Public Surplus Auctions: Live Listings Nationwide (2026)
3598 active Public Surplus listings across the U.S. right now.
Public Surplus serves smaller cities, counties, school districts, and volunteer fire departments. Inventory overlaps with GovDeals on roughly 5–15% of items but Public Surplus often runs lower buyer's premiums - some sellers absorb the premium entirely. The interface is more basic; search is less polished than GovDeals. Every listing links back to bid on publicsurplus.com - GovAuctions doesn't sit between you and the seller.Last updated: 2026-09-02
Search all 3,598 Public Surplus listings
Filter by category, state, price, and when the auction ends
Tax-Forfeit Land- Kanabec County Parcel 06.00715.00
Mora, MN · 59 bids
Sale of Rough Mower
Natick, MA · 49 bids
1,274 hrsDiesel
Lot 49 - 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4 - 3GCUKNEC6HG403208
Austin, TX · 31 bids
107,548 mi
Lot 99 2016 Ford F-250 6.7L Diesel 4x4 Truck 1FT7W2BT4GEA99872
Lumberton, TX · 29 bids
109,026 mi
Lot 53 - TRAILER, 2005 WELLS CARGO - 1W4200C1452052636
Austin, TX · 27 bids
1999 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4
Ft Defiance, AZ · 27 bids
Does not run
1990 Chevrolet 3500 4x4
Goldendale, WA · 27 bids
107,356 mi
2001 Big Tex 10' dump trailer
Spanish Fork, UT · 27 bids
Lot 54 - 1996 Flat Bed Trailer - 4XKFS1428TA000176
Austin, TX · 27 bids
14 24th ST, WINDOM
Windom, MN · 24 bids
2005 Peterbilt
Ft Defiance, AZ · 24 bids
Does not run
Lot 47 - 2017 Toyota Rav 4 - JTMRJREV4HD130185
Austin, TX · 23 bids
36,327 miDoes not runAWD
Public Surplus Auctions by Category
What Public Surplus Categories Sell For at Auction
Median winning bids from 117,523 completed government auction sales in the last year, for the categories Public Surplus carries.
| Category | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicles | $2,500 | 46,899 |
| Furniture | $14 | 17,889 |
| Electronics | $99 | 28,033 |
| Tools | $112 | 11,811 |
| Equipment | $1,757 | 7,193 |
| Medical | $80 | 5,698 |
Market-wide sold prices across every government auction platform we track, not Public Surplus alone - use them as a valuation benchmark before you bid. The typical range is the middle 50% of sales (25th to 75th percentile).
Source: the GovAuctions Surplus Price Index, built from completed sales on official U.S. government auction platforms. Free to cite with attribution.
Public Surplus Auctions by State
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many Public Surplus auctions are live right now?
- There are 3598 active Public Surplus listings across the U.S. right now, spread across 35 states. The count refreshes with new listings every 30 minutes from publicsurplus.com.
- Is Public Surplus legit?
- Yes. Public Surplus (publicsurplus.com) is the official platform for state and local government surplus. Public Surplus serves smaller cities, counties, school districts, and volunteer fire departments. Inventory overlaps with GovDeals on roughly 5–15% of items but Public Surplus often runs lower buyer's premiums - some sellers absorb the premium entirely. The interface is more basic; search is less polished than GovDeals. GovAuctions indexes Public Surplus listings into one searchable feed - bidding happens on publicsurplus.com.
- Does Public Surplus charge a buyer's premium?
- Buyer's premium 0–10%, set per seller (median ~7%). Always confirm the exact premium on the listing itself, since some sellers set their own.
- How do I buy from Public Surplus?
- Find a listing here or on publicsurplus.com, register a bidder account on publicsurplus.com, and place your bid there - GovAuctions never sits between you and the seller. Most items require in-person pickup at the seller's location within 5-10 business days, though a meaningful minority of sellers ship. Check the listing for shipping options, and factor in travel or freight before you bid.