---
title: "Public Surplus buyer's premium and default fee"
description: "Public Surplus premiums are set per agency (9.75% and 10% in two agencies' terms). Payment is due at the close; walking away costs $200 or 40% of the bid."
canonical: https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/public-surplus-buyer-premium/
last_updated: 2026-10-23
publisher: "The Reseller Index"
---

# Public Surplus buyer's premium, payment and the $200 default fee

Public Surplus has no single buyer's premium: each auction states its own, because Public Surplus prices its service per agency and lets the agency pass that fee to buyers. Two agencies' own pages show the range: Loudoun County, Virginia, charges 9.75% on all purchases, and Page Unified School District in Arizona 10% with a $1 minimum.

At 9.75%, a $200 win comes to $219.50, or $232.67 with 6% sales tax. Walking away is costly: the Buyer Agreement sets a fee of the greater of $200 or 40% of the final bid, so $200 on a $50 or $200 win and $400 on $1,000, plus any forfeited deposit.

Rates verified on Oct 23, 2026

## Public Surplus at a glance

- **Buyer's premium**
  Stated on each auction (9.75% and 10% in two agencies' terms)
- **Payment**
  At the close under the Buyer Agreement; agencies can allow more time
- **Pickup or removal**
  Within the auction's required time frame (10 business days at one district)
- **Sales tax**
  Taxes "if applicable" are part of the total due
- **If you don't pay or pick up**
  The greater of $200 or 40% of the final bid
- **What it sells**
  Surplus from public agencies

## Public Surplus: what a $50, $200 and $1,000 win costs

Worked from the published rates linked in each row. Sales tax uses a 6% example rate (Kentucky's statewide rate, which has no local add-ons) on the bid and premium; with an accepted resale certificate it is zero, and some states also tax the fees and shipping.

*Each auction states its own premium. Page Unified School District charges 9.9% sales tax; the 6% here is an example rate. Sources are linked in each row label and listed at the end of the page. Shipping, freight or your trip to collect it is not included.*

| What you pay | $50 win | $200 win | $1,000 win |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Winning bid | $50.00 | $200.00 | $1,000.00 |
| [Buyer's premium at 9.75% (Loudoun County, Virginia)](https://www.loudoun.gov/693/Online-Surplus-Auction) | $4.88 | $19.50 | $97.50 |
| Bid + premium (what you pay with a resale certificate accepted) | $54.88 | $219.50 | $1,097.50 |
| Sales tax at the 6% example rate, on bid + premium | $3.29 | $13.17 | $65.85 |
| Total before shipping or pickup, taxed | $58.17 | $232.67 | $1,163.35 |
| [Taxed total at Page Unified School District's 10% ($1 minimum)](https://www.pageud.org/important-links/public-surplus-info) | $58.30 | $233.20 | $1,166.00 |
| [Fee if you don't complete the purchase](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user) | $200.00 | $200.00 | $400.00 |

## What you pay on top of the bid

- No fee to register, bid or buy. ([Buyer Agreement, 1.4](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user)) “Public Surplus charges no fees for you to register to make bids or purchases on the Site.”
- The buyer's premium is whatever the auction states. The total due at the close includes it, shipping, and duties and taxes if they apply. ([Buyer Agreement, 2.1](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user)) “including the stated Buyer's Premium, shipping costs and all duties and taxes if applicable”
- Public Surplus prices its service per agency and tells agencies its fee can be charged to buyers, which is where the premium comes from. ([Public Surplus agency FAQ, Does becoming a seller on Public Surplus require an RFP?](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/about/agencyfaq.ftlh)) “our fee can be passed on to the buyers”
- Loudoun County, Virginia, sells through Public Surplus with a 9.75% premium on every purchase. ([Loudoun County, About](https://www.loudoun.gov/693/Online-Surplus-Auction)) “Registration is free. However, a 9.75% buyer's premium is charged on all purchases.”
- Page Unified School District in Arizona adds 10% with a $1 minimum, and charges 9.9% sales tax. ([Page USD, Buyers Premium](https://www.pageud.org/important-links/public-surplus-info)) “A Buyer's Premium of 10% will be added to the final sales price with a $1 minimum charge per auction collections.”
- An earnest money deposit can be required before or during bidding on some items. It goes toward your invoice if you win and is returned if you don't. ([Buyer Agreement, 2.2](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user))

## Payment and pickup

- The Buyer Agreement makes payment due at the close, through Public Surplus's payment methods. ([Buyer Agreement, 2.1](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user)) “you agree to make immediate payment for the total amount due”
- An agency's own terms can differ: Page Unified School District allows 5 business days to pay, by wire or card only, and 10 business days to remove; Loudoun County takes card or wire online only. ([Page USD, Standard Disclaimers](https://www.pageud.org/important-links/public-surplus-info); [Loudoun County, About](https://www.loudoun.gov/693/Online-Surplus-Auction))
- You also agree to arrange delivery right away, and by bidding you affirm you can remove the property in the auction's time frame. ([Buyer Agreement, 1.2(d) and 2.1](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user)) “You are capable of removing the property from its location within the required time frame.”

