Vehicle Auctions - DOF

Department of Finance


Auctions

The City of New York auctions vehicles and property under certain circumstances. These auctions are conducted by the New York City Sheriff’s Office and the city marshals.

Vehicle auctions

The City of New York will auction vehicles that have been seized or abandoned.

The vehicle’s owner must pay all tickets that are in judgment, plus penalties and interest, to redeem the vehicle. Vehicles are sold at auction if they are not redeemed within 10 business days of being towed.

Proceeds from the auction, after expenses, are used to pay the judgment debt. All vehicles are sold "as is” and the purchaser must pick them up where they are located.

Upcoming Auction(s):

February 13, 2025 - Queens

February 14, 2025 - Bronx

February 14, 2025 - Brooklyn

February 14, 2025 - Queens

February 19, 2025 - Bronx

February 19, 2025 - Queens

February 20, 2025 - Bronx

February 21, 2025 - Brooklyn

February 21, 2025 - Queens

February 24, 2025 - Staten Island

February 26, 2025 - Queens

February 27, 2025 - Queens

Bidding on a vehicle

Be sure you know the lot number of the vehicle you’d like to bid on.

Vehicles are sold to the highest bidder.

If there is a dispute about the highest bid between two or more bidders, the bidding process will begin again.

The Sheriff’s Office may refuse any bid and cancel the sale at any time.

After you have purchased a vehicle at auction

You must pay with cash in full as soon as the sale is final. We will waive the sales tax if you present a resale certificate.

In many cases, you may need to tow the auctioned vehicles from the yard. Vehicle keys are not available.

You must remove the vehicle from the tow yard by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the auction or you will be charged a storage fee of $20 per day. If you do not take the vehicle within 96 hours of 5:00 p.m. of the auction date, it will be considered abandoned and will be removed.

Once you remove a vehicle from the tow yard, you cannot park it on the street or drive it unless the owner has proper registration and license plates.

You must take the Certificate of Sale to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a title issued in your name. We only issue one certificate of sale per owner – no exceptions. We cannot issue duplicates for second copies or replacements of the original.

The Department of Motor Vehicles may consider the vehicle as salvage. This means the vehicle may have to be examined before a new title or registration is issued.

The tow yard may charge a tow fee to remove a purchased vehicle from the yard.

Property auctions

The Sheriff may sell real or personal property to satisfy an unpaid judgment. This is known as a “private asset auction.”

Auction dates are advertised in New York City newspapers and posted in each county's Sheriff's and county clerk offices. The money from the auction goes to the creditor.

Sale of real property

At an auction, the successful bidder must pay at least 1O percent of the bid price (not less than $2,000). Cash, money orders, and certified checks are accepted for payment. A Memorandum of Sale is issued immediately.

If partial payment is made at the auction, the balance of the bid price must be paid no later than three business days after the auction.

If the successful bidder does not pay the balance within three business days, the sale will be voided and the property re-sold.

A successful bidder who fails to comply with the terms of the sale may be liable for damages to the judgment creditor.

Any taxes or transfer/delivery fees must be paid by the bidder.

The Sheriff reserves the right to approve or deny all bids.

Sale of personal property

Payments must be made in cash.

The Sheriff sells the right, title, and interest only.

The Sheriff reserves the right of approval on all bids.

Upcoming property auctions

New York County Sheriff Auction - September 8, 2021

Vehicle auctions — frequently asked questions

Can I buy back my own vehicle?

Purchasers are prohibited from buying back their own vehicles.

How old do I have to be to buy at an auction?

Bidders and purchasers must be at least 18 years old.

Can I pay with a credit card? Can I make a partial payment?

Bidders must be prepared to pay for any vehicle they purchase as soon as they make the winning (highest) bid. Payments must be made in cash. Anyone not prepared to pay immediately should not bid.

Do the vehicles have warranties?

The Department of Finance and the Sheriff’s Office make no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the year of any vehicle or any vehicle's quality or state of repair.

Are there any safety recalls on the vehicles being auctioned?

The Sheriff makes no representations on the functionality, safety, or recall status of the vehicles auctioned. Potential purchasers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research, such as a VIN search, on any vehicles they wish to bid on.

If there are problems with the vehicle, will the City make reparations?

Purchasers have no legal recourse against the City, including the Department of Finance, the Sheriff’s Office, and the auctioneer.

If the vehicle is a lemon, can I renegotiate the price?

The price of a vehicle will not be changed after sale due to the vehicle's condition.

Are any vehicles sold with liens on them?

Yes, in some cases, vehicles with liens are sold at auction. Purchasers buy the right, title, and interest to a vehicle, subject to any and all recorded liens. A vehicle subject to a lien remains subject to the lien after sale. Any vehicle with a lien may be subject to repossession by the lien holder. The Sheriff is not responsible for notifying bidders about liens on vehicles.

If the vehicle has parking tickets from the previous owner, am I responsible?

Purchasers are not responsible for any outstanding parking tickets that were issued to the former registered owner of the vehicle.

Need help?

Contact the Department of Finance for assistance.

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