Arkansas Car Sales Tax Calculator
Figure basis: Official Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)This Arkansas car sales tax calculator estimates the tax and fees on buying a vehicle. Arkansas applies its state sales or use tax of 6.5% to a vehicle purchase, the same rate sourced from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) that applies to other taxable goods. Enter the vehicle price and your registration fee to see the state sales tax, fees and the total drive-away cost. Most counties and cities in Arkansas add a local sales tax on top of the state rate, so your combined rate at purchase may be higher; use the Arkansas sales tax calculator to find the local rate for your address. Registration and title fees are set by the Arkansas DMV and depend on the vehicle's weight, type and your county, so they are entered by you rather than asserted here. Some states also let you subtract a trade-in before tax, while others tax the full price; the rule is set by the state, so enter the net price if Arkansas allows a trade-in credit. Use this to budget for a car purchase and to compare the upfront tax across vehicles. The state rate is the official sourced figure; local rates and fees vary by location.
Arkansas's state sales tax on a vehicle is 6.5%. On a $35,000 car that is $2,275.00 in state tax; with a $300 registration fee, the total is about $37,575.00.
How Arkansas car sales tax is calculated
state sales tax = vehicle price x 6.5% + any local sales tax
total = vehicle price + state sales tax + registration and title fees
Editor's insight: the used-car breaks the flat 6.5% rate hides
Arkansas pairs a fairly high 6.5% state rate with steep local add-ons: Little Rock lands at 8.625%, and small towns such as Gillham reach 12.625%, so the combined rate on a car depends heavily on the city and county where you register it. On a $35,000 vehicle, the 6.5% state portion alone is $2,275 before any local tax is layered on.
Arkansas carves out real relief for cheaper vehicles that a flat-rate calculator misses. A used vehicle priced under $4,000 is exempt from the tax entirely, and used vehicles priced between $4,000 and $10,000 are taxed at a reduced 3.5% state rate rather than 6.5%. Above that, the full rate applies. Arkansas also allows a trade-in credit, and if you sell a vehicle within a short window around the purchase, you can claim credit for that sale price, further shrinking the taxable amount.
One sourcing note: for cities that straddle two county lines, the rate genuinely changes with the address, so those split towns are best confirmed through the Department of Finance and Administration lookup rather than a single city rate. Registration and title fees are set separately by the state and your county, so enter your own DMV figure alongside the sourced 6.5% state rate.
Arkansas car sales tax: frequently asked questions
How much is sales tax on a car in Arkansas?
Arkansas charges its state sales or use tax of 6.5% on a vehicle purchase. On a $35,000 car that is $2,275.00. Many counties and cities add a local rate on top, so your combined rate may be higher; check the Arkansas sales tax calculator for your locality.
Is the registration fee included?
Registration and title fees are set by the Arkansas Department of Motor Vehicles and vary by vehicle weight, type and county, so they are a user-editable input here rather than an asserted figure. Enter your DMV's fee for an accurate total.
Does a trade-in reduce the sales tax in Arkansas?
In many states the taxable amount is the price after a trade-in credit, but some states tax the full price. The rule is set by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). This calculator applies the rate to the price you enter, so enter the net price if Arkansas allows a trade-in credit.
Where does the Arkansas car sales tax rate come from?
The state sales or use tax rate of 6.5% is sourced from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), verified as at Jun 12, 2026. Local rates and DMV fees come from your county.
Official sources
- Arkansas state sales/use tax rate (6.5%): Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), as at Jun 12, 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 26 June 2026. See our methodology. General information, not financial advice. Local sales taxes and DMV registration fees vary by location and are not asserted.