At a glance
| What's sold | Surplus from the Bundeswehr, public agencies, police, fire services and foreign forces |
| Lots located in | Germany (94%), Italy (6%) |
| Who can bid | Businesses only, German or foreign; private buyers cannot register |
| Buyer's premium | None |
| VAT on premium | No premium; 19% VAT is added to the net price |
| Payment deadline | Funds must arrive within 10 days of the invoice (IFMS lots: 8 days) |
| Pickup deadline | 3 weeks from the invoice date (IFMS lots: 21 days) |
| Verdict | Cheap to use, but you carry all the condition risk |
What's sold
VEBEG is owned by the federal government. It sells surplus from the Bundeswehr, federal and state agencies, councils, police, THW, fire services, and British and US forces. You will find vehicles, workshop machines, IT, medical equipment, boats, aircraft parts, clothing and scrap, but no weapons or war material. Most lots were taken out of service because they are faulty or incomplete.
Who can bid
- Private buyers: You cannot bid. Private registration ended on 1 January 2022, and old private accounts are locked and cannot be changed to business accounts.
- Businesses: You must give a VAT ID or tax number and proof that you trade as a business. Businesses from outside Germany are accepted. German buyers pay no deposit. EU and export buyers pay a security equal to the German VAT after they win.
Registration
- Complete the online registration form.
- Confirm your email address with the link or registration key you receive.
- Click "Konto für Online-Gebote freischalten" to get the receipt form (Empfangsbestätigung) and your bid PIN.
- Sign the receipt form and email it back with your proof of business.
- Wait for VEBEG to check it by hand and send an activation email; the time this takes is not confirmed, so start early.
- Log in and bid with your username, password and PIN.
Fees and real total cost
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's premium (Aufgeld) | None | No premium is charged |
| VAT | 19% of the net price | All bids are net of VAT |
| VAT security (EU/export) | Equal to German VAT | Refunded when you prove arrival or export; lost after 6 months without proof |
| Payment | Your bank charges and exchange costs | Bank transfer in EUR only |
| Loading and handling | None | You supply the staff and equipment |
| Weighing | Not confirmed | For lots sold by weight, at your cost |
| Storage | Standard lots: not confirmed; IFMS: EUR 10 per vehicle per day | Only if you miss the pickup deadline |
| Import duty (IFMS) | Up to 45% of the price | Paid to customs before pickup |
| Postage | EUR 11–100, by weight and zone | Only on "Postversand" lots; whether VAT applies is not confirmed |
Worked example for a German VAT-registered business:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hammer price (Zuschlag), net | EUR 1,000 |
| Buyer's premium | EUR 0 |
| VAT at 19% | EUR 190 |
| Other VEBEG fees | EUR 0 |
| Total paid to VEBEG | EUR 1,190 |
The total leaves out transport, number plates, repairs and bank charges. These are your own costs and their amounts are not confirmed.
How bidding works
- Most lots are sold by sealed tender (Ausschreibung). You cannot see rival bids, and no start or reserve price is shown.
- In a tender you may raise, lower or delete your bid until the closing date (Gebotstermin). Your last bid is the one that counts, and it binds you from that date.
- Live auctions (Live-Auktion) start at a set price. A proxy agent (Bietagent) bids for you up to your maximum.
- Live increments rise from EUR 1 for bids up to EUR 50 to EUR 100 for bids above EUR 5,000.
- Live auctions end at a fixed time with no extension. Lots close one after another.
- You cannot withdraw a bid in a live auction.
- The highest bid does not have to win in either format. The seller can decide after seeing the bids, which works like a hidden reserve.
Watch out
- Lots are sold as seen (wie sie steht und liegt): no warranty, no test drives, and descriptions do not bind VEBEG.
- Buyers report lots in worse shape than the photos and parts missing by pickup day.
- Your pickup authorisation comes by post and can eat most of the 3 weeks, so pay on the day the invoice arrives.
- Risk passes to you at the pickup deadline; goods left behind may be stored, sold or scrapped at your cost.
- Dealers and exporters drive prices, so ask for the non-binding guide price (Richtpreis) and inspect in person first.
Verdict: VEBEG is genuine and very cheap to use, but it suits businesses that can inspect, move and repair goods themselves.