How to Sell a Car Privately in Arkansas
Selling your car yourself in Arkansas comes down to a signed title, the right paperwork, and a few steps people often miss. This guide summarizes what the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Motor Vehicle and state law say, so you and the buyer can finish the transfer cleanly.
Transferring the title
- The seller must print the buyer's name in the assignment section on the back of the title, and both seller and buyer sign and print their names there. dfa.arkansas.gov
- To title and register a purchased vehicle the buyer brings the current title signed by seller and buyer, plus insurance and proof of personal property assessment and taxes paid. dfa.arkansas.gov
- Motor vehicles must be registered within 60 days of purchase. dfa.arkansas.gov
Bill of sale
- The DFA lists a bill of sale showing the VIN, date of sale, purchase amount and signatures of seller and buyer among the documents a buyer brings to title and register. dfa.arkansas.gov
- DFA offers a combined Vehicle Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement form. dfa.arkansas.gov
Odometer disclosure
- The transferor discloses the odometer reading on the title or the document used to reassign it, and the transferee signs and prints their name. dfa.arkansas.gov
- The disclosure is not required for vehicles ten years old or older, vehicles over 16,000 pounds GVWR, or vehicles that are not self-propelled. dfa.arkansas.gov
- DFA's combined bill of sale and odometer form lets the seller state the reading is actual, not the actual mileage, or exceeds mechanical limits. dfa.arkansas.gov
Telling the state you sold the car
- A seller can file a Notice of Transfer of Ownership with the Office of Motor Vehicle, and the form says a seller who made a bona fide sale and delivered possession is not liable for later negligent operation. dfa.arkansas.gov
- Filing is optional and the form states no deadline or fee. dfa.arkansas.gov
- The form asks for the vehicle year, make, model and VIN, the transfer date, and both parties' names and addresses. dfa.arkansas.gov
Easy-to-miss rules in this state
- The buyer needs a current-year personal property assessment, paid personal property tax, and Arkansas liability insurance on the VIN to register. dfa.arkansas.gov
- A seller who sells a vehicle within 60 days of buying another can have the sale credited against the new vehicle's sales tax using a signed bill of sale showing year, make, VIN and price. dfa.arkansas.gov
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a bill of sale to sell a car in Arkansas?
The DFA lists a bill of sale showing the VIN, date of sale, purchase amount and signatures of seller and buyer among the documents a buyer brings to title and register. DFA offers a combined Vehicle Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement form.
Is an odometer disclosure required when selling a car in Arkansas?
The transferor discloses the odometer reading on the title or the document used to reassign it, and the transferee signs and prints their name. The disclosure is not required for vehicles ten years old or older, vehicles over 16,000 pounds GVWR, or vehicles that are not self-propelled.
Do I have to tell the state I sold my car in Arkansas?
A seller can file a Notice of Transfer of Ownership with the Office of Motor Vehicle, and the form says a seller who made a bona fide sale and delivered possession is not liable for later negligent operation. Filing is optional and the form states no deadline or fee.
Official Arkansas resources
- Arkansas DFA: What you need to title and register
- Arkansas DFA: Motor vehicle forms
- Arkansas DFA: Notice of Transfer of Ownership
- Arkansas DFA: Recent changes in the law
- Arkansas DFA: Motor vehicle FAQs
- Arkansas DFA: Odometer disclosure regulation 1995-1
Next steps
Once you know the rules, create a free listing and print a QR code sign for the car window. For the general process, see our step-by-step private sale guide, the paperwork checklist, and how to get paid safely. Need paperwork? Use our free bill of sale generator.