Arkansas Vehicle Sales Tax Calculator

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 7, 2026

How much is Arkansas vehicle sales tax?

The 6.5% is the state part. Most Arkansas cities and counties add their own sales tax, and the combined rate where you live is what matters. What makes Arkansas different from most states is that the local tax on a vehicle only applies to the first $2,500 of the price. So on a $40,000 truck, the local tax is the same as on a $2,500 one. The state tax does almost all the work.

The same brackets cover used trailers and semitrailers. Arkansas sets the bracket by the date of sale: the reduced used rate applies to sales on or after January 1, 2022, even if the car was registered later.

Arkansas used car sales tax

Used vehicles get Arkansas's most important break. Act 1013 of 2021 set up the three price tiers above, and they decide your rate more than anything else.

• Under $4,000: no sales tax on a used car, truck or trailer.
• $4,000 to $9,999.99: the state rate drops to 3.5%. The local tax still applies at the normal rate. Only the state part is reduced.
• $10,000 and up: the full 6.5% state rate.

Watch the edges of each bracket. A used car at $9,950 pays 3.5% state tax ($348.25). The same car at $10,050 pays 6.5% ($653.25), more than $300 extra for $100 more on the price. The bracket follows the sale price, so if you're close to a threshold, it's worth knowing before you agree the final number.

Sales tax on new cars in Arkansas

New vehicles don't get a reduced rate. Arkansas new car sales tax is 6.5% of the price after trade-in, plus local tax on the first $2,500. Manufacturer rebates don't change the rate, but how the dealer shows them on the paperwork can change the taxable price. Ask the dealer to show the taxable amount on the buyer's order.

How to calculate sales tax on a car in Arkansas

To calculate Arkansas vehicle sales tax by hand, follow these five steps. The calculator above does exactly the same thing.

1. Start with the sale price on the bill of sale or buyer's order.
2. Subtract your trade-in (or the price of a car you sold yourself within 45 days).
3. Pick the state rate from the table above. Used cars use the sale price to choose the bracket.
4. Multiply the taxed amount by the state rate.
5. Add local tax: your city + county rate × the first $2,500 of the taxed amount.

Arkansas sales tax on vehicles, by price

Here's the total automobile sales tax in Arkansas at six prices, with no trade-in and a 2.5% combined local rate. Your local rate may be higher or lower, but because it only applies to the first $2,500, it changes the total by at most a few dozen dollars.

The jump between the $9,950 and $15,000 rows is the used-car bracket at work. Sales tax on cars in Arkansas roughly doubles in rate once a used car crosses $10,000, while the same rule never applies to new cars.

Local sales tax on vehicles in Arkansas

Arkansas counties and cities each set their own sales tax, so two buyers paying the same price can owe different amounts. The rate that counts is the one for the address you give when you title and register the car. It isn't the dealer's city.

For a single vehicle, local tax is limited to the first $2,500 of the price. At a combined local rate of 2%, that's at most $50. At 4%, at most $100. This cap is why the local part barely moves on more expensive cars, and why the calculator only applies your local rate to $2,500. Look up your exact combined rate on the Arkansas DFA's local tax rate tool before you go to the revenue office.

Trade-ins and selling your old car yourself

Arkansas subtracts a trade-in from the taxable price when the item traded is a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer. Trading in a boat or an ATV doesn't count.

If you sell your old car privately instead of trading it in, you can still get the credit. Arkansas lets you deduct the price of the vehicle you sold when the sale happens within 45 days before or after you buy the replacement. Keep the bill of sale for the car you sold and bring it to the revenue office. In the calculator, enter that sale price in the trade-in box.

Buying from a private seller

A private sale in Arkansas is taxed the same way as a dealer sale, using the same brackets for used vehicles. The difference is who pays: no dealer collects anything, so you pay the full amount yourself at the revenue office when you title the car. Bring the signed title, a bill of sale showing the price, proof of insurance and your ID.

When and where you pay

In Arkansas you pay the sales tax at a state revenue office (or the DFA's online service, where available) when you register the vehicle, not at the dealership. You have 30 days from the date of purchase to register and pay. After that, late penalties are added to what you owe. The tax, title fee and registration fee are all paid in the same visit.

Arkansas title and registration fees

On top of the sales tax you pay a title fee and a registration fee. If you came here for a vehicle registration fee calculator for Arkansas, you won't need one: passenger vehicle registration is a flat amount by weight. The table shows the commonly published amounts. Confirm the current fees for your vehicle class with the DFA before your visit.

Frequently asked questions