Where to find boat auctions in the US

Boats come up for auction for different reasons, and the reason shapes what you get: the condition, the paperwork, the fees and how long you have to collect. These are the main kinds of boat auction in the US.

Federal, state and local agencies sell boats they no longer need, and police departments sell seized and impounded boats. Federal surplus is sold on GSA Auctions; many states, counties and cities use platforms such as GovDeals and Municibid. USA.gov keeps a list of government auction sites.

• Good for: work and patrol boats, often with service records.
• Check: each seller sets its own fees and pickup deadline, which can be short. Boats are sold as-is.

Companies such as Copart and IAA auction boats that insurers have written off after storms, accidents or theft recovery.

• Good for: newer boats at low prices, if you can repair them.
• Check: damage (flood and hurricane damage is common), salvage titles, buyer fees, and whether a lot can be bought by the public: some need a dealer license or a registered broker.

Marinas and storage yards sell boats whose owners stopped paying, once the state's lien process is complete. These sales are local and usually advertised by the marina or in local papers.

• Check: the paperwork the lien process gives you, and what your state needs to title the boat.

eBay's boat category mixes auctions and fixed-price listings from private sellers and dealers across the country.

• Check: the seller's feedback, who pays for what, and how the boat gets to you.

Equipment auction sites such as AuctionTime list boats alongside farm and construction machinery, and local auction houses sell boats at estate and consignment sales.

People give away boats they no longer use, and some organizations sell them at auction. At One Dollar Boats, every donated boat starts at $1 with no reserve. Buyers pay the winning bid plus a flat $499 document processing & boat transfer fee with no buyer's premium, pay by invoice within 48 hours, and collect the boat.

• Good for: runabouts, pontoons, fishing boats, sailboats and project boats, often with a trailer.
• Check: each listing says whether the engine runs and what title comes with the boat. Boats are sold as-is.

• Total cost: the winning bid plus every fee (buyer's premium, document fees, taxes) and transport.
• Paperwork: clean title, salvage title, bill of sale or none, and what your state will need. See boat titles and registration.
• Pickup: where the boat is, and how many days you have to collect it. See getting a boat home.
• Condition: what's known, what's unknown, and whether you can ask questions. See checking a boat before you bid.
• Payment: accepted methods and the deadline.