What is the Arkansas state sales tax rate?

Arkansas charges a statewide sales and use tax of 6.5% on general merchandise. Counties and cities add their own local rates on top, so combined rates commonly range from about 8% to 11.5% depending on where the sale occurs.

How are groceries taxed in Arkansas?

Qualifying food and food ingredients are taxed at a reduced state rate of 0.125% instead of 6.5%. Local city and county sales taxes still apply to groceries at their full rate, so the combined grocery rate is the local rate plus 0.125%.

Does Arkansas charge use tax on online purchases?

Yes. If sales tax was not collected at checkout, Arkansas use tax applies at the same combined rate as sales tax for your location. Most large online retailers now collect Arkansas tax automatically.

Are services taxed in Arkansas?

Arkansas taxes specific enumerated services such as repair, cleaning, and some recreation, but most professional services are exempt. This calculator covers tangible goods and groceries; check the DFA rules for service-specific taxability.

Arkansas Sales Tax Calculator

Q: How do I find my local Arkansas sales tax rate?

Add your city rate and your county rate together to get the combined local rate. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration publishes a city and county tax table that lists each jurisdiction's current rate.

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Arkansas applies a 6.5 percent statewide sales tax to most goods, with cities and counties layering their own local rates on top. This calculator combines the correct state rate with your local rate, handles the reduced grocery rate, and shows the tax owed plus the total.

How it works

General merchandise is taxed at the Arkansas state rate of 6.5 percent. Local jurisdictions — your city and county — add their own rates, which you sum into a single combined local rate. The total rate is:

total rate = state rate + city rate + county rate
sales tax  = price × total rate

Qualifying groceries (food and food ingredients) receive a reduced state rate of 0.125 percent rather than 6.5 percent, but the full local rate still applies. So for groceries the combined rate is your local rate plus 0.125 percent.

Example

A $100 general purchase in a city with a 2.5 percent local rate is taxed at 6.5% + 2.5% = 9.0%, giving $9.00 of tax and a $109.00 total. The same $100 in groceries is taxed at 0.125% + 2.5% = 2.625%, or $2.63, for a $102.63 total.

Notes

Local rates change frequently and a single address can sit inside overlapping city and county jurisdictions, so confirm your combined rate against the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration city and county tax table. This tool is an estimate for tangible goods and qualifying groceries; specific exemptions, manufacturing rebates, and taxable services may alter the result.