Private-Party Vehicle Title Transfer Requirements in Arkansas
At a glance
| Governing law, agency, and scope | Ark. Code Title 27, Ch. 14 (Motor Vehicles — registration and licensing), esp. §§ 27-14-901, 27-14-902, 27-14-903, 27-14-909, 27-14-911; administered by the DFA Office of Motor Vehicle through state revenue offices (Arkansas has no standalone DMV). Ordinary same-state private sale of a currently Arkansas-titled used passenger vehicle. |
|---|---|
| Title assignment, owner signatures, and lien release | The owner 'shall endorse an assignment and warranty of title upon the certificate of title' and deliver the title to the buyer at the time of delivery (§ 27-14-902(a), except as provided in §§ 27-14-906 and 27-14-909); the buyer then presents the endorsed title and applies for a new certificate (§ 27-14-903(b)). All owners must sign the title application when names are joined by 'and' (DFA). A lienholder releases the lien in the form the office prescribes and delivers the release to the owner (§ 27-14-909). |
| Notarization, witness, or agent verification | No notarization, witness, or agent verification for an ordinary Arkansas private sale. Sections 27-14-902 and 27-14-903 require the owner's endorsement and the buyer's application but no notarized assignment; the DFA process instead requires the signatures of all owners on the title application, and rejects an application missing any required signature. |
| Bill of sale requirement and contents | Required, not just supplemental — the DFA document list includes 'an invoice or bill of sale reflecting the full purchased price of the vehicle' (needed to set the graduated sales tax). If the Arkansas title's control number is 3003001 or greater, the bill of sale and odometer statement on the back of the title suffice; for an older control number or an out-of-state title, a separate bill of sale and odometer statement must accompany the title. Arkansas' official combined form is Form 10-313 (Vehicle Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement). |
| Odometer, damage, and title-brand disclosures | Under federal guidelines, a vehicle less than 20 years old must carry a fully completed odometer disclosure statement signed by both buyer and seller (DFA; federal 49 CFR 580 overlay) — on the back of a newer Arkansas title or on a separate conforming statement for an older title. No separate ordinary damage-disclosure form applies; salvage or branded titles trigger a law-enforcement VIN verification and the separate salvage process, outside this ordinary answer. |
| Seller notice, plate handling, and liability | On transfer the registration expires and the owner removes the license plate(s), which stay with the owner and may be assigned to another vehicle (§ 27-14-902(a)). The seller is 'not... liable for any damages thereafter resulting from negligent operation' after a bona fide sale and delivery of possession if the seller delivered the endorsed and dated title, or filed the § 27-14-916 notice of sale/transfer, or delivered the registration documents and fees (§ 27-14-911). The DFA Notice of Transfer of Ownership is the § 27-14-916 filing. |
| Buyer deadline, forms, tax, and fees | The transferee must apply for registration and title within 60 calendar days of the transfer (or of a prior lien's release) — § 27-14-903(a) as amended by Act 41 of 2023 (eff. 8/1/2023); DFA. Filing at a revenue office requires the assigned title, bill of sale, odometer statement, lien contract if financed, proof of county assessment, proof that personal property taxes are paid, and proof of insurance. State sales tax is 6.5% at $10,000+, 3.5% for a used vehicle from $4,000 to $9,999, and none under $4,000 (Act 1013 of 2021, §§ 3-4); the title fee is $10 plus a weight-based registration fee. |
| Inspection, emissions, insurance, and operation | Arkansas has no periodic safety-inspection or emissions-testing program; the only inspection is a VIN verification required for an out-of-state or branded (salvage) title, done by a certified law-enforcement officer or the Arkansas State Police (DFA). Proof of Arkansas liability insurance is required to title and register. A vehicle may not be operated on a public street or highway for more than 60 days after the transfer (or prior-lien release) unless a valid registration plate is attached (§ 27-14-903(a)). |
| Penalties, rejection, and failed transfer | It is a Class C misdemeanor to fail to endorse and deliver a certificate of title, or to fail to enter the transferee's name on a properly endorsed title (§ 27-14-901). Registering after the 60-day window adds a 10% penalty on the sales tax due plus $3 for each 10 days late (DFA). An application missing any required owner signature is rejected (DFA). A late buyer filing is separate from the seller's § 27-14-911 protection, which the seller earns by delivering the endorsed title or filing the § 27-14-916 notice. |
Requirements one by one
The seller endorses and delivers the title; the buyer files within 60 days
Arkansas handles titling through the Department of Finance and Administration's revenue offices rather than a standalone DMV. Section 27-14-902(a) requires the owner to "endorse an assignment and warranty of title upon the certificate of title" and "deliver the certificate of title to the purchaser or transferee at the time of delivery of the vehicle." The buyer then, under § 27-14-903(b), presents that endorsed title and applies for a new certificate.
