Ark. Code Ann. § 3-7-201 (2026)

1. 1. There is levied a special alcoholic beverage excise tax of three percent (3%) upon all retail receipts or proceeds derived from the sale of liquor, cordials, liqueurs, specialties, and sparkling and still wines. The tax shall be and is in addition to all other taxes now imposed and cumulative to the Arkansas Gross Receipts Act of 1941, § 26-52-101 et seq.
   2. Native wine sold at retail in this state shall be subject to the special alcoholic beverage excise tax levied upon all retail receipts or proceeds derived from the sale of liquor, cordials, liqueurs, specialties, and sparkling and still wines under the provisions of this section.
2. It shall be the duty of every retailer in this state to collect the tax from the consumer in addition to the established retail price of beer, liquor, cordials, liqueurs, specialties, and sparkling and still wines and to file a return and remittance with the Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration on or before the twentieth day of each calendar month for the preceding month.
3. Failure to file the return and remittance on the due date shall be cause for the secretary to enter an assessment for the return and remittance and add as a penalty ten percent (10%) of the amount of tax found to be due.
4. Returns shall be filed upon forms prescribed by the secretary in accordance with such rules as the secretary may promulgate hereunder.
5. The State Board of Education and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall fully budget, fund, and expend or commit to expend the general revenue replacing the revenue derived from the previously imposed special alcoholic beverage excise tax on beer in addition to any other funding provided by law for essential programs such as subsidized child care for low-income families, the Arkansas Better Chance Program, and the Child Care and Early Childhood Education Fund Account in an amount equal to the appropriation level for the Arkansas Better Chance Program.
6. 1. There is levied a special alcoholic beverage excise tax of one percent (1%) upon all retail receipts or proceeds derived from the sale of beer.
   2. The revenues derived from the excise tax on beer levied under subdivision (f)(1) of this section shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund Account of the State Apportionment Fund to be distributed as general revenue.

History. Acts 1951, No. 252, § 3; 1953, No. 118, § 32(D); 1985, No. 1052, § 3; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 48-411, 48-608.2; Acts 2001, No. 1841, § 1; 2003, No. 272, § 1; 2005, No. 2188, § 1; 2007, No. 869, § 1; 2011, No. 982, § 2; 2019, No. 315, § 88; 2019, No. 910, § 3335.

Amendments. The 2005 amendment redesignated former (e)(4) as present (e)(4)(A); substituted “not extend past June 30, 2007” for “expire on June 30, 2005” in present (e)(4)(A); and added (e)(4)(B).

The 2007 amendment added (f).

The 2011 amendment deleted former (a)(3); deleted former (e) through (e)(4)(A) and redesignated former (e)(4)(B) as (e); in present (e), deleted “After June 30, 2007” at the beginning, and “replacement” following “expend the,” inserted “replacing the revenue derived from the previously imposed special alcoholic beverage excise tax on beer” and the last occurrence of “Arkansas”; and deleted “Beginning July 1, 2007” at the beginning of (f)(1).

The 2019 amendment by No. 315 substituted “rules” for “regulations” in (d).

The 2019 amendment by No. 910 substituted “secretary” for “director” in (b), (c), and twice in (d); and substituted “Division of Elementary and Secondary Education” for “Department of Education” in (e).