Copart and Remarket Space both sell cars online at auction, and both let you bid from your couch. They are built for different buyers. Copart is a huge national salvage and insurance auction where your license, your state, and your ability to tow and repair a car decide what you can buy. Remarket Space is a smaller marketplace built for people who want a car they can drive, delivered, with no license needed. Here is how they compare on who can buy, what it costs, and what happens after you win.
The short answer: Pick Copart if you are a dealer, rebuilder, or mechanic who wants volume, salvage cars, and parts cars, and you can handle brokers, towing, and repairs. Pick Remarket Space if you want a running car with an inspection report, a free Carfax, and delivery included in the quote, and you do not have a dealer license. On a $2,000 winning bid, the fees land in about the same place. The difference is what you get for them.
Updated October 30, 2026. Copart facts are taken from Copart’s own help center and licensing pages, checked the same day. Remarket Space is the publisher of this page, so we have linked every claim about Copart to Copart’s own words. Sources are at the bottom.
Remarket Space vs Copart at a glance
| Copart | Remarket Space | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is built for | Dealers, dismantlers, rebuilders, exporters, and some private buyers | The public, plus dealers and repair shops |
| License needed? | Depends on the state where the car sits and its title. Private buyers need a broker for titled cars in 32 of 50 states. | No. A free account and a government ID. |
| Membership | Guest is free but cannot bid. Basic $99. Premier $249. | None |
| Inventory | Very large and national, with many insurance, damaged, and salvage-titled cars | Smaller, sold from Minnesota and St. Louis, each with a published condition report |
| Condition info | Photos and lot details | Inspection by a Verified Remarket Space Inspector, free Carfax, HD virtual test drive |
| Getting the car home | You cannot drive it off the lot. Tow, transporter, or Copart Delivery. Storage after three days. | Delivered. The delivery quote is on the listing. |
| After-sale protection | Sold as is | 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee and a title guarantee |
Who can buy at Copart, and who can buy at Remarket Space?
At Copart, it depends on where the car is parked. Copart’s State Licensing Overview sorts every state by vehicle location and buyer type, and says its site decides bid eligibility in real time from the licenses and documents you have on file. For a private individual with no license, the table shows:
- Titled cars: open to private individuals in 18 of the 50 states. The other 32 say Broker.
- Salvage cars: open to private individuals in 22 states. The rest need a broker.
- It can split: in Missouri, for example, private buyers can bid on titled cars but need a broker for salvage. In Illinois, they need a broker for both. Our guide to Copart and IAA in St. Louis walks through that example.
A broker is a licensed business that bids for you under its license and charges its own fee on top of Copart’s. Get that fee in writing before you bid.
Remarket Space does not sort buyers by license. Its How It Works page says the marketplace is open to everyone, including the public. You create a free account and upload a current government-issued photo ID. Dealers and businesses upload their licenses too, but a license is not required to bid.
What does a $2,000 car cost at each?
Closer than most people expect. Here is a $2,000 winning bid on a clean-titled car, before sales tax and title fees in your state.
| Line item | Copart | Remarket Space |
|---|---|---|
| Winning bid | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Membership | $99 (Basic) | $0 |
| Buyer fee or buyer’s premium | $470 | $459 |
| Virtual bid fee | $89 | None |
| Gate fee | $79 | None |
| Environmental fee | $15 | None |
| Admin fee | None | $189 |
| Subtotal | $2,752 | $2,648 |
| Broker fee | If the car’s state requires one | None |
| Getting it home | Tow, transporter, or Copart Delivery, plus storage after three days | Delivery quote shown on the listing |
Two things move the Copart number. Its fees change with the price, the title type, and how you pay, so run your own bid through the Copart fee calculator. The membership is not charged per car, so it matters less if you buy several. Basic with no deposit also limits you to one car a day, up to $2,000. Our guide to the car auction buyer’s premium explains how these fees are built across sites.
How do you know what you are buying?
