Government auctions in Iowa

Government auctions in Iowa: what the numbers say

Government sellers in Iowa have 585 auctions open right now, mostly heavy equipment (116), cars, trucks and SUVs (100), furniture (51) and computers and electronics (51). The listings are on Purple Wave, GovDeals and Public Surplus, and every one on this page links to the listing on the platform that runs the sale.

The biggest sellers at the moment are University of Iowa Surplus, Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, Iowa Department of Transportation and Jasper County Sheriff's Office, with 20 other agencies listing as well. Iowa City, Grimes, Dubuque and Des Moines have the most listings, and Polk, Johnson and Cass are the busiest counties. The next sale to close is 2019 RAM 1500 Crew Cab pickup truck at $3,500.

Over the past year the UX Search sold archive recorded 944 closed sales in Iowa. The middle hammer price ran $260 for everything else (357 sales), $5,700 for cars, trucks and SUVs (301 sales) and $160 for computers and electronics (103 sales). The buyer's premium, sales tax and pickup are on top of the hammer price, and each sale on this page links to the listing it came from.

A government sells what it is done with: vehicles replaced on a schedule, equipment from a department that closed or consolidated, and property seized or abandoned and sold by the county. The seller's name is on every listing, the photos show the condition, and most sales are pickup only at the location listed, within a window of a week or two after the close. Read the terms on the sale before you bid; the premium and the pickup rules differ by platform and by seller.

Questions people ask

Where are the government auctions in Iowa?

UX Search shows 585 open right now, on Purple Wave, GovDeals and Public Surplus, with the most in Iowa City, Grimes and Dubuque. Each listing on this page links to the official sale.

What do things sell for at government auction in Iowa?

In the past year, 944 closed sales: the middle hammer price was $260 for everything else, $5,700 for cars, trucks and SUVs and $160 for computers and electronics, before the buyer's premium and tax.

Who sells at government auction in Iowa?

University of Iowa Surplus, Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, Iowa Department of Transportation and Jasper County Sheriff's Office and other agencies, through Purple Wave, GovDeals and Public Surplus.

Can anyone bid?

Yes. Government surplus auctions are open to the public. You register on the platform that runs the sale, usually for free; some sales ask for a card on file or a deposit. Pickup is usually in person at the seller's location.

Last updated November 4, 2026 at 12:13 PM ET. Live counts come from the UX Search index, which reads the government auction platforms every 15 minutes; sold prices are real hammer prices from the UX sold archive over the past year. UX Search is independent and never takes a bid; bidding, payment and pickup happen on the platform that runs each sale.