Arkansas Vehicle Sales Tax Calculator: 6.5% Tax + Fees

Arkansas vehicle sales tax is 6.5% at the state level. Cheaper used cars get a break: 3.5% from $4,000 to $9,999, and no state tax under $4,000. City and county sales tax applies only to the first $2,500 of the price, so local tax stays small.

Use the above Arkansas vehicle sales tax calculator to estimate the tax, title and tag cost on a new or used car, from a dealer or a private seller. The guide below explains each part, including the rules that most online car sales tax calculators get wrong.

Rates and fees checked against the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration on October 1, 2026, using our research method. This is an independent estimate. The state revenue office sets the final amount.

Arkansas Vehicle Tax and Fees at a Glance

Arkansas Vehicle Sales Tax Rates

The state rate depends on whether the vehicle is new or used and, for used vehicles, on the sales price. These tiers took effect January 1, 2022, under Act 1013 of 2021, and apply by purchase date.

The lower used-car rates cut only the state tax. City and county tax is still due. Price tiers like this are rare. California vehicle sales tax uses one rate no matter what the car costs, so a $3,500 car is taxed on every dollar.

Local Sales Tax on Cars: The $2,500 Cap

Your city and county sales tax is based on where you live when you register the car. But on a single vehicle purchase, local tax applies only to the first $2,500 of the price.

That keeps local tax low. At a combined 2.5% city and county rate, local tax is $2,500 × 2.5% = $62.50, whether the car costs $8,000 or $80,000. Even at 5%, it’s only $125. Other states cap it too, just at different points. The Florida county surtax runs to $5,000, so the same idea costs you twice as much there.

Some car sales tax calculators add a city’s full rate to the whole price and show totals above 12%. That isn’t how Arkansas taxes vehicles.

How Arkansas Car Sales Tax Is Calculated

Sales tax = (price − trade-in) × state rate + ($2,500 × local rate)

Does a trade-in lower the tax?

Yes. When you trade a vehicle to the seller, you pay tax only on the difference. A $30,000 car with an $8,000 trade-in is taxed on $22,000.

Selling your old car yourself: the 60-day credit

You get the same break if you sell your old vehicle privately within 60 days before or after you buy the new one. Tax is due only on the difference between the two prices.

Sold it before you register? Bring the bill of sale and tell the revenue office agent. Sold it after? You can claim a refund, as long as the sale is within 45 days of the new purchase. Transfers to an insurance company or gifts don’t count. A few states run the same idea on a longer clock. The Missouri trade-in tax credit allows 180 days, counted either side of the purchase.

Are rebates taxed in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas counts manufacturer and dealer rebates as part of the price. A $2,000 rebate on a $35,000 car doesn’t lower the tax. You’re taxed on $35,000.

How Much Is Car Sales Tax in Arkansas?

This table assumes a new car (6.5%), no trade-in, and a 2.5% local rate on the first $2,500

So a $30,000 car in Arkansas costs about $2,012.50 in sales tax at a 2.5% local rate.

Example 1: New car from a dealer with a trade-in

Assumptions: $30,000 price, $8,000 trade-in, $1,000 manufacturer rebate, 2.5% local rate, car weighing 3,001 to 4,500 pounds, financed.

Example 2: Used car from a private seller

You pay $8,500 for a used car. It falls in the 3.5% tier. State tax is $8,500 × 3.5% = $297.50. Local tax at 2.5% on the first $2,500 is $62.50. Total sales tax: $360.

Example 3: Cheap used car under $4,000

You pay $3,500. There’s no state sales tax, but local tax still applies to the first $2,500. At 2.5%, that’s $62.50.

Example 4: Using the 60-day credit

You buy a $25,000 used car from a dealer and sell your old car privately for $9,000 a month later. You owe state tax on $16,000: $16,000 × 6.5% = $1,040, instead of $1,625.

Buying From a Private Seller in Arkansas

Private sales are taxed at the same rates. The seller doesn’t collect it. You pay it at a state revenue office when you register the car. Arkansas taxes the price on your bill of sale. Texas car sales tax on private sales works differently — the state checks your price against its own value table and taxes the higher number.

Bring these:

• The title, signed by the seller and you
• A bill of sale with the VIN, date of sale, price and both signatures
• Your current-year personal property assessment showing the vehicle
• Proof that your personal property tax is paid up to date
• Proof of insurance on the vehicle that meets Arkansas liability limits

Arkansas Title, Tag and Registration Fees

The title fee is $10. If you have a loan, a $0.50 lien filing fee is added. Registration for passenger cars is based on weight, and most registrations also include a $2.50 validation decal.

Moving a plate to another vehicle costs $1.

Electric Vehicle and Hybrid Fees

Arkansas adds a yearly fee at registration on top of the regular plate fee:

• Electric vehicle: $200
• Plug-in hybrid: $100
• Hybrid: $50

Vehicles with military or veteran special plates that have permanent decals don’t pay these fees. Sales tax is the same for electric and gas cars.

