Import from the USA

How to calculate your maximum Copart and IAAI bid before you start bidding

At an auction it’s easy to go “just another hundred dollars” — and end up with a car that costs more after import than it’s worth in Poland. The only defence is a number fixed before bidding: your maximum bid. You work it out backwards, from the car’s value in Poland after repair. Below we show the formula, explain where the 1.60 and 1.39 multipliers come from, and give you a calculator that does it for you.

In short: maximum customs value = (car’s value in Poland × (1 − margin) − repair − costs in Poland − port costs) ÷ 1.60 (engine over 2000 cc) or ÷ 1.39 (up to 2000 cc). Subtract transport to the EU port and the auction fees — that’s your maximum bid. Not a dollar more.

Work out the import cost before you bid: USA import calculator — duty, excise, VAT (free) →

Why you bid backwards

On Copart you see a dollar price, but you pay in złoty — after taxes that rise with your bid. Every extra 1,000 USD at auction means about 1,600 USD more in Poland for an engine over 2000 cc. So the starting point isn’t the auction price but the question: what will this car be worth in Poland after repair, and how much buffer do you want to leave?

Where 1.60 and 1.39 come from

When clearing in Poland, duty (10%) is charged on the customs value, excise on the value including duty, and 23% VAT on the value including duty and excise. Compounding these three steps, each złoty of customs value costs in Poland:

1.1 × 1.186 × 1.23 ≈ 1.60 — engine over 2000 cc (18.6% excise),
1.1 × 1.031 × 1.23 ≈ 1.39 — engine up to 2000 cc (3.1% excise).

The customs value covers the auction price, auction fees and transport to the first EU port — which is why those items are subtracted only at the end.

The formula step by step

Set the target value — what you’d realistically pay or get for such a car in Poland after repair.
Subtract a safety margin (e.g. 10%) — for unexpected faults and exchange-rate swings.
Subtract the repair, costs in Poland (modifications, inspection, registration, translations) and port costs (unloading, agent, delivery home).
Divide by 1.60 or 1.39 — that’s your maximum customs value.
Subtract transport to the EU port and auction fees — that’s your maximum bid.

Maximum bid calculator (free)

Target value of the car in Poland after repair (zł)Safety margin (%)Repair budget (zł)Costs in Poland: modifications, inspection, registration, translations (zł)EU port: unloading, customs agent, delivery home (zł)Transport USA → EU port: towing + freight (zł)Auction fees (zł)EngineUSD/PLN rate (use the current one)

Indicative result: clearance in Poland, 10% duty, excise on customs value plus duty, 23% VAT on the total. Auction fees are included in the customs value.

Worked example using the calculator’s defaults

Target value 90,000 zł, 10% margin, 12,000 zł repair, 3,000 zł costs in Poland, 2,500 zł port costs: that leaves 63,500 zł. Divided by 1.60, the maximum customs value is about 39,572 zł. After subtracting transport (5,000 zł) and auction fees (3,000 zł), the maximum bid is about 31,572 zł, or roughly 8,533 USD at 3.70. With an engine up to 2000 cc the same target value lets you bid noticeably more.

Not sure of the target value? We’ll check it for you

The hardest number in the calculator is the car’s value in Poland after repair. Send us the lot — we’ll estimate it along with the repair and tell you what bid makes sense.

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We reply with the scope and price of the service. The import report costs 149 zł; sending a request commits you to nothing.

The most common bidding mistakes

A target value “from listings” — asking prices in Poland are above transaction prices, and a damaged US car sells for less than one from a Polish dealer.
An underestimated repair — auction photos don’t show underbody damage, electronics or flood effects.
Fees that rise with the bid — the buyer fee depends on price, so a higher bid means higher fees too.
The exchange rate — taxes use the rate on the clearance date, not the auction date.
The title — with Parts only or Junk, no bid is “safe”: what a US car title means.

What next

The full budget, including costs the calculator leaves out (storage, late fees, cargo insurance), is in how much a car from the USA really costs. For a known amount, the taxes are in the USA import calculator. If a broker bids for you, read what to watch for in the contract.

Financing a US car? Compare a loan and a lease: Finumero →

This material is informational and is not tax or investment advice. The calculator assumes clearance in Poland and gives an indicative result; rates as of 2026.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How do I calculate my maximum Copart bid? From the car’s value in Poland after repair, subtract a safety margin, the repair, costs in Poland and port costs; divide by 1.60 (engine over 2000 cc) or 1.39 (up to 2000 cc); then subtract transport to the EU port and auction fees.

Where does the 1.60 multiplier for US imports come from? It compounds 10% duty, 18.6% excise on the value including duty and 23% VAT on the value including duty and excise: 1.1 × 1.186 × 1.23 ≈ 1.60. With an engine up to 2000 cc and 3.1% excise the multiplier is about 1.39.

What safety margin should I use when bidding on a US car? It depends on how sure you are about the car’s condition. For damaged cars with an incomplete damage description, at least a low-teens percentage of the target value is sensible, because repair and hidden faults are the biggest unknown.

Are auction fees part of the customs value? The customs value includes the price actually paid for the car plus transport and insurance to the first EU port, so auction fees increase the base for duty, excise and VAT. Confirm the details with a customs agent.