Sell your car in Arkansas — no notary, no inspection, no runaround
Arkansas keeps car selling refreshingly simple: one state form covers the bill of sale and the odometer statement, nobody needs a notary, and there is no inspection to pass before the handoff. Every fact below is checked against the state's own DFA pages, and if your car sits in one of the four metros we cover in depth, the city pages dig into the local wrinkles.
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The city pages below get into the local grain — storm history in Little Rock, the growth churn in northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith's flood-brand market, truck country around Jonesboro. Not near any of them? We buy statewide, from Texarkana to Blytheville.
What Arkansas requires when you sell
| Notary | Not required. Arkansas's combined bill of sale and odometer disclosure (Form 10-313) takes plain signatures from seller and buyer — there is no notary block anywhere on the form. |
|---|---|
| The title form | Sign the title over to the buyer and complete DFA Form 10-313, which records the VIN, the full sales price, any trade-in, the odometer certification, and both signatures. The state posts it on the DFA motor-vehicle forms page and allows copies as long as the format and language are unchanged. |
| Lost your title? | A replacement costs $10 at any state revenue office or by mail — allow about three weeks. In a hurry, an extra $10 at the central revenue office in Little Rock has it ready for pickup in three business days (DFA replacement-title details). |
| Protect yourself after the sale | File the optional Notice of Transfer of Ownership with the DFA in person or by mail — no fee, no deadline. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 27-14-911, an owner who made a bona fide sale and delivered possession isn't liable for anyone's later negligent operation of the vehicle; the notice puts the handoff on record. |
| License plates | Plates stay with you, not the car. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 27-14-914 you can move the plate and registration to a replacement vehicle for a $10 transfer fee, plus the difference if the new vehicle's registration costs more. |
| Sales tax | The buyer pays it, not you — DFA collects when the buyer registers, and they get 60 days to do so. The tiers are unusually gentle: used vehicles sold for $3,999 or less owe no sales tax, $4,000–$9,999 is taxed at a reduced 3.5% state rate, and 6.5% applies above that, local taxes extra (DFA FAQ). |
| Selling near a purchase | Sell within 60 days before or after buying another vehicle and tax is due only on the difference between what you paid and what you got for the old one — claimed at the revenue office with a signed bill of sale, under Act 1232 of 1997 as amended by Act 277 of 2021. Insurance settlements don't count as a sale for this credit (DFA credit rules). |
| Inspections | None. Arkansas has no periodic safety inspection and no emissions testing — the DFA's registration checklist contains no inspection certificate of any kind. |
Everything above is current as of August 2026 and checked against the Arkansas DFA Office of Motor Vehicle — fees and tax tiers can change, so confirm there before you head to a revenue office.
Asked by Arkansas sellers
Do I need a notary to sell my car in Arkansas?
No. The state's own bill of sale and odometer form, DFA Form 10-313, takes ordinary signatures from seller and buyer — there's no notary block on it. Sign the title over, fill out the form together, and you're done.
Who pays the sales tax when I sell my car?
The buyer does, when they register with DFA within 60 days of the purchase. Arkansas's tiers actually help low-priced sales: nothing under $4,000 is taxed, $4,000–$9,999 gets a reduced 3.5% state rate, and 6.5% applies above that. And if you're buying your next car within 60 days of selling, you can claim a credit so tax is owed only on the difference.
What happens to my license plates after the sale?
They're yours. Take them off before the car leaves — Arkansas law lets you transfer the plate and registration to your next vehicle for $10. Leaving plates on a sold car is how sellers end up fielding someone else's toll and parking drama.
I can't find my title — can I still sell my car?
Yes, but order the replacement first: $10 at any state revenue office or by mail, with roughly three weeks of processing. If you're in a hurry, the central revenue office in Little Rock offers an expedited option for an extra $10 with pickup in three business days.