Sheriff Auctions

Vehicle Auctions
Towed vehicles are sold at auction when they are not redeemed after 10 business days from the tow date. Owners must pay their unpaid parking ticket judgments to redeem their vehicle. Proceeds are used to pay unpaid parking fines. All vehicles are sold "as is and where is."

 Sheriff's Motor Vehicle Auctions FAQs


Upcoming Auction(s):

February 28, 2012
 Download Auction Listings 


Bidding
Vehicles will be bid on by their assigned lot number.  Be sure you know the lot number of the vehicle(s) you want to bid on.

1. Bidding will start no lower than $100 per vehicle.
2. From $101 to $500, bids will increase at $25 amounts.
3. From $501 to $1,000, bids will increase at $50 amounts.
4. Over $1,000, bids will increase at $100 amounts.
5. Vehicles are sold to the highest bidders. Each sale is final when the highest bid is accepted.
6. If there is a dispute about the highest bid between two or more bidders, the process will stop and the vehicle will be immediately put up for resale.
7. The Department of Finance and/or the Sheriff (or their representative) may refuse any bid and cancel the sale at any time.

After a Vehicle has been Sold

1. Purchasers must make full payment including sales tax, in cash, as soon as the sale is final. Sales tax will be waived for anyone who presents a resale certificate.
2. In many cases auctioned vehicles will have to be towed from the yard. Vehicle keys are not available.
3. Vehicles must be removed from the tow yard by 5:00 pm on the day of the auction, or the purchaser will be charged a storage fee of $20 per day.  Any vehicle not removed for 96 hours after 5:00 pm of the auction date will be considered abandoned and will be removed.
4. Once removed from the tow yard, vehicles cannot be parked on the street or driven unless the owner has proper registration and license plates.  This is required by the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
5. Purchasers must take the Certificate of Sale to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a title issued in their name. Only one certificate of sale is issued per owner – no exceptions.  Duplicates will not be issued for second copies or replacement of the original.
6. The Department of Motor Vehicles may consider the vehicle as salvage.  This means the vehicle may have to be examined before a new title and/or registration is issued.
7. The tow yard may charge a tow-out fee to remove a purchased vehicle from the yard.

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Private Asset Auctions
A sale of real or personal property by the Sheriff comes under authority of a property execution to satisfy an unpaid money judgment. Auction dates are advertised in New York City newspapers and are posted in each county Sheriff's and Clerk's offices. The money from a Private Asset Auction goes to the creditor.

Upcoming Auctions
None at this time

Terms of Sale
Sale of Real Property (Houses, Condominiums, Commercial Properties, not including Cooperative Apartments):

1. At the time of an auction, the successful bidder must pay at least 10 percent of the bid price (but not less than $2,000). Cash, money orders, and certified checks will be accepted for payment.  A Memorandum of Sale will be immediately issued.
2. If partial payment was made at the time of the auction, the balance of the bid price must be paid in the same legal tender, no later than three business days after the auction.
3. If the successful bidder/purchaser fails to follow the above conditions, the sale will be voided and rescheduled. Only those people attending the auction who write their name and address on the attendance sheet will be notified of a rescheduling.
4. A successful bidder/purchaser who fails to comply with the terms of the sale may be liable for damages to the judgment creditor.
5. Any taxes or transfer/delivery fees must be paid by the purchaser.

Sale of Personal Property (all tangible goods, including cooperative apartments):

1. Sales are for cash only.
2. The Sheriff sells the right, title, and interest only.
3. The Sheriff reserves the right of approval on all bids.