Personal Property Assessment and Tax

Arkansas has a yearly personal property tax on vehicles, paid to your county. Before you can register, you need a current-year assessment that lists the vehicle, and your personal property tax must be paid up to date. You can assess with your county assessor. This yearly bill isn’t unique to Arkansas, though the name changes. Alabama ad valorem tax is collected with your tag each year, sized to the car’s value and your address.

Deadlines and Penalties

You have 60 days from the purchase date to register the vehicle and pay the sales tax. Miss it, and you’ll pay a 10% penalty on the sales tax due, plus $3 for every 10 days the vehicle stays unregistered.

Out-of-State Purchases, Gifts and Special Cases

Buying a car in another state

Arkansas residents pay Arkansas sales tax when they register a vehicle bought elsewhere. Arkansas’s vehicle sales tax rule says no credit is given for sales tax paid to another state on vehicles bought after November 3, 1989. Ask an out-of-state dealer not to collect its own state’s tax if you’ll register in Arkansas, and confirm with a revenue office before you buy. Not every state is this strict. Tennessee car sales tax gives you credit for tax you already paid elsewhere, as long as you can show proof.

Gifts

A gifted vehicle isn’t taxed when both people sign a gift affidavit and the giver originally paid sales tax and registered it in their name.

Inherited vehicles

Transfers through an estate with the right probate paperwork aren’t taxed as a sale.

How to Calculate Arkansas Vehicle Sales Tax by Hand

1. Start with the price. Don’t subtract rebates.
2. Subtract a trade-in, or the price of a vehicle you sold within 60 days.
3. Pick the state rate: 6.5% for new; for used, 6.5% at $10,000+, 3.5% from $4,000 to $9,999, or 0% under $4,000.
4. Multiply the taxable price by the state rate.
5. Add local tax: $2,500 × your city and county rate.
6. Add $10 title, $0.50 lien fee if financed, your plate fee by weight and the $2.50 decal.
7. Add $200 for an EV, $100 for a plug-in hybrid or $50 for a hybrid.

What This Estimate Includes

• State sales tax with the used-car tiers
• City and county tax on the first $2,500
• Trade-in and 60-day sale credits
• $10 title fee
• Registration by weight
• EV, plug-in hybrid or hybrid fee

What This Estimate Does Not Include

• Personal property tax (billed by your county)
• $2.50 decal, $0.50 lien fee and $1 plate transfer fee
• Late penalties
• Dealer documentation fees and add-ons
• Insurance, loan interest and extended warranties

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying your full local rate to the whole price. Local tax stops at the first $2,500.
• Using 6.5% on a cheap used car. Under $10,000, the state rate is 3.5% or 0%.
• Subtracting the rebate. Arkansas taxes the price before rebates.
• Forgetting the 60-day credit. Selling your old car yourself can still cut your tax.
• Missing the 60-day deadline. The 10% penalty adds up quickly.
• Showing up without your assessment. No current assessment, no registration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the vehicle sales tax in Arkansas?

The state rate is 6.5% on new vehicles and on used vehicles priced at $10,000 or more. Used vehicles from $4,000 to $9,999 pay 3.5%, and used vehicles under $4,000 pay no state tax. Local tax applies to the first $2,500.

How much is the sales tax on a $30,000 car in Arkansas?

State tax is $1,950. With a 2.5% local rate on the first $2,500, add $62.50, for $2,012.50.

Do you pay sales tax on a used car from a private seller in Arkansas?

Yes, at the same rates as a dealer sale. You pay it at the revenue office when you register, within 60 days.

Does a trade-in reduce sales tax in Arkansas?

Yes. You’re taxed on the price minus the trade-in. Selling your old car privately within 60 days works the same way.

How much are title and tags in Arkansas?

The title is $10. Passenger car plates cost $17, $25 or $30 a year by weight, plus a $2.50 decal.

Does Arkansas charge extra for electric cars?

Yes. EVs pay $200 a year, plug-in hybrids $100 and hybrids $50, on top of the plate fee.

Official Sources

• Arkansas DFA: DSMV FAQs (sales tax rates, 60-day registration, penalties)
• Arkansas DFA: Recent Changes in the Law (Act 1013 of 2021, used vehicle rates)
• Arkansas DFA: Sales Tax Credit for Sale of a Used Vehicle
• Arkansas DFA: Motor Vehicle Registration Fee Schedule
• Arkansas DFA: Do You Have What You Need? (registration documents)
• Arkansas DFA: What’s New in Sales Tax for 2025 ($2,500 local tax cap)
• Arkansas Gross Receipts Tax Rules, GR-12 (motor vehicles) and GR-18 (rebates)
• U.S. Department of Energy AFDC: Arkansas EV and hybrid fees (Ark. Code 27-14-614)

This page is an independent estimate tool and guide. It isn’t affiliated with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration or any county office. Rates and fees can change, so confirm your final amount with a state revenue office before you pay.