Buyer fees, broken down by auction

The hammer price is what you bid — it's not what you pay. Every Australian auction adds a buyer's premium, and some add admin / documentation / sale fees on top. Here's what the additions actually look like in practice across the major sources.

Note: all figures below are GST-inclusive Australian dollars. Fees are accurate at time of writing; sources adjust their tables periodically — always confirm on the source's terms page before you bid.

Buyer fee calculator

Pick the auction house and enter your bid (the hammer price). We add that house's salvage buyer's premium to show your true total. GST-inclusive and indicative — confirm current fees with the house. Stamp duty, transport and storage are extra.

Auction house Your bid — hammer price (A$)

Looking at a specific lot? Check a listing — paste its URL or VIN and the buyer fee is pulled in automatically.

Pickles — salvage

Hammer price	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
$0 – $99	$33
$100 – $499	$140
$500 – $999	$245
$1,000+	15% of hammer + $160
$1,000+ · Heavy Motor Salvage (trucks, trailers & plant)	15% of hammer + $300

Pickles — non-salvage (ex-fleet, government, lease)

Hammer price	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
$0 – $1,999	$525
$2,000+	$650 + 1.65% of hammer
Electric vehicles	+ $100 EV admin fee

Pickles — luxury, prestige & collectible

Stream	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
Luxury	5.90% of hammer (min $1,050)
Prestige	3.75% of hammer (min $825)
Online classic & collectable	7.5% of hammer (min $660)

Pickles — industrial, agriculture, recreational & marine

Hammer price	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
$0 – $5,000	22.5% of hammer
$5,000 – $40,000	16.5% of hammer
$40,000 – $55,000	12.5% of hammer
$55,000+	9.9% of hammer
VicFleet industrial	16.5% (≤ $35k), then 8.25%
General goods	25% (government 20%)

Pickles — government vehicles (per item)

Sale	Fee (inc. GST, online buyer)
VicFleet	$430 + $110 live-bidding = $540
NT Fleet	$340 + $102 live-bidding + $110 admin = $552
SA Government	$300
TAS Government	$512.41 + $112.64 RWC + $136.64 live-bidding + $71.50 admin = $833.19
WA Government	$350

Electric vehicles add a $100 EV admin fee across all car streams. Mining / Oil & Gas division sales carry a fluctuating 8.80%–22.50% premium (ex-GST) confirmed by branch.

IAAI Australia

Hammer price	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
$0 – $99	$33
$100 – $499	$125
$500 – $999	$230
$1,000+	14.95% of hammer + $135

Grays

Hammer price	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
$0 – $2,000	$495
$2,001 – $5,000	$650
$5,001 – $10,000	$710
$10,001 – $30,000	7% of hammer
$30,001 – $40,000	6% of hammer
$40,000+	5% of hammer
Plus admin fee	$49.50 per lot

Slattery

Hammer price	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
$0 – $5,000	$550
$5,001 – $65,000	$715 + 1.65% of hammer
$65,000+	2.75% of hammer
Prestige makes	$1,100 (≤ $26k), then 4.4% of hammer

Manheim — salvage

Hammer price	Buyer fee (inc. GST)
$0 – $200	$121
$201 – $500	$148
$501 – $1,000	$210
$1,000+	15% of hammer + $88

A payment-processing surcharge also applies on Manheim's invoice portal (cash/cheque aren't accepted). Source: Manheim's published buyer auction fees.

What you also pay on top

Government stamp duty — state-specific, typically 3-5% of hammer + fee.
Registration transfer fee — $30-$100 depending on state.
Yard storage — if you don't collect within 3-5 days, $25-$50/day starts ticking.
Transport — interstate moves run $500-$1,500. Within-state $200-$600.

Why this matters for your bid ceiling

Most new buyers anchor on the hammer price and get surprised by the 12-25% in fees + duty + transport that lands on top. Auction Intel's Deals Board builds these fees into every bid ceiling automatically — the recommended ceiling you see is already net of fees, transport, and a target margin buffer. The breakdown is shown per lot so you can audit each component.