Auction Buying

Auction Equipment Landed Cost by Country

What a skid steer, a backhoe and a 20 t excavator bought at Ritchie Bros., IronPlanet or GovPlanet really cost delivered to eight countries: buyer fee, pickup from the yard, ocean freight, insurance, duty and taxes.

By the Seaway Export logistics team Updated October 2026 10 min read

⁦$3,000⁩

Ritchie Bros. fee on a $30,000 bid

⁦$148,900–152,800⁩

$120,000 excavator landed, lowest

8 business days

IronPlanet and GovPlanet pickup window

From winning bid to landed cost

The hammer price is the start. Six more lines stand between it and a working machine at your site, and two of them run on the auction's clock.

1
Buyer fee
Added to every winning bid. On a $30,000 lot at Ritchie Bros. it is 10%; the table below has each house's schedule.
2
Pay within 7 days
Full payment, usually by wire, within seven days of the sale. Late payment adds fees and a default can cost thousands.
3
Remove before the deadline
IronPlanet and GovPlanet allow eight business days to remove the machine before storage charges start; Ritchie Bros. sets a removal deadline for each event. Book the truck before you bid.
4
Truck to the export port
Priced by distance, rig and permits. The tables pick the yard and port pair that gives the lowest truck plus ocean cost.
5
Ocean freight and insurance
By container, flat rack or RoRo, whichever is cheapest for the machine and the destination port. We file the export record (EEI) with U.S. Customs.
6
Arrival, duty and taxes
Port handling and the clearing agent, then duty and VAT on the CIF value: bid, fee, truck, freight and insurance.

Sources^1,2,3

Buyer fees at each auction house

Ritchie Bros. charges 10% up to $30,000, then 5.5% with a ⁦$3,000⁩ minimum, and caps the fee at ⁦$4,125⁩ above $75,000. IronPlanet's schedule is a little lower, capped at ⁦$3,750⁩. GovPlanet, which sells government surplus, charges 15% up to $10,000 (⁦$1,200⁩ on an $8,000 lot), then 10% with a ⁦$1,500⁩ minimum.

Buyer fee on a winning bid, U.S. sales^1,2,4

Winning bid	Ritchie Bros.	IronPlanet	GovPlanet
$5,000	$500 (10%)	$500 (10%)	$750 (15%)
$10,000	$1,000 (10%)	$1,000 (10%)	$1,500 (15%)
$25,000	$2,500 (10%)	$2,500 (10%)	$2,500 (10%)
$30,000	$3,000 (10%)	$2,500 (8.3%)	$3,000 (10%)
$55,000	$3,025 (5.5%)	$2,750 (5%)	$5,500 (10%)
$75,000	$4,125 (5.5%)	$3,750 (5%)	$7,500 (10%)
$120,000	$4,125 (3.4%)	$3,750 (3.1%)	$12,000 (10%)
$250,000	$4,125 (1.7%)	$3,750 (1.5%)	$25,000 (10%)

From the yard to the port

Ritchie Bros. runs permanent yards across the U.S. The landed tables price pickup from Newnan, GA, Lake Worth, TX, Phoenix, AZ, the closest yards to Savannah, Houston and Los Angeles. This table prices the same three machines from six yard cities.

Truck from the pickup city to the export port^5,6,7

Pickup → port	Skid steer loader	Backhoe loader	20-ton excavator
Atlanta, GA → Savannah250 mi	⁦$800–1,000⁩Step deck	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit
Dallas, TX → Houston240 mi	⁦$800–1,000⁩Step deck	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit
Phoenix, AZ → Los Angeles / Long Beach375 mi	⁦$1,100–1,500⁩Step deck	⁦$1,700–2,900⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit	⁦$1,700–2,900⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit
Nashville, TN → Savannah490 mi	⁦$1,400–2,000⁩Step deck	⁦$2,200–3,400⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit	⁦$2,200–3,400⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit
Kansas City, MO → Houston745 mi	⁦$2,100–3,000⁩Step deck	⁦$2,700–4,600⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit	⁦$2,700–4,600⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit
Minneapolis, MN → Baltimore1,110 mi	⁦$3,200–4,400⁩Step deck	⁦$3,900–6,600⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit	⁦$3,900–6,600⁩RGN / lowboy heavy hauloversize permit

Sources⁸

Skid steer won for $30,000

A skid steer shares a container, so freight is small next to the bid. Taxes make the spread: ⁦$40,300–41,900⁩ landed in Guatemala against ⁦$47,600–49,800⁩ in Ghana.

