To register a car in Arkansas, you have 60 calendar days from the purchase date, or 60 days after establishing residency if you’ve moved from another state, to bring your title, proof of insurance, county assessment paperwork, and fees to a State Revenue Office run by the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).1Department of Finance and Administration. Vehicle Tag Renewal – Section: New and Used Vehicle Registration Miss that window and you face late penalties on the sales tax owed. Here’s what to gather and what to expect to pay.
Documents to Bring
Fill out the Vehicle Registration Application (Form 10-381) ahead of time. You can download it from the DFA website or pick one up at any State Revenue Office. The form asks for the vehicle’s make, model, and VIN along with your personal information.2Department of Finance & Administration. Vehicle Registration Application Pair it with the manufacturer’s certificate of origin if the car is new, or a properly assigned title if used.
Bought the car from a private seller? You also need the Vehicle Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form 10-313), which records the purchase price and the mileage at the time of sale.3Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Vehicle Bill of Sale/Odometer Disclosure Statement Form 10-313 Dealers typically take care of title assignment themselves.
Bring proof of Arkansas liability insurance that meets the state minimums:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person per accident
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people per accident
- $25,000 for property damage per accident
A paper or electronic insurance card from your insurer satisfies the proof requirement.4Justia. Arkansas Code 27-22-104 – Insurance Required – Minimum Coverage – Definitions
County Assessment and Tax Receipt
This is the step that trips up first-time registrants. Before the DFA will process your registration, you need two things from your county: proof that you’ve assessed the vehicle with the county assessor for the current calendar year, and a personal property tax receipt showing you have no delinquent taxes.5Justia. Arkansas Code 27-14-1015 – Payment of Personal Property Taxes If you’ve just moved to Arkansas or just bought the car, stop by the assessor’s office before you head to the revenue office. Without these documents the DFA will turn you away regardless of how clean the rest of your paperwork is.
Sales Tax Owed at Registration
Arkansas collects a 6.5% state sales tax on vehicle purchases at the time you register the vehicle, provided the total sale price is $4,000 or more.6Department of Finance and Administration. State Sales and Use Tax Rates Buy for less than $4,000 and no state sales tax is due.7Arkansas Legislature. Summary of Proposal 3 – Sales Tax Exemption on the Sale of New or Used Motor Vehicles of Less than Ten Thousand Dollars City and county taxes stack on top of the state rate, so the total depends on where you live.
If you’re moving in from another state and already paid sales or use tax there on the same vehicle, Arkansas does not give you a credit for it. You still owe the full Arkansas sales tax when you first register the car here.8Justia. Arkansas Code 26-53-131 – Credit for Tax Paid in Another State Plan for that in your budget.
Pay late and a 10% penalty is added to the sales tax you owe. On a $2,000 tax bill, that penalty alone is $200.
Registration and Title Fees
Registration fees are set by the vehicle’s unladen (empty) weight as listed by the manufacturer:9Justia. Arkansas Code 27-14-601 – Fees for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicles – Definitions
- 3,000 lbs. or less: $17.00
- 3,001 to 4,500 lbs.: $25.00
- 4,501 lbs. and over: $30.00
You’ll also pay these at the counter:
- Title fee: $10.00
- Validation decal fee: $2.505Justia. Arkansas Code 27-14-1015 – Payment of Personal Property Taxes
- Lien filing fee if the vehicle is financed: $0.50
If you’re keeping a plate from a previous vehicle instead of taking a new one, the transfer fee is $1.00. Moving a plate from a lighter car to a heavier one costs the $1.00 transfer fee plus the difference in registration fees between the two weight classes. No refund if the new vehicle is lighter.
Electric and Hybrid Surcharges
Arkansas tacks an annual highway usage fee onto the registration of electric and hybrid vehicles to make up for the fuel taxes they don’t pay:10Alternative Fuels Data Center. Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) Fee
- All-electric vehicles: $200 per year
- Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: $100 per year
- Standard hybrid vehicles: $50 per year
These surcharges apply at initial registration and every year at renewal.
Where to File
Take everything in person to any State Revenue Office. Staff process registrations on the spot, and you usually leave the same day with a metal license plate, your registration certificate, and expiration decals. Attach the decals to the plate right away and keep the registration certificate in the vehicle. Driving without a current certificate or valid decals can bring a traffic stop and citation.
If you can’t make it in person, you can mail the full documentation packet and payment to:
Office of Motor Vehicle
P.O. Box 3153
Little Rock, AR 72203-315311Department of Finance and Administration. Vehicle Tag Renewal
Mail processing takes several weeks, and any missing document or unclear copy will come back to you and reset the clock. Check every page before you seal the envelope.
Out-of-State Titles With a Salvage Brand
Most out-of-state vehicles don’t need a physical inspection. Arkansas requires a VIN verification only when the out-of-state title is branded as salvage, prior salvage, or similar. A certified law enforcement officer from any city or county in Arkansas, an Arkansas State Police officer, or a State Police designee can perform it.1Department of Finance and Administration. Vehicle Tag Renewal – Section: New and Used Vehicle Registration A clean out-of-state title skips this step.
Vehicles Imported From Outside the U.S.
Importing from another country adds a federal step. Before Arkansas will title the car, you need a completed NHTSA Form HS-7 declaring the vehicle meets federal safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards.12NHTSA. Form HS-7 – Declaration – Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment Without it, U.S. Customs won’t release the vehicle. Cars 25 years or older qualify for an age exemption from the federal safety standards, but you still file the HS-7 to document the exemption.
Active-Duty Military Stationed in Arkansas
If you’re on active duty, stationed in Arkansas, and your legal domicile is another state, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act lets you keep your vehicle registered in your home state for the duration of the assignment. The vehicle is also exempt from Arkansas personal property taxes and remains taxable only in your state of domicile. You do have to keep the home-state registration current. If it lapses, Arkansas can require you to register locally.