The buyer's filing clock is 60 days. Act 41 of 2023 extended the registration window from 30 to 60 days, and the DFA now states that a motor vehicle "must be titled and registered within sixty (60) calendar days of the date of transfer or within sixty (60) calendar days of the date which a prior lien has been released." When names on the title are joined by "and," every owner must sign the application, and a lender must release its lien under § 27-14-909 before a clean title can issue.
No notarization — but every owner signs
Arkansas does not require a notary for a private sale. What it does require is a complete set of signatures: the DFA warns that "failure to have all signatures will result in rejection of the application for title and registration."
A priced bill of sale is required
Unlike some states, Arkansas expects a bill of sale at the counter — "an invoice or bill of sale reflecting the full purchased price of the vehicle" — because the price sets the graduated sales tax. If the Arkansas title's control number is 3003001 or greater, the bill of sale and odometer statement on the back of the title are enough; for an older or out-of-state title, a separate bill of sale and conforming odometer statement must come with it. Form 10-313 combines the bill of sale and odometer disclosure.
Assessment, taxes, and insurance gate the transfer
Arkansas treats vehicles as personal property, so before registering the buyer must show the car is assessed with the county and that personal property taxes are current, along with proof of liability insurance. State sales tax is 6.5% at $10,000 or more, drops to 3.5% for a used vehicle priced $4,000 to $9,999, and is not charged at all under $4,000. Act 1013 of 2021, §§ 3-4, sets the special-rate band below $10,000 and restores the full rate at $10,000 or more.
What trips people up
- The county assessment step. You cannot register until the vehicle is listed on your current-year county assessment and your personal property taxes are paid — a step newcomers routinely miss.
- Assuming the plate goes with the car. Arkansas plates belong to the owner. The seller removes the plate (and can move it to another vehicle); the buyer registers in the buyer's own name.
- Missing the 60-day window. After 60 days the DFA adds a 10% penalty on the sales tax due plus $3 for every 10 days late.
- Watching the $4,000 line. A used car sold just under $4,000 owes no state sales tax; at $4,000 the 3.5% band kicks in, so the dated, priced bill of sale matters.
Common questions
Do I need to get the title notarized? No. Arkansas does not require notarization for a private vehicle sale — just the endorsed title and all required signatures on the application.
How long do I have to register? 60 days from the date of purchase, or from the date a prior lien is released. After that, a sales-tax penalty and a per-10-day registration penalty apply.
Is a bill of sale mandatory? Yes. Arkansas asks for an invoice or bill of sale showing the full price, which determines your sales-tax band. Form 10-313 pairs it with the odometer disclosure.
Does Arkansas require an inspection or emissions test? No periodic safety or emissions test. The only inspection is a VIN verification for an out-of-state or salvage-branded title.
Statutes and sources
- Ark. Code § 27-14-902 — owner's endorsement and delivery of the assigned title and expiration of registration with plate removal on transfer. https://unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar/transforms/ar/ocar/r78/gov.ar.code.title.27.html (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Ark. Code § 27-14-903 — transferee's presentation of the endorsed title and the 60-day registration window (subsection (a) as amended by Act 41 of 2023). https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2023R%2FPublic%2F&file=41.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2023%2F2023R (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Ark. Code § 27-14-909 — lienholder's release of lien and delivery to the owner. https://unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar/transforms/ar/ocar/r78/gov.ar.code.title.27.html (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Ark. Code § 27-14-911 — seller not liable for negligent operation after a bona fide sale, delivery of possession, and the endorsed title or § 27-14-916 notice. https://unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar/transforms/ar/ocar/r78/gov.ar.code.title.27.html (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Ark. Code § 27-14-901 — Class C misdemeanor for failing to endorse and deliver a certificate of title. https://unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar/transforms/ar/ocar/r78/gov.ar.code.title.27.html (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Arkansas DFA — Vehicle Tag Renewal — 60-day title/registration deadline, required documents, odometer rule, and signature-rejection warning. https://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/office/motor-vehicle/vehicle-tag-renewal/ (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Arkansas DFA — DSMV FAQs — graduated sales-tax bands and the late- registration penalty. https://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/office/motor-vehicle/faqs-for-dsmv/ (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Arkansas Act 1013 of 2021, §§ 3-4 — special-rate band and the full-rate rule at $10,000 or more. https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2021R%2FPublic%2F&file=1013.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2021%2F2021R (accessed 2026-08-17)
- Arkansas DFA fiscal impact statement for 2025 SB 82 — official current- law confirmation of the three used-vehicle tax bands. https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FAssembly%2F2025%2F2025R%2FFiscal+Impacts%2FSB82-DFA1.pdf (accessed 2026-08-17)
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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