Ohio government surplus auctions
Ohio is the busiest GovDeals state we track. The Department of Administrative Services sells state surplus to the public there, alongside ODOT, Ohio State, the University of Cincinnati and hundreds of cities and schools: 15,482 Ohio auctions with a confirmed result from May 22 to October 31, 2026, from 880 selling accounts.
How the State of Ohio sells surplus
DAS State and Federal Surplus Services offers surplus first to state agencies, local governments and member nonprofits. Whatever they don't take goes to the public by online auction, and DAS says you must register on GovDeals to bid. Items are sold as-is.
The State of Ohio account sold 1,095 lots for $4.0 million in winning bids in our data. Several big public sellers run their own GovDeals accounts: the Ohio Department of Transportation (290 auctions, $856,265), the Ohio State University surplus department (563), and Columbus Fleet Management (183, $930,121). Each sets its own pickup terms.
Ohio on GovDeals: the numbers
Every GovDeals auction with an Ohio pickup location that closed from May 22, 2026 to October 31, 2026 with a confirmed result:
| Metric | Ohio on GovDeals |
|---|---|
| Auctions with a confirmed result | 15,482 |
| Sold | 13,887 |
| Median bidders per sold lot | 11 (all GovDeals: 11) |
| Median winning bid | $140 (all GovDeals: $175) |
| Total winning bids | $22.3 million |
| Selling accounts | 880 |
| Auctions from commercial sellers | 8.3% |
| Lots open on November 2 | 2,340 |
Ohio buyers compete hard for cars and computers
Ohio cars drew a median of 40 bidders and sold for $2,725, against 27 bidders and $2,200 across GovDeals. Pickups drew 41 bidders and SUVs 32, though both sold a little below the national median ($3,239 and $2,514). Computers are unusually contested too: laptops sold for a median $365 with 23 bidders (national: $230 and 18) and desktops for $290 with 18 (national: $170 and 14).
Columbus alone had 4,007 auctions, more than a quarter of the state. The low end is very low: home and garden lots sold for a median $15 on one bid, and office supplies for $12 to $14. On November 2, 2,340 Ohio lots were open, 788 of them home and garden.
What sells
The busiest categories (at least 10 sales each), with the GovDeals-wide figure for comparison:
| Category | Sold | Median bidders | Median winning bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automobiles/Cars | 817 | 40 (all GovDeals: 27) | $2,725 (all GovDeals: $2,200) |
| Home and Garden | 509 | 1 (all GovDeals: 1) | $15 (all GovDeals: $20) |
| SUV | 566 | 32 (all GovDeals: 30) | $2,514 (all GovDeals: $3,000) |
| General Merchandise | 484 | 5 (all GovDeals: 3) | $18 (all GovDeals: $35) |
| Pickup Trucks | 502 | 41 (all GovDeals: 38) | $3,239 (all GovDeals: $3,850) |
| Fire & Police Equipment | 351 | 7.5 (all GovDeals: 6) | $75 (all GovDeals: $65) |
| Furniture and Furnishings | 299 | 1 (all GovDeals: 2) | $10 (all GovDeals: $15) |
| Office Equipment and Supplies | 251 | 3 (all GovDeals: 3) | $14 (all GovDeals: $19) |
| Computers: Laptops | 298 | 23 (all GovDeals: 18) | $365 (all GovDeals: $230) |
| Office Equipment & Supplies, Miscellaneous | 232 | 3 (all GovDeals: 3) | $12 (all GovDeals: $17) |
| Computers, Parts, and Supplies | 259 | 13 (all GovDeals: 15) | $110 (all GovDeals: $220) |
| Lighting & Fixtures | 151 | 1 (all GovDeals: 1) | $25 (all GovDeals: $25) |
| Computers: Desktops and All-In-Ones | 226 | 18 (all GovDeals: 14) | $290 (all GovDeals: $170) |
| Audio/Visual Equipment | 203 | 4 (all GovDeals: 6) | $36 (all GovDeals: $55) |
| Furniture, Miscellaneous | 148 | 3 (all GovDeals: 3) | $20 (all GovDeals: $21) |
Who sells
| Seller | Type | Auctions | Sold | Winning bids |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account 23980 | — | 1,276 | 768 | $64,555 |
| State of Ohio | Government | 1,110 | 1,095 | $3,983,221 |
| Ohio State University Surplus Department | Government | 563 | 547 | $646,419 |
| University of Cincinnati | Government | 554 | 549 | $202,844 |