Skid steer loader won for $30,000 at Ritchie Bros.: landed cost^8,9,10,11,12

Landed = bid + buyer fee $3,000 + truck + ocean + insurance + arrival handling + duty and taxes. Duty is on CIF; VAT a registered business can reclaim is still counted.

Destination	Yard → port	Truck	Ocean, port to port	Duty and taxes, standard	Landed, standard	Landed, U.S.-built
Nigeria^13,14	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$1,900–2,800⁩Shared container	$5,369 (14.8%)	⁦$42,600–45,000⁩	no preference
Ghana^15,16,17	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$1,900–2,600⁩Shared container	$10,328 (28.5%)	⁦$47,600–49,800⁩	no preference
Chile^18,19	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$2,400–4,800⁩Shared container	$9,620 (26.1%)	⁦$46,900–50,300⁩	⁦$44,300–47,700⁩U.S.-Chile FTA
Peru^20,21	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$2,200–4,400⁩Shared container	$6,588 (18%)	⁦$43,700–46,900⁩	⁦$43,700–46,900⁩U.S.-Peru TPA
United Arab Emirates²²	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$2,000–3,900⁩Shared container	$3,731 (10.3%)	⁦$40,900–43,900⁩	no preference
Australia^23,10	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$3,600–6,200⁩Shared container	$3,800 (10%)	⁦$42,700–47,000⁩	⁦$42,700–47,000⁩AUSFTA
Colombia^24,25,19	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$1,300–2,000⁩Shared container	$8,907 (24.9%)	⁦$45,100–46,600⁩	⁦$43,000–44,500⁩U.S.-Colombia TPA
Guatemala²⁶	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$800–1,000⁩	⁦$1,200–1,900⁩Shared container	$4,272 (12%)	⁦$40,300–41,900⁩	⁦$40,300–41,900⁩CAFTA-DR

Backhoe loader won for $55,000

The buyer fee on this lot is ⁦$3,025⁩. The backhoe goes in a 40′ high cube with the hoe off where that is cheapest, or rolls aboard by RoRo; to Colombia it lands at ⁦$80,500–84,000⁩.

Backhoe loader won for $55,000 at Ritchie Bros.: landed cost^{8,9,27,10,28,29,30,12,11,31,32,33}

Landed = bid + buyer fee $3,025 + truck + ocean + insurance + arrival handling + duty and taxes. Duty is on CIF; VAT a registered business can reclaim is still counted.

Destination	Yard → port	Truck	Ocean, port to port	Duty and taxes, standard	Landed, standard	Landed, U.S.-built
Nigeria^13,14	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$5,600–9,200⁩40′ high cube	$9,695 (14.8%)	⁦$76,400–82,000⁩	no preference
Ghana^15,16,17	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$5,500–9,100⁩40′ high cube	$18,663 (28.4%)	⁦$85,300–90,900⁩	no preference
Chile^18,19	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$6,300–11,600⁩40′ high cube	$17,357 (26.1%)	⁦$84,300–91,100⁩	⁦$79,600–86,400⁩U.S.-Chile FTA
Peru^20,21	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$5,900–10,900⁩40′ high cube	$11,880 (18%)	⁦$78,500–85,000⁩	⁦$78,500–85,000⁩U.S.-Peru TPA
United Arab Emirates²²	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$5,500–10,000⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$6,724 (10.3%)	⁦$73,100–79,200⁩	no preference
Australia^23,10	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$7,300–12,800⁩40′ high cube	$6,740 (10%)	⁦$75,100–82,800⁩	⁦$75,100–82,800⁩AUSFTA
Colombia^24,25,19	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$3,900–6,000⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$15,968 (25%)	⁦$80,500–84,000⁩	⁦$76,700–80,100⁩U.S.-Colombia TPA
Guatemala²⁶	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$3,900–6,000⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$7,680 (12%)	⁦$72,200–75,700⁩	⁦$72,200–75,700⁩CAFTA-DR

20-ton excavator won for $120,000

Lowest landed is Guatemala at ⁦$148,900–152,800⁩; highest is Ghana at ⁦$176,700–184,400⁩. For Australia the tables truck from Phoenix, AZ to Los Angeles, which beats the East Coast route.