This is the biggest practical difference. A large share of Copart’s inventory comes from insurance companies, which means damaged, flood, and salvage-titled cars sit next to clean ones. You get photos and the lot details, and Copart’s pickup page says you cannot drive vehicles off its facilities, so you rarely know how a car runs until it is home. That works well for a mechanic. It is a gamble for someone who needs a daily driver. Our article on whether Copart and IAAI auctions are a scam covers the most common surprises, and certified vs salvage cars explains the title types.
Every Remarket Space listing includes an inspection by a Verified Remarket Space Inspector covering tires, suspension, transmission, engine, brakes, and diagnostic codes, plus a free Carfax and an HD virtual test drive. You cannot test drive or see cars in person, because the lot in Elk River is online only, so read the condition report closely before you bid.
What happens after you win?
| After the sale | Copart | Remarket Space |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup and storage | Free for up to three days, counting sale day. Storage fees after that vary by location. | No pickup. Every car is delivered. |
| Delivery | Copart Delivery says a few business days within 100 miles, or up to three weeks if farther. Or send your own transporter. | Typically within 48 hours in the Twin Cities and St. Louis areas, with timing elsewhere varying by distance |
| Payment | By Copart’s payment rules for your account | Card for the full amount within 48 hours. Licensed dealers can also use ACH. |
| Title | Mailed, or $20 service fee to pick up in person | Typically 8 to 12 weeks, depending on your state |
| If something is wrong | Sold as is | 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee, plus a title guarantee |
The 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee covers undisclosed engine failure (a cracked block, crankshaft, or rod failure), automatic transmission failure, frame or structural damage, and flood damage, reported within 72 hours of delivery. It is not a warranty: disclosed issues, manual transmissions, cars that would not start at auction, and cars driven more than 100 miles after purchase are excluded. Separately, the title guarantee lasts for as long as you own the car: if your title is late, or the car has a title brand or mileage issue we did not disclose, we will make it right.
Which one should you use?
| Copart is the better fit if you | Remarket Space is the better fit if you |
|---|---|
| Have a dealer, dismantler, or rebuilder license, or a broker you trust | Have no license and do not want a broker |
| Want salvage, parts, or project cars | Want a car you can drive soon after it arrives |
| Need volume and a national selection every day | Want a smaller set of inspected cars with a Carfax |
| Can tow, repair, and title a rebuilt car yourself | Want delivery and the total cost on the listing before you bid |
| Are comfortable buying as is | Want a short mechanical guarantee and a title guarantee |
Some buyers use both: Copart for project cars, Remarket Space for the family car. Weighing the other big salvage auction too? See Remarket Space vs IAA. If you are deciding between auctions near you, our state guides list which ones let the public bid, starting with car auctions in Missouri and car auctions in Illinois.
See cars up for auction now, or read how bidding works first. Bids on Remarket Space are binding, so set your number with the out-the-door total in mind.
Frequently asked questions
Both are online car auctions, but they serve different buyers. Copart is a national insurance and salvage auction where your license and the car’s state decide what you can buy. Remarket Space is open to the public with no license, lists every car with an inspection report and free Carfax, and delivers every car.
Sometimes. Copart’s State Licensing Overview shows private individuals can bid on titled cars in 18 of the 50 states and need a broker in the other 32. Salvage cars are open to private buyers in 22 states. You also need a paid membership to bid.
Not usually by much. On a $2,000 clean-title car, Copart’s fees plus a $99 Basic membership come to about $2,752 before broker fees and towing. Remarket Space comes to $2,648 before delivery, with no membership.
No. Copart says you cannot drive vehicles off its facilities for legal and liability reasons. Plan a tow, a transporter, or Copart Delivery, and pick up within three days to avoid storage fees.
Yes. The 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee covers undisclosed engine, automatic transmission, frame, and flood damage reported within 72 hours of delivery, and a separate title guarantee covers late titles and undisclosed title brand or mileage issues for as long as you own the car.
Sources
- Copart: State Licensing Overview
- Copart: Choosing a membership
- Copart: How to get your vehicles
- Remarket Space: Copart fee calculator
- Remarket Space: How it works
- Remarket Space: Buyer premium and fees
- Remarket Space: 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee
Copart is a trademark of Copart, Inc. Remarket Space is not affiliated with Copart. Copart changes its rules and fees, so confirm on copart.com before you bid.
