Buying a New Car in Arkansas

Home of the Ozarks and many other areas of stunning natural beauty, Arkansas is bordered by 6 other states, meaning that its new car dealerships face stiff competition from out-of-state imports when it comes to sales. Knowing what areas to check out when buying a new car in Arkansas can help you to benefit from the best possible prices thanks to this heated battle for the dollars of vehicle shoppers. It can also help you to drive as many different car and truck options as you need to before settling on a specific model. This article, in addition to explaining the fees and requirements surrounding registering a vehicle in Arkansas, will also assist you in locating the areas in the state that offer the greatest selection of new car dealerships.

Little Rock, the state capital, leads the way when it comes to new car lots. The surrounding area is well stocked with a wide number of different automotive brands, making it the go-to spot for shoppers in the central part of the state. Aside from this cluster of dealerships, most of the rest of Arkansas is served by smaller towns offering an acceptable range of new car options, such as Fayetteville, El Dorado, Fort Smith and Jonesboro.

New car dealerships in Arkansas will be happy to handle the registration paperwork for you, saving you a trip to the DMV. Registration fees in the state are largely based upon the weight of the car in question, with those tipping the scales at under 3,000 lbs being assessed a charge of $17.00 per year, those between 3,001 lbs and 4,500 lbs having to pay $25.00, and those heavier than 4,501 lbs topping out at $30.00 in yearly fees. Trucks and vans rated between a half-ton and a full a ton pay a flat registration fee of $21.00. Each new vehicle is also levied with a $2.50 Validation Decal Fee, a $5.00 title fee and if applicable, a $1.00 fee for transferring tags from an older car or truck.

Arkansas sales tax is 6% everywhere except Texarkana, where it is 7%. Counties can also add their own sales tax to a new vehicle purchase, and a use tax is also in effect that varies depending upon which municipality or county that you live in.