Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Arkansas permit test is a computer-based knowledge exam run by the Arkansas State Police (ASP). You can take it from age 14. Pass it with the vision test and you get an instruction permit. Pass the skills test later and you can buy a learner’s license (ages 14 to 15). This page covers what to bring, how the test works, the fee and what the permit lets you do.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Minimum age: 14.
- Fee: $5 for each written exam, added to the cost of your license and collected by DFA (Act 1289 of 2015).
- You need 20 correct answers to pass, according to ASP’s audio testing instructions.
- The permit is valid for 2 years from the date you pass. It cannot be renewed or extended.
- Permit drivers must have a licensed driver aged 21 or older in the seat beside them.
- Under 18: bring an original U.S. birth certificate and a parent or guardian, or a notarized ASP-33 form.
Before you book: the required video
ASP requires every applicant to watch a 1-minute video, “What to Do During a Basic Traffic Stop”, before scheduling any knowledge or skills test. Then book your appointment online through ASP’s statewide scheduler. Tests are given in all Arkansas counties.
What to bring to the Arkansas permit test if you are under 18
ASP’s 1-2-3 Checklist (effective January 8, 2026) lists three things:
- An original or certified U.S. birth certificate. Hospital certificates and birth registration cards are not accepted, and neither are laminated, photocopied or scanned copies. U.S. citizen minors cannot use a U.S. passport as their primary document. If you were born abroad to U.S. parents, bring a Birth Abroad Certificate. Non-citizens bring a passport with U.S. visa and current I-94, a Permanent Resident Card, an Employment Authorization Card, a Naturalization Certificate or a Certificate of Citizenship.
- A parent or legal guardian’s signature (Arkansas Code § 27-16-702). The parent can come with a state driver’s license or state ID, or sign the ASP-33 Financial Responsibility Acceptance Form. Guardians bring court documents. A stepparent can sign only with proof of adoption. Foster parents bring a Foster Resource Home Agreement Addendum or an approved caseworker letter.
- Secondary identification: an ASP-33 Parent Affidavit. Either sign it in front of the examiner, or have it notarized and hand it in within 30 days.
Also bring your glasses or contacts if you wear them.
Birth certificate from a neighboring state?
If your birth certificate is from Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas or Tennessee, ASP also asks for proof of Arkansas residency. Examples are a lease, a mortgage statement, a property assessment or a certified Arkansas school transcript for the current year.
18 or older
Bring two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary, from ASP’s 18 and older checklist (effective May 20, 2025). Primary documents include a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport or passport card and a Permanent Resident Card. Secondary documents include a state ID, a current Arkansas school ID, a certified school transcript and an IRS tax return from the last 2 years (not a W-2).
How the Arkansas knowledge test works
- You take it on a computer kiosk at an ASP testing site.
- Questions come from the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Volume 1 (October 2026 edition). Spanish and Vietnamese editions of the guide are also published.
- You can skip up to two questions. Skipped questions move to the end and do not count against you. If you reach 20 correct answers first, you will not see them again.
- Ask your ASP testing site for the total number of questions.
- You also take a vision test. You need 20/40 without lenses for an unrestricted license, or 20/70 with lenses for a restricted one.
Oral test for learning differences
If you have a diagnosed disability, show the examiner your IEP, 504 Plan or another professional evaluation. You can then take an oral exam, where the kiosk reads questions and answers through headphones. Examiners can explain words you do not understand. Book the “Driver’s License Test for Learning Differences” appointment type. Not every location offers it.
How to study for the Arkansas permit test
- Read the whole study guide. ASP says the guide is what prepares you for both the knowledge and skills tests.
- Use the official ASP practice test online or the AR Driver Testing app (Google Play and Apple App Store). ASP says it is not associated with third-party practice-test websites.
- Focus on Arkansas-specific rules: the phone law by age, school bus stops (median of 20 feet or more), move over, work zone double fines, parking distances and the underage 0.02% alcohol limit. The guide flags the school bus danger zones as a “test question”.
National topics that appear on most permit tests: road signs by shape and color, pavement markings and right on red.
If you fail
The Code of Arkansas Rules (27 CAR § 52-101) sets a five-calendar-day wait before you can retest after failing the knowledge test for a learner’s permit, learner’s license or intermediate license. Each attempt adds another $5 to your license cost. There is no limit on the number of exams charged.
What your instruction permit and learner’s license allow
| Instruction permit | Learner’s license | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 14+ | 14 to 15 |
| Tests passed | Knowledge and vision | Knowledge, vision and skills |
| Supervision | Licensed driver 21+ in the seat beside you | Licensed driver 21+ with you |
| Passengers | All must wear seat belts | All must wear seat belts |
| Phone | Under 18: no phone use, including hands-free, except emergencies | No calls or texting except emergencies |
| Expires | 2 years after you pass the knowledge exam | 1 month past your 16th birthday |
You get the learner’s license from a State Revenue Office after passing the skills test. Your record must be free of serious accidents and serious traffic convictions for the 6 months before you apply. The fee is prorated. Next step: the Arkansas driving skills test.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to get a permit in Arkansas?
14.
How many questions are on the Arkansas permit test?
Check the total with ASP. Its audio testing instructions say you need 20 correct answers to pass.
How much is the Arkansas permit test?
$5 per attempt, added to your license cost at the Revenue Office. The learner’s license itself is prorated. Check the current amount with DFA.
Can my parent skip the visit?
Yes. A parent or guardian can sign the ASP-33 form in front of a notary instead. You must hand it to the examiner within 30 days of the notary’s signature.
Can I use my passport instead of my birth certificate?
Not if you are a U.S. citizen under 18. ASP requires the original or certified U.S. birth certificate.
What happens if my permit expires?
It lasts 2 years and cannot be renewed or extended, even for bad weather. If you have not passed the skills test and bought a license by then, you retake every part of the exam.
Can I take the permit test online?
You take the knowledge test at an ASP testing site, so check with ASP before you look for an online option.
Back to the Arkansas learner driver guide. Compare states: permit tests by state.
Sources
- Arkansas State Police, “Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Volume 1, Edition 10” (October 2026) (media.ark.org/dps)
- Arkansas Department of Public Safety, “Driver Examination” (dps.arkansas.gov)
- Arkansas State Police, “Driver’s Testing 1-2-3 Checklist, Under 18” (January 2026) (media.ark.org/dps)
- Arkansas State Police, “Driver’s Testing 1-2-3 Checklist, 18 and Older” (May 2025) (media.ark.org/dps)
- Arkansas State Police, “ASP 33 DL Financial Responsibility Acceptance Form” (media.ark.org/dps)
- Arkansas State Police, “Driver’s Audio Testing Instructions” (media.ark.org/dps)
- Arkansas State Police, “1-2-3 Skills Checklist” (October 2026) (media.ark.org/dps)
- Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, “Learner’s and Intermediate License” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
- Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research, “27 CAR § 52-101, Noncommercial driver’s license testing, Waiting period” (codeofarrules.arkansas.gov)