Vehicle Auction
NEXT SCHEDULED AUCTION DATE: October 26, 2024
The Montgomery County Department of Police - Vehicle Recovery Section hosts a monthly auction to sell abandoned/seized vehicles. The auctions are generally held on the fourth Saturday of each month.
Auction Details
Time:
The gates open at 7:30 am and the auction begins at 9:00 am. You must be admitted and registered before 9:00 am to participate in the auction. The front gate for admittance closes promptly at 9:00 am and remains closed through the auction. No one will be allowed to enter after 9:00 am unless authorized by the Vehicle Recovery Section Officer-in-Charge (OIC).
Location:
305 Metropolitan Grove Road
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878
Vehicles for Sale: Get Auction Details and list of vehicles >>
Please note that there are no guarantees that all of the listed vehicles will be sold. All vehicles are subject to withdrawal from the sale up to and including at the time of the auction for any reason.
Auction Rules and Requirements:
Attendees will abide by the following rules in the sections outlined below. Failure to comply with auction rules will result in admittance being denied and/or a person being removed/banned from the property for future auction purposes. Please note that the Vehicle Recovery Section (VRS) reserves the right to refuse any person admission to an auction.
Parking:
Attendees may only park in the VRS parking lot if disabled or approved by the OIC. Vehicles equipped to tow a vehicle may park on property in an area determined by VRS personnel. Those persons needing disability parking are further permitted to park in the area reserved for tow-equipped vehicles.
Entry:
- Persons 18 years and older and persons 16 & 17 years old accompanied by an adult legal guardian may enter and attend the auction.
- All persons who enter must possess a valid pictured identification card. The identification card must be officially issued by any US or US State government and must possess a valid address. Passports are not an acceptable form of identification for neither entry nor payment purposes.
- There is no entry fee.
- All auction policies and rules for the auction must be adhered to by participants.
- No entry to the auction will be allowed after 9:00 am, unless approved by the OIC.
- Umbrellas, backpacks, or other types of bags are not permitted. Wallet-size clutches no larger than 5"x7", medical bags and parenting bags no larger than 14"x14"x6" will be permitted and subject to security screening.
- NO open toed shoes allowed, i.e. flip flops/sandals.
- Persons who enter the auction and then leave the property cannot re-enter without a paid sales receipt.
- Any person caught illegally removing any property from the area will be permanently banned and may be arrested for theft. This is a police facility, all applicable laws shall be enforced.
Bidders:
- Bidders must be at least 18 years of age to participate in the auction and will possess a valid pictured identification card for entry and payment. The identification card must be officially issued by any US or US State government and must possess a valid address. Passports are not an acceptable form of identification.
- Persons 16 & 17 years of age may enter with an adult legal guardian. The minor must possess proper identification as noted above. The minor will not be permitted to bid on any vehicles.
- Bidders and minors permitted to enter the auction will not be allowed to leave the property and re-enter without a paid sales receipt.
- Bidders may only enter the area of the lot the auction is taking place in. There will be no entry into other areas of the lot. Entering unauthorized areas of the lot may be grounds for removal and being banned from participating in future auctions.
- Any behavior deemed to be a disruption or failure to follow the bidder rules will be cause for removal. The individual may also be banned from future auctions for a timeframe determined by the OIC.
- Absolutely no cell phone use from opening announcements to the conclusion of the auction. If there is an emergency you must move out of earshot from the announcer prior to using a phone.
Vehicles:
- Vehicles are sold under the principle of “caveat emptor”, the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.
- Vehicles sold at auction are “as is/where it sits”, there is no guarantee that the vehicle is operable, is repairable, or that a title will be made available. There will be no refunds after payment, unless authorized by the OIC. All sales are final.
- The auction list will be posted on the police website and in the Circuit Court of Maryland for Montgomery County. Note that a vehicle appearing on the list may not be available at auction.
- There is no implied or expressed guarantee that a key to open or operate the vehicle is available, even if there is a “K” marked on the vehicle.
- Vehicles with an orange cone are not available for auction and should not be touched, entered, or disturbed in any way.
- There will be no miscellaneous sale of items.
Payment Rules:
- Bidders winning a bid to purchase a vehicle will not possess ownership of the vehicle until all payment for the vehicle has been finalized.
- Payment procedures will be in compliance with VRS policy.
- Payments for purchased vehicles must be made no later than 1:00 pm on the day of the auction or the sale is void.
- Bidders must have the ability to pay for a vehicle won at auction without leaving the premises - no exceptions!
- The Vehicle Recovery Section accepts as payment: cash, Discover Card, Visa, and MasterCard.
- Failure to pay for a vehicle after winning the bid will result in the bidder being banned from future auctions for a timeframe determined by the OIC.
- Once a vehicle is won at bid, the vehicle and the contents are the winning bidder’s responsibility to secure. There will be no dumping of trash in the lot. Dumpsters are provided for non-hazardous materials (no tires, oil, or other special disposition items).
Removing Vehicles After Payment:
- There will be no moving of any vehicles until after the auction has concluded.
- Bidders who have purchased a vehicle at auction may not start or move the vehicle until the auction is complete and the vehicle can be safely moved.
- To avoid additional charges, vehicles purchased must be removed by the winning bidder by 2:30 pm on the day of the auction or between 7:00 am to 2:30 pm on the Sunday immediately following the auction date.
- Unless approved by the OIC, vehicles not picked up during the above prescribed timeframe will be assessed a daily storage fee for each day that the vehicle is not removed.
- Any vehicle not removed by the close of business the following Friday after the auction date is presumed to have been relinquished by the winning bidder. There will be no refund for the purchase amount of the vehicle and the vehicle will be processed for sale in a future auction.
- Temporarily storing vehicles won at auction outside of VRS is PROHIBITED. All vehicles must be removed to a legal parking area.
- There is no guarantee that the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) Auction Sales Receipt will be accepted by a state other than Maryland.
- The VRS recommends that all buyers seek a Maryland Salvage Title.
- The responsibility for recording the odometer reading prior to any required inspection of the vehicle will be the sole responsibility of the buyer.
- The buyer may, by legal means only, transport the purchased vehicle to the VRS for verification of the odometer reading prior to any required inspection.
- Paperwork for the vehicle will only be issued and notarized after payment. The vehicle must be titled within ninety days of the purchase for registration purposes, the VRS will not issue a duplicate MVA Auction Sales Receipt.
- The MVA Auction Sales Receipt will be in the name of the winning bidder after payment. No transfers will be made.
- Vehicles purchased at auction may only be removed from the property by legal means such as: temporary registration plates for that vehicle, a tow truck, a tow dolly, a trailer with appropriate GVW rating, dealer plates (if the vehicle is registered to the dealer using those plates).