## If you don't complete the purchase

- A fee to Public Surplus of the greater of $200 or 40% of the final bid (not for Texas Facilities Commission sales). ([Buyer Agreement, 2.3(a)](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user)) “a fee to Public Surplus equal to the greater of $200 or 40% of the final bid price”
- Your bid deposit is forfeited, the seller can resell and charge you its losses, you can be sued or made to complete the purchase, and your account can be suspended. ([Buyer Agreement, 2.3(b)-(e)](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user))
- Refuse a shipment and you pay its shipping charges. ([Buyer Agreement, 2.3(f)](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user))
- The agreement also warns that bidding with no intent to complete the purchase, or bidding on many items and not completing them, may be treated as fraud. ([Buyer Agreement, 2.4](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user)) “will be considered in most jurisdictions as fraud and may be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law”

## Sales tax and resale certificates

- Taxes "if applicable" are part of the total due, and you're responsible for "all fees and applicable taxes." The agreement doesn't describe resale certificates, so ask the selling agency (its contact is on the auction) before you bid. ([Buyer Agreement, 1.4 and 2.1](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user))

## Other rules that catch buyers

- Items are sold "as is, where is" unless the seller says otherwise in writing, and you affirm you inspected them or waive inspection. ([Buyer Agreement, 1.2(h)-(i)](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user))
- You can't retract or change a bid without the seller's approval. ([Buyer Agreement, 1.2(b)](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user))
- Some property needs Trade Security Control (TSC) clearance before you can buy it. ([Buyer Agreement, 1.2(e)](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user))

## What to do

1. Check the auction page for its buyer's premium, removal time frame and the agency's payment instructions.
2. Only bid if you can pay when due and remove in the stated time: the agreement has you affirm both.
3. Ask the agency about resale certificates before you bid; the agreement doesn't cover them.
4. Inspect, or accept the risk: items are as is, where is, and bids can't be retracted without the seller's approval.

Price the whole lot before you bid with the [landed cost per item calculator](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/landed-cost-per-item/).

## Questions

### How much is the Public Surplus buyer's premium?

It is stated on each auction. Public Surplus prices its service per agency and tells agencies its fee can be passed on to buyers; Loudoun County, Virginia, charges 9.75%, and Page Unified School District in Arizona 10% with a $1 minimum.

### What if I win on Public Surplus and don't pay?

The Buyer Agreement sets a fee of the greater of $200 or 40% of the final bid (not for Texas Facilities Commission sales), forfeits any deposit, lets the seller charge you its resale losses and can suspend your account.

### Does it cost anything to sign up on Public Surplus?

No. The agreement says Public Surplus charges no fees to register to bid or buy.

### Do I pay sales tax on Public Surplus?

Taxes, if they apply, are part of the total due; Page Unified School District, for one, charges 9.9%. The agreement doesn't describe resale certificates, so ask the selling agency.

General information from each site's and agency's own published pages, checked Oct 23, 2026; not legal or tax advice. Each auction's own terms control, so read them before you bid, and check with a lawyer or tax professional where it matters.

## Sources

Rates verified on Oct 23, 2026 from each official page below.

- [Public Surplus Buyer Agreement (shown on the buyer registration page)](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/register/user)
- [Public Surplus: FAQ - Agency](https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/about/agencyfaq.ftlh)
- [Loudoun County, Virginia: Online Surplus Auction](https://www.loudoun.gov/693/Online-Surplus-Auction)
- [Page Unified School District (Arizona): Public Surplus Info](https://www.pageud.org/important-links/public-surplus-info)
- [Kentucky Department of Revenue: Sales & Use Tax](https://revenue.ky.gov/Business/Sales-Use-Tax/pages/default.aspx)

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## Related

- [GovDeals buyer's premium](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/govdeals-buyer-premium/)
- [GSA Auctions fees and deadlines](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/gsa-auctions-fees/)
- [Landed cost per item on a lot (calculator)](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/landed-cost-per-item/)

## More on sourcing costs

- [All sites compared](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/)
- [GovDeals buyer's premium](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/govdeals-buyer-premium/)
- [GSA Auctions fees](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/gsa-auctions-fees/)
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- [HiBid and Proxibid premiums](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/hibid-proxibid-buyer-premium/)
- [Is the buyer's premium taxed?](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/is-buyers-premium-taxable/)
- [Landed cost per item](https://resellerindex.com/sourcing/landed-cost-per-item/)

---

The Reseller Index

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