20-ton excavator won for $120,000 at Ritchie Bros.: landed cost^{8,9,34,30,35,28,29,31,32,10,12,11,33}

Landed = bid + buyer fee $4,125 + truck + ocean + insurance + arrival handling + duty and taxes. Duty is on CIF; VAT a registered business can reclaim is still counted.

Destination	Yard → port	Truck	Ocean, port to port	Duty and taxes, standard	Landed, standard	Landed, U.S.-built
Nigeria^13,14	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$9,500–15,300⁩40′ flat rack	$20,223 (14.8%)	⁦$158,100–165,900⁩	no preference
Ghana^15,16,17	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$9,400–15,100⁩40′ flat rack	$38,920 (28.5%)	⁦$176,700–184,400⁩	no preference
Chile^18,19	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$10,300–16,500⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$35,995 (26.1%)	⁦$174,200–181,900⁩	⁦$164,400–172,100⁩U.S.-Chile FTA
Peru^20,21	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$10,000–17,100⁩40′ flat rack	$24,732 (18%)	⁦$162,700–171,300⁩	⁦$162,700–171,300⁩U.S.-Peru TPA
United Arab Emirates²²	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$7,200–12,600⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$13,797 (10.3%)	⁦$149,100–156,100⁩	no preference
Australia^23,10	Phoenix, AZ → Los Angeles / Long Beach	⁦$1,700–2,900⁩	⁦$9,400–15,600⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$13,740 (10%)	⁦$152,100–161,000⁩	⁦$152,100–161,000⁩AUSFTA
Colombia^24,25,19	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$5,100–7,700⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$33,059 (25%)	⁦$166,100–170,000⁩	⁦$158,200–162,100⁩U.S.-Colombia TPA
Guatemala²⁶	Newnan, GA → Savannah	⁦$1,100–1,800⁩	⁦$5,100–7,700⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboard	$15,900 (12%)	⁦$148,900–152,800⁩	⁦$148,900–152,800⁩CAFTA-DR

What moves the total

Taxes, more than freight. Ghana's duty, levies and VAT come to about 28.5% of CIF; the UAE's to about 10.3%.
Where the machine was built. A U.S.-built machine with a certificate of origin drops Chile's 6% duty: the excavator lands in Chile at ⁦$164,400–172,100⁩ instead of ⁦$174,200–181,900⁩. Check the serial plate and the auction listing for the factory.
The fee bracket. A bid just over a threshold can cost less in fees than one just under it, because the percentage steps down.
Washing and inspection. Machines for Australia, Chile and Peru need a biosecurity wash, which is in these prices; a machine rejected for soil costs far more.

Sources^15,22,18,10

Paperwork that holds machines up

The auction invoice and bill of sale stand in for a title on most machinery. Keep the serial number on every document identical to the plate.
Nigeria: the importer opens a Form M through a Nigerian bank before the machine ships.
Australia: test older machines for asbestos in gaskets and brake or clutch linings before shipping; Border Force can hold them for sampling.
Chile and Peru: the machine must arrive cleaned inside and out; Peru also wants a USDA phytosanitary certificate for used farm machinery.

Sources^36,37,38

Prices in this guide come from our boat and machinery cost model, reviewed October 26, 2026, the same figures as the rate hubs and the calculator. They are port-to-port and per unit; duty and the importer's side are shown separately.

