Photo: Sgt. Brianna Rodriguez-Munns, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
An Arkansas intermediate license is for drivers aged 16 and 17. It comes with a curfew of 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., a limit of one unrelated minor passenger and a total phone ban, all with set exceptions. A licensed adult aged 21 or older must also ride with you until you have 6 months of driving experience. This page explains each rule, the restriction codes on your card and how to get unrestricted early.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Ages 16 to 17. It expires 1 month past your 18th birthday.
- Restriction code 3: licensed adult aged 21 or older with you until 6 months of experience from your permit date.
- Curfew: no driving 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., with exceptions.
- Passengers: no more than one unrelated minor unless a licensed driver aged 21 or older is in the front seat.
- Restriction code 5: every passenger wears a seat belt.
- Phone: no talking or texting, hands-free included, except in an emergency.
The 6-month adult supervision restriction
Your intermediate license stays restricted for six months from the date your instruction permit was issued, or until your 16th birthday. If you already have 6 months of experience when you turn 16, no supervision restriction is added. While the restriction lasts, a licensed driver aged 21 or older must be with you. The end date is printed on the back of your license.
| Permit issued | Intermediate license at 16 |
|---|---|
| At 14 or 15, 6+ months before your 16th birthday | No adult supervision restriction |
| Less than 6 months before 16, or after 16 | Adult 21+ required until 6 months after the permit date |
What time is the Arkansas intermediate license curfew?
You may not drive between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. The exceptions in the October 2026 study guide are:
- with a licensed driver aged 21 or older
- driving to and from a school activity
- driving to and from a church activity
- driving to and from a job
- an emergency
The guide joins the adult rule and the trip list with “and”. If you plan to rely on a school, church or work exception without an adult, check the exact wording with DFA’s Office of Driver Services first.
Can a 16-year-old drive friends in Arkansas?
One, at most. With an intermediate license you may not carry more than one unrelated minor passenger, unless a licensed driver aged 21 or older is in the front seat. Siblings and other related minors are not counted under this rule. Every passenger must wear a seat belt (restriction code 5).
| Who is in the car | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| You plus one friend aged 16 | Yes |
| You plus two friends aged 16 and 17 | No, unless a licensed driver 21+ is in the front seat |
| You plus your two younger siblings | Yes (related), all belted |
| You plus a friend who is 18 | Yes (not a minor) |
Phone rules on an intermediate license
Under 18, any cell phone use while driving is banned, hands-free included, except in an emergency. Texting is banned at every age. Full detail: the Arkansas teen phone law.
Arkansas restriction and endorsement codes
| Code | Meaning (DFA) |
|---|---|
| 2 | Act 394 of 2009 (graduated license law) |
| 3 | With licensed adult 21+ (learner’s license, or intermediate without 6 months of driving experience) |
| 5 | Seat belt on all passengers |
| MD (endorsement) | May ride a motor-driven cycle of 250 cc or less |
Clean record: what can delay your license
- ASP cites Arkansas Code § 27-16-704(7): your record must be free of any serious accident or serious traffic violation conviction for the previous 6 months for a learner’s license and the previous 12 months for an intermediate license.
- DFA’s page says the intermediate license depends on no serious violations or at-fault accidents in the previous 6 months. It says the regular license at 18 depends on a clean record for the previous year.
- DFA lists texting while driving as a serious violation.
The two agencies word the time periods differently. Plan on a clean 12 months, and check your own dates with DFA.
Getting unrestricted before 18
A 16 or 17 year old can get a full Class D early with 6 months of driving experience and one of these:
- legally emancipated, aged 17 or older
- high school diploma or GED, aged 16 or older
- married, aged 16 or older, with a marriage certificate or license
- already enlisted in the U.S. military, aged 16 or older
Otherwise, at 18 you apply for a regular Class D. Expect hands-free-only phone rules until 21.
Parents: what signing means
Before any license is issued to someone under 18, a parent or guardian must accept financial responsibility (Arkansas Code § 27-16-702). Any negligence or willful misconduct by the teen driver is imputed to the person who signed.
Common questions
What time can a 16-year-old drive in Arkansas?
From 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. on an intermediate license. Night driving outside those hours needs one of the listed exceptions.
Do siblings count toward the passenger limit?
No. The limit is on unrelated minor passengers.
When can I drive without an adult?
Once you are 16 and 6 months have passed since your instruction permit was issued.
Can I drive to work after 11 p.m.?
Driving to and from a job is a listed exception. Because of the “and” wording in the study guide, confirm with DFA whether you also need an adult 21+ with you.
What happens at 18?
Your intermediate license expires 1 month past your 18th birthday. You can then renew into a Class D, which is prorated to 1 month past your 21st birthday.
Does the curfew apply on weekends?
The study guide gives no weekend exception. The 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. rule is stated without reference to days.
Back to the Arkansas learner driver guide. Related: the Arkansas age waiver and GDL laws by state compared.
Sources
- Arkansas State Police, “Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Volume 1, Edition 10” (October 2026) (media.ark.org/dps)
- Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, “Learner’s and Intermediate License” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
- Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, “Graduated Licenses” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
- Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, “Violations and Points” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
- Arkansas Department of Public Safety, “Driver Examination” (dps.arkansas.gov)