| Columbus State Community College | Government | 364 | 361 | $16,726 |
| Jamie's Mulch & Topsoil Inc | Commercial | 356 | 260 | $94,420 |
| Ohio Department of Transportation | Government | 290 | 287 | $856,265 |
| Cleveland State University | Government | 258 | 250 | $19,071 |
| University of Akron | Government | 202 | 200 | $58,102 |
| Columbus Fleet Management | Government | 183 | 181 | $930,121 |
Where
| City | Auctions | Sold | Median winning bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 4,007 | 3,358 | $122 |
| Cincinnati | 900 | 886 | $158 |
| Bowling Green | 467 | 436 | $75 |
| Toledo | 398 | 354 | $52 |
| Cleveland | 390 | 369 | $20 |
| West Chester | 369 | 273 | $50 |
| Canton | 352 | 328 | $201 |
| Dayton | 348 | 326 | $290 |
By month
| Month | Sold | Median winning bid |
|---|---|---|
| May 2026* | 885 | $150 |
| June 2026 | 1,946 | $137 |
| July 2026 | 2,257 | $140 |
| August 2026 | 2,512 | $150 |
| September 2026 | 2,760 | $102 |
| October 2026 | 3,527 | $160 |
What's open right now
2,493 Ohio lots were open on GovDeals when this page was last updated (Nov 8, 11:23 PM ET). These 8 have the highest current bids among lots closing in the next few days. Bids move fast, so open the listing for the current bid, the pickup address and the removal deadline before you bid.
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1979 Ford F250 Custom with Flat bed, many original parts, low mileage
$10,000current bidNorth LewisburgEnds Nov 10, 2:00 PM ET -
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GavelGap puts the other half of the math on every GovDeals listing: what the lot resells for, what it costs you landed, and the pickup-only, title and condition problems that sink a deal, right in your browser.
Try GavelGap free →Methodology
Our GovDeals figures include every GovDeals auction with an Ohio pickup location that ended from May 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026 and whose outcome GovDeals confirmed by status, bid history or bid count. Lots we couldn't confirm either way are left out, as are real estate and land sales and sellers that sell at a fixed price with no bidding (at least 90% of 20 or more sales with no recorded bid). "All GovDeals" figures use the same rules nationwide over the same dates. "Bidders" is the bid count on the sold lot, which can include several bids from one person, so read it as a measure of how contested a lot was. Category medians are per lot, so a multi-unit lot counts as one sale at its full price. Categories need at least 10 sales. Commercial sellers are businesses and remarketers selling on GovDeals rather than government bodies, using GovDeals' own seller type. We don't show sell-through: before September 2026 our tracking didn't record every unsold auction, so early months would overstate it. We don't publish per-lot resale estimates. Facts about Ohio's own surplus program come from the official sources linked above; programs change, so confirm terms with the agency before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the State of Ohio sell surplus?
On GovDeals. DAS State and Federal Surplus Services offers surplus to state agencies, local governments and member nonprofits first, then sells the rest to the public by online auction; you register on GovDeals to bid.
Does ODOT sell surplus to the public?
Yes, on its own GovDeals account. From May 22 to October 31, 2026, the Ohio Department of Transportation had 290 auctions with $856,265 in winning bids.
What do Ohio government cars sell for?
On GovDeals, Ohio cars sold for a median $2,725 with a median of 40 bidders, against $2,200 and 27 across all of GovDeals.
What does the winner pay on top of the bid?
On GovDeals, usually a 12.5% buyer's premium plus sales tax, and you handle pickup and removal within the seller's deadline.
Related: Retired police car prices · Laptop sold prices · Car auctions near you
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