Sources

1. Buyer transaction fees, USA and Mexico (events opening on or after August 1, 2026), Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
2. Transaction fee schedule on U.S. listings, payment and pickup terms, IronPlanet (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
3. Buyer terms: payment within 7 days, removal within 8 business days of release, RB Global (IronPlanet, GovPlanet) (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
4. Buyer transaction fee and title document fees, GovPlanet (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
5. National flatbed spot rates, DAT Freight & Analytics (Index), accessed October 26, 2026
6. Oversize and overweight load permits by state, Federal Highway Administration (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
7. Oversize/overweight permits: fees by dimension band, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
8. Auction sites and local yards, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
9. Seaway Export lane rate card (destination pages), Seaway Export (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
10. BICON: used machinery and vessel import conditions, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
11. Customer Advisory 25-2026: Middle East situation update (UAE), CMA CGM (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
12. Middle East and Red Sea situation: land bridge and booking status, Maersk (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
13. ECOWAS CET 2022–2026 and import levies, Nigeria Customs Service (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
14. Nigeria announces 2026 fiscal and trade policy changes (CET national list, IAT), USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
15. Primary import charges: duty, AU, ECOWAS and EXIM levies, exam fee, special import levy, Ghana Revenue Authority (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
16. VAT reforms 2026 (Act 1151): VAT, NHIL and GETFund on one base, Ghana Revenue Authority (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
17. Import duty, VAT, NHIL and GETFund levies, Ghana Revenue Authority (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
18. Arancel Aduanero y TLC Chile–Estados Unidos, Servicio Nacional de Aduanas de Chile (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
19. U.S. free trade agreements: tariff schedules, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
20. Arancel de Aduanas, IGV, IPM y percepción, SUNAT (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
21. Régimen de percepciones del IGV a la importación: 10%, 5% (bienes usados), 3.5%, SUNAT (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
22. GCC Common Customs Tariff and VAT on imports, UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
23. Schedule 3, chapter 84: 8429.11 to 8429.59 rates, Australian Border Force (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
24. Arancel de Aduanas y TLC Colombia–Estados Unidos, DIAN (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
25. Decreto 723 de 2014: registration, RUNT and GPS for 8429 machinery, DIAN normograma (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
26. Arancel Centroamericano (SAC) y IVA, Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
27. Caterpillar machine specifications, Caterpillar (Manufacturer), accessed October 26, 2026
28. RoRo bunker adjustment factor and high & heavy surcharges, Wallenius Wilhelmsen (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
29. RoRo surcharges and high & heavy acceptance, Höegh Autoliners (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
30. Vessel-operating common carriers: published tariffs, Federal Maritime Commission (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
31. Port Houston Tariff No. 14: wharfage, dockage and heavy-lift charges, Port Houston (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
32. Baltimore Marine Terminal Association tariff: RoRo receiving and crane charges, BMTA / Maryland Port Administration (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
33. Yacht transport sailing schedule and pricing guidance, Sevenstar Yacht Transport (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
34. Special cargo: flat racks, open tops and out-of-gauge acceptance, Hapag-Lloyd (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
35. Loading and lashing cargo on flatracks (over-width measurement), Hapag-Lloyd (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
36. Asbestos: prohibited import, sampling and testing, Australian Border Force (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
37. Resolución 3103/2016: phytosanitary requirements for used machinery, Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG) (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
38. RD 027-2024-MIDAGRI-SENASA-DSV: used agricultural machinery, SENASA (Official), accessed October 26, 2026

Download the full model as open data

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the buyer fee at Ritchie Bros.?

For U.S. events from August 1, 2026: 10% of the winning bid up to $30,000 (minimum $100), 5.5% from $30,000 to $75,000 (minimum $3,000), and ⁦$4,125⁩ above $75,000.

How long do I have to pick up a machine?

Eight business days at IronPlanet and GovPlanet, after paying within seven days; Ritchie Bros. sets the deadline for each event. Storage charges start after that, so book transport before you bid.

How much does it cost to land a 20-ton excavator bought at auction?

For a $120,000 winning bid, from ⁦$148,900–152,800⁩ in Guatemala to ⁦$176,700–184,400⁩ in Ghana, including the fee, truck, ocean, insurance, arrival handling, duty and taxes.

Can you pick up from any Ritchie Bros. yard?

Yes, and from IronPlanet and GovPlanet sellers' locations. The truck price depends on the distance to the port and the permits the machine needs; the yard table shows six common origins.

Is duty charged on the buyer fee?

Usually yes. The fee is part of the price paid for the machine, so customs add it to the transaction value along with freight and insurance.

Do I pay U.S. sales tax on an auction machine I export?

It depends on the state the yard is in. Many states exempt a machine that is exported with proof of export; some charge the tax unless the auction itself ships it. Ask the auction for its export exemption form before you pay; we supply the proof of export.

Which countries are cheapest to land auction equipment in?

Of the eight in this guide, Guatemala and the UAE, where duty and VAT are lowest and the ocean leg is short or competitive. Ghana and Chile are the highest at the standard rate.

Can a machine bought at auction share a container?

Compact machines like skid steers and mini excavators can, with other cargo for the same port. That is why the skid steer's ocean leg is a small part of its landed cost.