Car sales tax in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Buying a car in Fayetteville, Arkansas (Washington County), the combined state and local sales tax rate is 9.75%, but the local part applies only to the first $2,500 of the price, so on a $35,000 car it works out to 6.73%. On a $35,000 car that's about $2,364.64 in tax; with a $10,000 trade-in, about $1,691.51.
These are the figures the Before the Lot planner and its AI connector use for Fayetteville, with their sources. They describe the rates and the arithmetic; they are not tax advice, and the dealer's quote and the state's documents are what count.
How the rate is made up
Fayetteville, Washington County: 9.75% combined state and local rate (Arkansas's rate file, rates as of 2026-10-01). The local part applies to the first $2,500 of the price only, so on $35,129 (the price and the fees taxed with it) the rate works out to 6.731%.
Out-the-door examples in Fayetteville
Worked with the planner's own out-the-door math for a new car, the same numbers the connector gives an AI assistant.
| Line | $35,000 car, $10,000 trade-in | $50,000 car, no trade-in |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle price | $35,000 | $50,000 |
| Doc fee (see below) | $129 | $129 |
| Sales tax | $2,364.64 | $3,339.64 |
| Title and registration (a placeholder) | $250 | $250 |
| Out the door, as dealers quote it | $37,743.64 | $53,718.64 |
| Tax saved by the trade-in credit | $673.13 | — |
| Out the door after the trade-in credit | $37,070.51 | — |
The trade-in's value itself comes off what's financed or paid, not shown here. Title and registration differ by vehicle; $250 is the planner's placeholder, not an Arkansas figure.
Doc fee and trade-in in Arkansas
- The examples use Arkansas's doc-fee cap, $129 (Ark. Code 23-112-317(c)-(d); Ark. Motor Vehicle Commission Rule 8 (franchised dealers); State Police used-dealer rule (used-only dealers)); a dealer's own fee may be lower.
- A trade-in lowers the taxed price in Arkansas: tax is on the price less the trade-in.
- A maker's rebate doesn't lower the taxed price.
Every rule for the state, with sources: Arkansas car-buying rules.
Other places in Arkansas
- Little Rock: 8.625%
- Fort Smith: 9.5%
- Springdale: 9.75%
Work out your own deal
Open the planner with Fayetteville filled in
Change the price, trade-in and fees to your own. Nothing is sent to a server; the numbers ride in the link. In Claude or ChatGPT, add the connector and ask about Fayetteville by name.
Questions
What is the car sales tax rate in Fayetteville, Arkansas?
Buying a car in Fayetteville, Arkansas (Washington County), the combined state and local sales tax rate is 9.75%, but the local part applies only to the first $2,500 of the price, so on a $35,000 car it works out to 6.73%. On a $35,000 car that's about $2,364.64 in tax; with a $10,000 trade-in, about $1,691.51.
What's the out-the-door price of a $50,000 car in Fayetteville?
About $53,718.64: the $50,000 price, a $129 doc fee, $3,339.64 in sales tax and a $250 placeholder for title and registration. A dealer's itemized quote is what counts.
Does a trade-in lower the sales tax in Fayetteville?
Yes. Arkansas taxes the price less the trade-in, so a $10,000 trade-in on a $35,000 car lowers the tax by about $673.13.
Is the Fayetteville rate charged on the dealer's address or mine?
Arkansas's local tax on a car goes by where the buyer lives (the address the car is registered to). Arkansas's own lookup by address: https://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/office/taxes/excise-tax-administration/sales-use-tax/local-tax-lookup-tools/