✅ Get Started · 2 min read · 4/17

Membership and Plans

Importer vs. Dealer, annual membership, and refundable deposit.

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Membership and Plans (Verified Access)

To bid and buy at Copart/IAAI you need to activate a plan. There are two plans — Importer and Dealer — and both require the US$5 annual membership plus a refundable security deposit.

Plan comparison

ItemImporterDealer
Annual membershipUS$5US$5
Security deposit (refundable)US$400US$800
Bid limit per vehicleup to US$10,000up to US$20,000
Assigned auction accountYesYes
Nota

The deposit is not a payment toward a vehicle or a penalty. It's a refundable operational backstop that covers the risk of operating with accounts and processes tied to auctions, payments, and vehicles won.

What is the US$5 membership?

It's the annual fee that keeps your account active for the Importer or Dealer flows. It should not be confused with old registration fees, which no longer exist.

Activating Verified Access (step by step)

Activation is done from your dashboard, in the Verified Access section:

  1. Choose your plan: Importer (US$400, US$10,000 cap) or Dealer (US$800, US$20,000 cap).
  2. Upload your documents: proof of identity and proof of address (legible images, usually JPG/PNG).
  3. Confirm your phone number and country.
  4. Pay the membership and deposit via PayPal.
  5. Your application goes under review. Once the team approves it, the status changes to active and your Verified Access badge appears.

Possible statuses

  • Pending review: documents received, being validated.
  • Action required: something is missing (for example, an illegible or expired document). You'll see the reason and be able to resubmit your documents.
  • Active: your auction account is enabled.

Upgrading from Importer to Dealer

If you already have Importer and want a higher limit, you can upgrade to Dealer by paying the difference in the deposit (an additional US$400) from the Verified Access section.

Deposit refund

The deposit (US$400 or US$800) can be refunded when you close your account, as long as there are no outstanding debts: unpaid vehicles, fines, penalties, auction charges, pending services, or open cases.

  • The refund goes to the same payment method you used.
  • It usually takes 4 to 10 days to process.
  • To request it, email [email protected].
Importante

Activating a plan does not guarantee that any given vehicle can be imported into your country. Before bidding, confirm the title, year, condition, and documentation with your customs broker. See Glossary: title types.