Tennessee government surplus auctions
Tennessee's state surplus auctions are on GovDeals, under the Department of General Services, and so are Metro Nashville's and the University of Tennessee's. It's the third-busiest state we cover: 11,768 Tennessee auctions with a confirmed result from May 22 to October 31, 2026, for $17.6 million in winning bids.
Tennessee state surplus on GovDeals
The Department of General Services sends buyers to its State Surplus online auctions at govdeals.com/tnsurplus. In our data the State of Tennessee account sold 1,038 lots for $3.4 million, led by SUVs, pickups and cars. General Services lists (615) 741-9263.
Metro Nashville sells its own surplus on a separate GovDeals account, and so does the University of Tennessee, which says state law requires its surplus to be sold by public auction only, that all of it goes through online auctions on GovDeals, and that it no longer holds live in-house auctions. Each seller sets its own payment and removal terms.
Tennessee on GovDeals: the numbers
Every GovDeals auction with a Tennessee pickup location that closed from May 22, 2026 to October 31, 2026 with a confirmed result:
| Metric | Tennessee on GovDeals |
|---|---|
| Auctions with a confirmed result | 11,768 |
| Sold | 11,417 |
| Median bidders per sold lot | 15 (all GovDeals: 11) |
| Median winning bid | $135 (all GovDeals: $175) |
| Total winning bids | $17.6 million |
| Selling accounts | 447 |
| Auctions from commercial sellers | 4.1% |
| Lots open on November 7 | 979 |
Tennessee is computers and crowds
Metro Nashville (2,389 auctions) and UT Knoxville (2,027) ran more than a third of Tennessee's auctions between them, led by computers, at median winning bids of $69 and $88. Tennessee sold 938 desktops for a median $106 and 825 laptops for $102, both under the national $170 and $230.
Bidding is busy. The median sold lot drew 15 bidders against 11 nationally, and cars, pickups and SUVs from government sellers drew 40. Pickups sold for $3,550 with 42.5 bidders and SUVs for $2,700 with 38, a little under the national $3,800 and $3,000. Cookeville lots sold for a median $700, the highest of Tennessee's busiest cities.
What sells
The busiest categories (at least 10 sales each), with the GovDeals-wide figure for comparison:
| Category | Sold | Median bidders | Median winning bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computers: Desktops and All-In-Ones | 938 | 13 (all GovDeals: 14) | $106 (all GovDeals: $170) |
| Computers: Laptops | 825 | 15 (all GovDeals: 18) | $102 (all GovDeals: $230) |
| Furniture, Miscellaneous | 748 | 6 (all GovDeals: 3) | $27 (all GovDeals: $21) |
| Automobiles/Cars | 613 | 32 (all GovDeals: 28) | $1,575 (all GovDeals: $2,200) |
| SUV | 489 | 38 (all GovDeals: 30) | $2,700 (all GovDeals: $3,000) |
| Pickup Trucks | 492 | 42.5 (all GovDeals: 38) | $3,550 (all GovDeals: $3,800) |
| Office Equipment & Supplies, Miscellaneous | 416 | 7 (all GovDeals: 3) | $21 (all GovDeals: $17) |
| Computers, Parts, and Supplies | 214 | 13 (all GovDeals: 15) | $86 (all GovDeals: $220) |
| Tools, All Types | 212 | 15 (all GovDeals: 10) | $70 (all GovDeals: $53) |
| Furniture and Furnishings | 160 | 5 (all GovDeals: 2) | $15 (all GovDeals: $15) |
| Industrial Equipment, Miscellaneous | 146 | 10.5 (all GovDeals: 8) | $102 (all GovDeals: $144) |
| Laboratory Equipment, Miscellaneous | 154 | 13 (all GovDeals: 9) | $79 (all GovDeals: $82) |
| Commercial Food Service and Cafeteria Equipment | 135 | 10 (all GovDeals: 7) | $77 (all GovDeals: $102) |
| Sporting Equipment | 133 | 13.5 (all GovDeals: 7) | $81 (all GovDeals: $80) |
| Electronics, Personal | 125 | 7 (all GovDeals: 12) | $24 (all GovDeals: $62) |
Who sells
| Seller | Type | Auctions | Sold | Winning bids |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County | Government | 2,389 | 2,381 | $1,359,282 |
| Knoxville, University of Tennessee | Government | 2,027 | 2,027 | $423,601 |
| State of Tennessee | Government | 1,056 | 1,038 | $3,445,117 |
| Knox County | Government | 555 | 555 | $251,802 |
| East Tennessee State University | Government | 267 | 255 | $75,843 |
| Schneider Electric | Commercial | 232 | 181 | $181,923 |
| University of Tennessee at Martin | Government | 166 | 162 | $75,180 |
| Chattanooga State Community College | Government | 146 | 145 | $69,201 |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Government | 119 | 118 | $34,712 |
| Sumner County Board of Education | Government | 108 | 93 | $15,864 |
Where
| City | Auctions | Sold | Median winning bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 3,165 | 3,110 | $87 |
| Knoxville | 2,875 | 2,869 | $97 |
| Johnson City | 359 | 346 | $53 |
| Chattanooga | 287 | 285 | $102 |
| Smyrna | 280 | 224 | $102 |
| Clarksville | 203 | 195 | $270 |
| Cookeville | 186 | 185 | $700 |
| Murfreesboro | 184 | 178 | $93 |
By month
| Month | Sold | Median winning bid |
|---|---|---|
| May 2026* | 670 | $150 |
| June 2026 | 1,323 | $161 |
| July 2026 | 1,825 | $132 |
| August 2026 | 2,241 | $116 |
| September 2026 | 2,639 | $155 |
| October 2026 | 2,719 | $121 |
What's open right now
864 Tennessee 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.
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.
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Our GovDeals figures include every GovDeals auction with a Tennessee 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 Tennessee'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 Tennessee sell surplus?
On GovDeals, at govdeals.com/tnsurplus, under the Department of General Services. Metro Nashville and the University of Tennessee run their own GovDeals accounts.
How does the University of Tennessee sell surplus?
UT says state law requires its surplus to be sold by public auction only, and it sells all of it through online auctions on GovDeals. It no longer holds live in-house auctions.
What do Tennessee government vehicles sell for?
From May 22 to October 31, 2026, Tennessee pickups on GovDeals sold for a median $3,550 with 42.5 bidders, SUVs for $2,700 and cars for $1,575.
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: Laptop sold prices · Pickup truck sold prices · Government auctions near you
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