In the US every car has a title — a state-issued ownership document. Copart and IAAI show the title type on every lot, and it directly shapes the car's price and what can be done with it. Here are the most common types.
Clean title
No total-loss history. The insurer never declared the car a total loss. These can be off-lease cars, repossessions, dealer trade-ins or cars with light damage. They usually sell for more at auction because they are the easiest to resell within the US.
Salvage title
The most common type at auction. The insurer decided that repairs cost too much relative to the car's value and paid the owner out. Importantly, Salvage does not mean the car is destroyed. Often it is a car with a damaged bumper, headlight or deployed airbags that can be properly repaired in Europe for a reasonable price.
Salvage-title cars offer the biggest savings — which is why they are the ones bought most often.
Rebuilt / Reconstructed
A car that once had a Salvage title, was repaired and passed a state inspection. It is road-legal in the US again. It costs more than a Salvage car, but remember that you don't know the quality of that repair.
Certificate of Destruction, Parts Only, Non-repairable
These documents mean the car is meant for parts only and can never return to US roads. For import and registration in Poland or Ukraine such lots are usually unsuitable — always check with a manager before bidding on one.
Other notes worth knowing
- Clean title + Theft recovery — a stolen car that was recovered. It may be almost intact or missing parts.
- Flood / Water damage — the car was flooded and needs a particularly careful check of its electrics.
- Title from another state or Canada — perfectly normal, the document is still valid.
How it affects import
EU customs look at the customs value (price, fees, transport), not at the title type. A Salvage car carries no extra tax — on the contrary, a lower auction price means lower duty and taxes.
We ship cars to Ukraine via Klaipeda with customs clearance in Lviv, and to Poland via Rotterdam, Bremerhaven or Klaipeda. For any lot in our catalogue the calculator shows the full delivered cost straight away.
Bottom line
- Salvage is the main and best-value option when the damage is repairable.
- Clean costs more but carries less risk.
- Parts Only / Non-repairable is not for registration.
Not sure about a particular lot? Send it to us — a manager will check the title and the damage before you bid. For a full cost breakdown, use the calculator.
General information only; title rules depend on the state and may change.