12,000 | $799 | $209 | $13,008 |
Want to know how premiums compare across auctions? Read what a car auction buyer premium is.
What Minnesota taxes and DMV fees apply?
Minnesota charges a motor vehicle sales tax of 6.875% on the purchase price under Minnesota Statutes section 297B.02. If you register the car in Minnesota as an individual or business, Remarket Space also collects these DMV fees at checkout:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration tax | $35.00 |
| Plate fee | $15.50 |
| Wheelage | $20.00 |
| Title technology surcharge | $2.25 |
| Public safety vehicle fee | $3.50 |
| Transfer tax | $10.00 |
| Title fee | $8.25 |
| VS surcharge | $1.00 |
| State or deputy filing fee | $24.00 |
| Total | $119.50 |
For the paperwork side, see buying a car at auction and transferring the title.
What kinds of cars sell at online car auctions in MN?
Mostly everyday used cars, trucks and SUVs, plus some boats and powersports. Browse by type: used SUVs in Minnesota, used trucks in Minnesota or cars under $10,000.
- Clean title cars: the easiest to register, insure and finance. The best pick for a daily driver.
- Rebuilt or salvage title cars: cheaper up front, but harder to insure and resell. Read our guide to salvage titles in Minnesota before you bid on one.
- No Reserve cars: they sell to the high bidder no matter the price, and they run every day.
To see what cars really sell for, check the sold vehicles page with real final prices.
What protection do you get after you buy?
Every vehicle is sold as-is, but the 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee covers four big problems when the listing did not disclose them:
- Covered defects: lower-end engine damage, automatic transmission failure, frame or structural damage, and flood damage.
- Deadline: file a claim within 72 hours of delivery, and do not repair the car or drive it more than 100 miles.
- Winning bid under $2,000: you keep the car and get 25% of your winning bid back, up to $500.
- Winning bid of $2,000 or more: you return the car and get back your winning bid, buyer’s premium and DMV fees. Return transport is at your cost.
- Title: title issues are guaranteed for life.
Can you flip auction cars in Minnesota without a dealer license?
A few. Minnesota Statutes section 168.27 treats “the sale, purchase, or lease of not more than five motor vehicles in a 12-month period” as occasional sales that do not need a dealer license. Classic and pioneer vehicles are handled separately. Our breakdown of how many cars you can sell in Minnesota in a year covers what counts.
Selling your current car instead? See how to sell your car in Minnesota.
How does Remarket Space compare with K-BID and other MN auctions?
| What you care about | Remarket Space |
|---|---|
| Who can bid | Anyone with a free account and a verified ID |
| Dealer license | Not needed |
| Condition info | Inspection, free Carfax and HD virtual test drive on every listing |
| Price shown | Out-the-door total on every listing |
| Pickup | Every car is delivered, quote on the listing |
| After the sale | 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee and lifetime title guarantee |
For a side-by-side with a general Minnesota auction site, read K-BID vs Remarket Space auctions.
Why Minnesota buyers bid on Remarket Space
If you want a car you can drive, not a rebuild project, Remarket Space is built for you. It is open to the public, with no dealer license and no membership fee. Every listing comes with an inspection report, a free Carfax, real photos and an HD virtual test drive, and the out-the-door price is on the page before you bid. Buy Now when you are sure, or bid live and try for a better price. The car is delivered to you, undisclosed major problems are covered for 72 hours after delivery, and your title is guaranteed for life. You get a Twin Cities-area marketplace with inventory from the St. Louis area too.
See cars up for auction now, read how bidding works, or check the full fee table.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Twin Cities Auctions, LLC now does business as Remarket Space. The company and its Minnesota online car auctions are the same. Only the name and the website changed.
Yes, at public auctions like Remarket Space. You need a free account and a verified ID, not a dealer license. Many big wholesale auctions are limited to licensed dealers, so check who can bid before you register anywhere.
You pay a buyer’s premium and an administrative fee, both published on the pricing page. On a 5,000 dollar car they total 838 dollars. Minnesota individuals also pay 6.875 percent motor vehicle sales tax and about 119.50 dollars in DMV fees.
Pay the full amount by credit or debit card within 48 hours of winning. Licensed dealers can pay by ACH. If you miss the deadline, the account is suspended and the car is relisted, so only bid what you can pay.
No. Every Remarket Space car is delivered, and the delivery quote is shown on the listing before you bid. That means you buy from the inspection report, the free Carfax and the photos rather than a walk around the yard.
File a claim within 72 hours of delivery. The 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee covers undisclosed engine, automatic transmission, frame and flood damage. Under 2,000 dollars you keep the car and get 25 percent back, up to 500 dollars. At 2,000 or more you can return it for a refund.
Minnesota Statutes section 168.27 treats buying, selling or leasing no more than five vehicles in a 12-month period as occasional sales that do not need a dealer license. Classic and pioneer vehicles are handled separately.
Sources
- Minnesota Statutes 297B.02: Motor vehicle sales tax rate
- Minnesota Statutes 168.27: Dealer licenses and occasional sales
- Remarket Space: How It Works
- Remarket Space: Pricing and Fees
- Remarket Space: 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee
General information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the listing and the official sources before you bid.
