Iowa police auctions always have something new popping up. One time, I saw a classic BMW M5 show up out of nowhere, and honestly, it got me hyped ever since. They’ve got everything: seized vehicles, city fleet cars, tow impounds, and even abandoned rides.
If you’re bidding as the public, there are plenty of options for seized cars and surplus state vehicles. A lot of these auctions are online now, so you can handle it all without leaving your house.
Remember: You only need a valid ID in order to bid in the public auctions. However, you really need to know what you are doing and read all the auction rules and fees BEFORE placing your bid.
Auction Info, Dates, and Locations: Police Car Auctions and Tow Impound Auctions in Iowa
Copart: Police – Property & Impounds – City of Des Moines
3300 Vandalia Road
Des Moines, Iowa 50317
515-412-3298
Sale of City Surplus – City of Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52227
Iowa Dept of Administrative Services (Vehicle auctions via IAAI)
3277 Ute Avenue
Waukee, IA 50263
877-937-4243
Click here to view all IAAI vehicle auctions online in Iowa
Auctions/Surplus Property | Urbandale, IA Urbandale, IA 50322 – You can view their online surplus auction items on GovDeals here. I do not see a lot of vehicles but they do appear on occasion.
Central Iowa Towing and Recovery (Public abandoned vehicle auctions)
2019 E Lincoln Way
Ames, Iowa 50010
515-290-4188
Sale of City Surplus Items | Dubuque, IA (Online auction, public sales and sealed bid auctions) Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Auctions – Big 10 University Towing Abandoned Vehicle Auctions / Tow Impounds
My Advice: You will need a valid Iowa driver’s license to register and bid. I also recommend signing up for their newsletter to be alerted of upcoming auction dates.
3309 Highway 1 SW
Iowa City, IA 52240
319-354-5936
Scott County Courthouse – Sheriff’s Office Abandoned Vehicle Auction (Public auctions the third Thursday of every month) 7627 Northwest Blvd, Davenport Iowa 52801 – My Tip: They went full Darth Vader and started crushing cars that were not claimed. Very shady, in my opinion.
Iowa Dept. of Transportation (DOT) Auction
Look again later if no surplus vehicle auction dates are currently scheduled.
515-239-1576
[email protected]
The police car auctions and surplus gov auctions are always open to the public.
However, all wholesale used car auctions in Iowa are for licensed dealers only. These auctions feature much larger inventories than police auctions and will sometimes also have tow impounds and other surplus vehicles for sale.
SEE ALSO: Police car auctions and other used car auctions in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska.
The following list are more typical dealer only wholesale car auctions in Iowa:
Dealers Choice Auto Auction (Dealers-Only) 503 Wapello South Hwy. 61 Mediapolis, IA 52637
Des Moines Auto Auction (Dealers-Only) 1530 East McKinley Ave Des Moines, IA 50320
Plaza Auto Auction (Dealers-Only) 320 Highway 30 West – Mount Vernon, IA 52314
Find police car auctions near you in all 50 states:
I offer my decades of experience by sharing my tips and advice on these police auction listings. You may also find tow impound auctions, donated charity car auctions, and wholesale auto auctions.
My favorite part? Most of these are open to the public with no special requirements in order to bid in the auctions. How cool is that?
- My Tips & Advice on Impound Car AuctionsOpen to the Public - August 20, 2023
- Resources & My Advice on Online Police Auction Sites - March 5, 2023
- Police Motorcycle Auctions: My Tips & Tricks - January 19, 2023
Last updated on January 1st, 2025 at 02:59 pm