GovPlanet is owned by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global, Inc., NYSE: RBA), a publicly traded company founded in 1958. Ritchie Bros. acquired GovPlanet as part of its 2017 purchase of IronPlanet.

No. GovPlanet is not a scam. It is backed by a publicly traded auction company and sells genuine government surplus. The real risks are practical, not fraud: items sell as-is, some military items carry demilitarization or registration restrictions, and heavy or oversized lots are expensive to transport.

Is GovPlanet legit? An honest review for buyers & resellers

Q: Is GovPlanet a legitimate website?

Yes. GovPlanet is an established online auction marketplace owned by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global, NYSE: RBA), a publicly traded company. It sells surplus military and government vehicles, trucks, and equipment to the public through timed online auctions. It is a real marketplace, not a scam.

Q: What is GovPlanet?

GovPlanet is an online auction platform specializing in surplus military and government rolling stock — trucks, tactical and utility vehicles, trailers, heavy equipment, and parts — sold to civilian buyers. It is part of the IronPlanet family of marketplaces owned by Ritchie Bros., and sources much of its inventory through U.S. government surplus programs.

Q: Is it safe to buy from GovPlanet?

It is safe in the sense that you receive the lot you won and payment runs through the platform. Many lots include an IronClad Assurance inspection report, which reduces condition surprises. The financial risk is yours: read the demilitarization notes and title/registration terms, confirm transport cost, and calculate landed cost against real resale before bidding.

Q: Does GovPlanet charge buyer fees?

Yes. GovPlanet adds a buyer's premium to your winning bid, and you also pay applicable taxes, any documentation or payment fees, and all transport. The exact buyer's premium and fees are disclosed on each listing — read them before you bid, because they vary by lot.

Published August 26, 2026 · GavelGap

Short answer: yes. GovPlanet is a legitimate online auction marketplace owned by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global, NYSE: RBA) — a publicly traded company — that sells surplus military and government vehicles and equipment to the public. It is not a scam. The real risks aren't fraud; they're freight, demilitarization rules, and overpaying on as-is rolling stock.

What is GovPlanet?

GovPlanet is an online auction platform that specializes in surplus military and government rolling stock — tactical and utility trucks, trailers, generators, heavy equipment, and parts — sold to civilian buyers. It's part of the IronPlanet family of marketplaces and sources much of its inventory through U.S. government surplus programs. If GovDeals is the general-purpose government surplus site, GovPlanet is the specialist for wheeled and tracked equipment.

How does GovPlanet work?

Register a free account and get approved to bid.
Browse timed online auctions. Many lots carry an IronClad Assurance inspection report — a third-party condition report that reduces (but doesn't eliminate) surprises.
Bid up to your maximum. Auctions are timed and can extend on late bids.
Win and pay your bid plus a buyer's premium, applicable taxes, and any fees.
Arrange transport. Most lots are pickup-or-freight from the storage yard, and you handle logistics within the removal window.

As with all surplus channels, everything is sold as-is, where-is. The inspection report helps, but there are no returns.

Who owns GovPlanet? Is it a real company?

GovPlanet is owned by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global, Inc., NYSE: RBA), a publicly traded company founded in 1958 and one of the largest industrial-equipment auctioneers in the world. Ritchie Bros. acquired GovPlanet as part of its 2017 purchase of IronPlanet. That's about as far from "fly-by-night" as a surplus site gets.

Is GovPlanet a scam?

No. You receive the lot you won, payment runs through the platform, and the inventory is genuine government surplus. What makes buyers nervous is specific to military rolling stock, and it's all legitimate:

Demilitarization & use restrictions. Some military items are sold with demil requirements or usage/registration limits. This is disclosed — read it.
As-is condition on heavy machinery. "Runs" vs. "for parts" is a big swing on a truck. The inspection report is your friend.
Transport reality. A cheap win 1,500 miles away isn't cheap once you pay to move a 20,000-lb vehicle.

Is GovPlanet safe to buy from?

Yes — trustworthy on delivery and payment; risky only on your math. The platform is safe; the danger is bidding on a vehicle's book value while ignoring transport, repairs, demil restrictions, and title/registration hurdles. Treat "safe" as two questions: Will I get defrauded? (no) and Could I lose money? (yes, if you skip the landed-cost math).

GovPlanet review: the honest pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Backed by Ritchie Bros., a publicly traded auction giant	Everything is as-is, where-is — no returns
IronClad Assurance inspection reports on many lots	Some military items carry demil / registration restrictions
Specialist inventory: trucks, tactical vehicles, equipment	Heavy freight can dwarf the winning bid
Real below-market acquisition on the right rolling stock	Title/registration for ex-military vehicles can be involved

Verdict: GovPlanet is a legitimate, specialist channel for surplus vehicles and equipment. The platform isn't the risk — underestimating transport, demil rules, and repair is.

Where buyers actually lose money

The #1 mistake: bidding on the vehicle's retail/book value instead of its landed cost vs. real resale. Freight, a buyer's premium, repairs, and title work can turn a "steal" into a loss on a single truck.

Freight / transport — the biggest line item on heavy lots; get a real quote before bidding.
Buyer's premium + fees — added to your bid; disclosed per listing.
Demil & registration — restrictions or paperwork that limit resale or use.
Condition & repairs — "as-is" on a diesel engine is a real gamble; use the inspection report.

Cross-shopping surplus sites? GavelGap automates the landed-cost-vs-resale math on GovDeals — the largest general-surplus marketplace — scoring every listing in your browser sidebar so you know if it flips before you bid.

See how GavelGap works →

Frequently asked questions

Is GovPlanet a legitimate website?

Yes. GovPlanet is owned by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global, NYSE: RBA), a publicly traded company, and sells genuine surplus military and government vehicles and equipment through online auctions. It's a real marketplace, not a scam.

What is GovPlanet?

An online auction platform specializing in surplus military and government rolling stock — trucks, tactical and utility vehicles, trailers, heavy equipment, and parts — sold to civilian buyers. It's part of the IronPlanet family owned by Ritchie Bros.

Who owns GovPlanet?

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global, Inc., NYSE: RBA), a publicly traded company founded in 1958. GovPlanet came to Ritchie Bros. through its 2017 acquisition of IronPlanet.

Is GovPlanet a scam?

No. You receive the lot you won and payment runs through the platform. The real risks are practical: as-is condition, demilitarization/registration rules on some military items, and heavy transport costs.

Is it safe to buy from GovPlanet?

Safe on delivery and payment, and many lots include an IronClad Assurance inspection report. The financial risk is yours — read the demil and title terms, confirm transport, and compute landed cost before bidding.

Does GovPlanet charge buyer fees?

Yes — a buyer's premium on top of your winning bid, plus taxes, any documentation/payment fees, and all transport. The exact figures are disclosed on each listing.