Buyer guide
Copart and IAAI lot page terms: what each one means
Run and Drive, Stationary, Primary Damage, Title Pending, Pure Sale and other lot page labels: what each one means and what it does not promise.
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A Copart or IAAI lot page is full of short English labels. Below are the most common ones, grouped as they appear on the page, with what each means according to the auctions' own help pages. Where Copart and IAAI use different words for a similar thing, we say which uses which.
Condition on arrival: Run and Drive, Starts, Stationary
These labels record what the auction saw when the car was checked in at its yard. Copart shows them as icons; IAAI calls them start codes.
Run and Drive
Both auctions: on arrival the engine started, the car went into gear and moved under its own power. IAAI also checks reverse and the steering.
Engine Start Program (Copart), Starts (IAAI)
On arrival the engine started and ran at idle. Nobody confirmed that the car drives.
Stationary (IAAI)
On arrival the car would not start, had engine damage, or was not tested.
Enhanced Vehicles (Copart)
The seller allowed Copart to wash the car or cover the seats, for example. Copart does not promise the work was done, and the label says nothing about how the car runs.
Keys
Whether the auction has the keys. Without keys, Copart cannot confirm whether the car drives.
Neither auction guarantees that the car will start or drive when it is collected, or that it is roadworthy.
Damage: Primary Damage and Secondary Damage
Copart lists damage as two codes, Primary Damage and Secondary Damage, and says neither matters more than the other. Common values:
Front End, Rear End, Side, All Over
Collision damage, named by where it is: the front, the rear, one side, or all over the car.
Minor Dent/Scratches
Light damage such as scratched paint or a few small dents.
Normal Wear
Only very minor damage.
Water/Flood
Part of the car was under water, anywhere from wet floors to fully submerged.
Burn
Damaged by fire. Copart also uses Burn - Engine and Burn - Interior.
Stripped
Parts have been removed, for example wheels, doors or mirrors.
Copart says the codes cover only known or reported damage and may not reflect its type or extent. Look at every photo and arrange an inspection where you can.
Title and sale documents
The title type is the ownership document that passes to the buyer. It shows the current document only, not the car's earlier history.
Clean (Copart), Clear (IAAI)
The title carries no salvage brand. It does not prove the car was never damaged.
Salvage
Usually issued after an insurer declared the car a total loss. It generally cannot be registered or insured until repaired and approved by the state.
Rebuilt
A former salvage car, repaired and given a new title through the state's process.
Title Pending
Copart has not received the title yet but is in the process of getting it.
Each US state issues its own documents with their own restrictions. Check what a document allows before you bid.
Odometer status
Next to the mileage, Copart shows how far the reading can be trusted:
Actual
The reading is believed to be the true mileage.
Not Actual
The reading is wrong, or the true mileage cannot be known.
Exceeds Mechanical Limits
The mileage is higher than the odometer can show; for example, it passed its maximum and restarted from zero.
Exempt
Under US federal law, no odometer status has to be shown for this car.
Even Actual is the auction's belief, not a check. Compare it with the mileage records in a history report.
Sale types and statuses
Pure Sale
No minimum bid or reserve price: the highest bidder wins.
On Approval
The seller can accept or reject the highest bid until the next business day. If the seller accepts, the high bidder must buy.
Minimum Bid
The seller has set a reserve price. If bidding stays below it, the seller can still accept the highest bid until the next business day.
Buy It Now (Copart), Buy Now (IAAI)
Buy the car straight away at the seller's set price, without waiting for the auction. At IAAI a confirmed purchase cannot be cancelled.
Pre-Bid
A bid placed before the live auction. It wins if nobody bids more during the auction.
IAA Timed Auctions
IAAI's online auction with a fixed end time. The system bids for you up to your maximum, and if the reserve is met when the countdown ends, the highest bidder wins.
A winning or accepted bid obliges you to buy. Read the auction's rules and your broker's fees first.
What the lot page does not tell you
The lot number is only the auction's reference for the listing. The car's permanent identifier is its 17-character VIN.
- Copy all 17 characters of the VIN from the lot page.
- Run a free VIN check. It verifies the VIN format and check digit and decodes the manufacturer's data from the US NHTSA vPIC database: make, model, year, body, engine and plant. Compare them with the listing.
- Check title brands, mileage records and earlier sales in a history report. The free check is not a history report.
- Where possible, arrange an independent inspection.
CarTraceAI cannot look a car up by lot number. Our paid report, the original ClearVin PDF based on US sources including NMVTIS, is coming soon; it is not available yet.
Before you check
Frequently asked questions
Does "Run and Drive" mean the car is roadworthy?
No. It only records that the car started and moved under its own power when it arrived at the yard. Copart and IAAI do not guarantee it will do so when you collect it.
What is a pure sale?
A lot with no minimum bid or reserve price: the highest bidder wins. On Approval and Minimum Bid lots need the seller to accept the bid.
What does "Title Pending" mean?
Copart does not have the title yet but is in the process of getting it. Ask when it is expected and what type it will be.
Can CarTraceAI check a car by lot number?
No. The free check decodes the 17-character VIN, so copy the VIN from the lot page.
Is CarTraceAI affiliated with Copart, IAAI or Carfax?
No. CarTraceAI is not affiliated with Copart, IAAI or Carfax. We explain these terms from the auctions' public help pages; their own rules take precedence.