Auction release codes before a trade plate collection

Before any car leaves a BCA, Manheim or Wilsons compound, the gate needs proof that it has been released to you. We collect once that release is confirmed and the vehicle is roadworthy with a valid MOT, so our driver never arrives at the barrier without the authority to drive away.

Each auction house uses its own wording. BCA buyers usually talk about a release code, while Manheim buyers print a vehicle release or gate pass from post sale management once the lot is ready. Wilsons and the independent auctions have their own terms again. Rather than guess, our office asks the compound what it needs on the day and briefs the driver before setting off.

Three things have to match what the gate expects:

If the collector name on the booking differs from the one the auction holds, the driver is turned away. The same happens when payment has not cleared or when the release email has not yet reached the compound's system. We check all three by phone first, so any problem is sorted before a driver joins the queue.

For the full sequence after the hammer falls, including storage, read what happens after you buy at auction. This guide focuses on the release itself: why it matters, what trips it up and when we send a driver.

Storage is the auction's charge and it keeps building while a lot sits on the yard. When collection runs late it often costs more than the drive itself. It is tempting to send someone while the code is still on its way, but that usually means paying for a day when nothing moves.

A driven collection is a single vehicle, so there is no waiting for a transporter to fill its deck. The only thing to wait for is the gate. As soon as release is confirmed and the car is legal to drive, we can send a driver for that registration.

Auction yards run strict gate lists and will not wave a driver through because a buyer is in a hurry. Holding the booking until the site says yes protects both your day and your storage bill.

Once you have paid and cleared everything the auction needs on your account, the site issues the release. Send us the registration, the compound, both postcodes and the release details you hold. We check them with the site, including that day's gate procedure, and then dispatch a driver.

Add the code to the notes on the instant quote form, or phone it through on 0141 459 1302 as soon as it arrives. Give us named contacts at both ends and tell us where the car is heading. Delivery to your own prep, to another dealer or to a retail customer's door are different handovers, so the office needs to know which one it is.

You do not need an account to ask. The instant quote shows your price on screen, with fuel or charging included.

A released lot that cannot legally be driven is still not a job for us. Trade plates do not replace a valid MOT, so salvage, CAT vehicles, non runners and anything the compound will not release onto the public road need a transporter. We will tell you that up front rather than waste a collection slot.

Our driver photographs the vehicle at the compound before setting off and again on delivery, and you receive digital proof of collection and delivery when the job closes. You can read more about that record in our guide to proof of collection and proof of delivery.

When you are ready to book, start from our auction collection page. If you are still at the hammer stage, what to do after you buy walks you through it.

This guide applies to BCA, Manheim and Wilsons. We also quote independent auctions once the release is genuine and check each gate's procedure when you book.

If your lot is at BCA Glasgow or Manheim Shotts, start from the page for that compound. The release rule is the same in Scotland as anywhere else. Our office is in Glasgow and our drivers cover Scotland, England and Wales, while each gate keeps its own local procedure.

Get an instant quote above or call 0141 459 1302.