The Centerton, AR sales tax rate is 9.5% on most retail purchases. That total combines three separate taxes collected at the register: 6.5% to the state of Arkansas,1Justia Law. Arkansas Code 26-52-301 – Tax Levied 1.0% to Benton County,2Benton County Arkansas. Sales Tax by City and 2.0% to the city of Centerton.3Avalara. 2026 Centerton, Arkansas Sales Tax Calculator and Rate Several categories follow different rules, and the differences matter: groceries, prescriptions, used cars, and back-to-school shopping during the state tax holiday can all cost you less, sometimes a lot less.
Groceries Cost Less at the Register
As of January 1, 2026, Arkansas dropped its state sales tax on food and food ingredients to 0.0%.4Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. State Sales and Use Tax Rate Changes The county and city portions still apply, so qualifying groceries in Centerton are taxed at 3.0% rather than the full 9.5%.
Qualifying food means items you take home to prepare: fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, cereals, and similar staples sold unheated and not prepared for immediate consumption. A hot rotisserie chicken, a restaurant meal, or anything else classified as prepared food stays at the full 9.5%.5Arkansas General Assembly. Fiscal Impact Statement SB377 Dietary supplements that carry a “Supplement Facts” panel instead of a “Nutrition Facts” panel are also taxed at the standard rate, not the grocery rate.
Prescriptions Are Exempt, OTC Drugs Are Not
Prescription drugs dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, hospital, or physician for human use are fully exempt from Arkansas sales tax, as is prescription oxygen. Free prescription drug samples pulled from manufacturer inventory are exempt too.6Justia Law. Arkansas Code 26-52-406 – Prescription Drugs and Oxygen
Over-the-counter medications don’t qualify. They’re taxed at the full 9.5%, which adds up on expensive items. If your doctor is willing to write a prescription for a product that’s also sold OTC, filling it at the pharmacy counter avoids the tax.
Buying a Vehicle in Centerton
Vehicle sales tax isn’t collected at the dealership. You pay it directly to the Department of Finance and Administration when you register the vehicle, and you have 60 days from the purchase date to do that. Missing the deadline triggers a registration penalty plus 10% of the unpaid sales tax.7Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Vehicle Tag Renewal
The rate depends on the price:
- New vehicles and used vehicles priced at $10,000 or more: the full 9.5%.
- Used vehicles priced $4,000 to $9,999: the state portion drops to 3.5%, with the 1.0% county and 2.0% city taxes still applied.
- Used vehicles under $4,000: no state sales tax at all.8Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Recent Changes in the Law
A trade-in reduces the taxable price. Buy a $30,000 vehicle and trade in one worth $5,000, and you pay tax on $25,000, saving $475 at the full rate. Arkansas extends the same benefit to private sales: if you sell a vehicle privately within 45 days before or after buying another one, you can claim a credit against the sales tax equal to the sale proceeds.9Cornell Law Institute. 006.05.08 Ark. Code R. 12.1 – Sales Tax Credit for Private Sale
The Annual Sales Tax Holiday
Arkansas holds a sales tax holiday each summer that lifts both state and local tax on certain purchases. In 2026, the holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 1 through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 2. Qualifying items include clothing, electronic devices, school supplies, school art supplies, and school instructional materials.10Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. 2026 Sales Tax Holiday During that weekend, the full 9.5% comes off qualifying purchases, which makes it worth planning back-to-school shopping around those two days.
Online Purchases Shipped to Centerton
Anything shipped to a Centerton address is taxed at the same 9.5% as an in-store purchase. Since 2019, Arkansas has required remote sellers and marketplace facilitators (Amazon, Walmart.com, Etsy and the like) to collect and remit Arkansas sales tax once they exceed $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions in the state in the current or prior calendar year.11Justia Law. Arkansas Code 26-52-111 – Remote Sellers and Marketplace Facilitators Every major retailer meets that threshold, so the tax shows up automatically at checkout.
Smaller independent sellers who run their own websites and fall below those thresholds aren’t required to collect Arkansas tax. You technically owe it as use tax on those purchases, even though most people don’t report them.
How Centerton Compares to Nearby Cities
Centerton’s 9.5% total matches Bentonville and Rogers, which carry the same 6.5% state, 1.0% county, and 2.0% city combination.2Benton County Arkansas. Sales Tax by City Driving to another Benton County city for a regular retail purchase doesn’t change your tax bill.
Bella Vista also sits at 9.5% on standard retail, but adds a 1.0% tax on prepared food and 2.0% on lodging.12City of Bella Vista, AR. Economic Development Those surcharges don’t touch ordinary shopping, so a store purchase there costs the same as one in Centerton; a restaurant meal costs slightly more. Local rates can shift whenever voters approve new bonds or levies, so it’s worth confirming the current rate before any large purchase.