Auctions and Sales

The California Department of Transportation Division of Equipment, under a delegation granted by the Department of General Services, Office of Fleet Administration, disposes of surplus vehicles and equipment. Disposal may be by public auction, sealed bid sale, and reutilization to other agencies, as outlined in the State Administrative Manual, Chapters 4111 and 4112, and the Office of Fleet Administrations State Fleet Handbook.

Equipment Auction Information

Upcoming Auctions

Northern California auctions:

Bar None Auction
4751 Power Inn Road
Sacramento, CA 95826
(916) 383-2000

Southern California auctions:

The Auction Company, A California Corporation 
1450 North Pennsylvania Avenue
Colton, CA 92324
(951) 657-5300

Limited Online Auctions:

GovDeals

For more information, please visit:

Northern California - www.barnoneauction.com
Southern California - www.theauctioncompany.net
Limited Online - www.govdeals.com

Contact Information

For questions about Department of Transportation equipment sales, please contact:

Caltrans
Division of Equipment
C/O Surplus Equipment and Property Program Manager
PO Box 160048
Sacramento, CA 95816-0048

Sales to Other Government Agencies

Prior to public auction and sale, vehicles and equipment are made available to other government agencies with the following priority:

  • Other state agencies
  • Cities, counties, and other tax entities

Government entities that want to purchase surplus vehicles or equipment from the California Department of Transportation may do so by forwarding a request on agency letterhead or a "Reutilization Program Request Form" to the Office of Fleet Administration, 802 Q Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Forms may be obtained from Office of Fleet Administration.

After the agency is recognized as a government entity and approved to participate in the Reutilization Program by the Office of Fleet Administration, they may contact the Department of Transportation. For availability of vehicles and equipment please email the Surplus Equipment and Property Program Manager at DOE.Surplus.Equipment@dot.ca.gov.

A representative of Department of Transportation Surplus Sales will inform the entity of the availability, condition, and location of requested equipment and make arrangements for the unit(s) to be inspected. If the agency decides to purchase the unit, Surplus Sales will set the price and will request that a purchase order be issued.

Prices will be fair market value established by Surplus Sales, based on the current wholesale value or by using public auction data. All purchases by other agencies must be approved by the Assistant Chief of Inspection Services, Office of Fleet Administration.

All equipment offered through the Reutilization Program is sold "As Is, Where Is." There are no expressed or implied warranties, adjustments, repairs, refunds, or exchanges. Purchase documents must be in the form of a typed Purchase Order or Agency check. Title and sale documents will be furnished at the time of delivery. The purchaser is responsible for obtaining smog certificate. Mobile equipment is to be registered within ten days of sale or delivery.