Arkansas Driver's License: Ages, Tests and Fees (2026)

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In Arkansas you can start at 14 with an instruction permit, move to a learner’s license and then an intermediate license at 16, and get an unrestricted Class D license at 18. This guide is for Arkansas teens, their parents and adult first-time drivers. It covers each stage, the tests, the documents and every chapter of the October 2026 Arkansas Driver License Study Guide.

Key facts (as of November 2026)

Two agencies: the Arkansas State Police (ASP) run the knowledge, vision and skills tests. The Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) Office of Driver Services issues licenses at State Revenue Offices.
Instruction permit from 14: pass the knowledge and vision tests. Drive only with a licensed driver aged 21 or older in the seat beside you. Valid 2 years and cannot be renewed.
Learner’s license: ages 14 to 15. Intermediate license: ages 16 to 17. Class D (unrestricted): 18 and older.
The knowledge test fee is $5 per attempt, added to your license cost (Act 1289 of 2015).
Under 18: a parent or legal guardian must sign and accept financial responsibility (Arkansas Code § 27-16-702).
Under 18: no phone use at all while driving, not even hands-free, except in an emergency.
Intermediate drivers: no driving 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. and no more than one unrelated minor passenger, with exceptions.

Arkansas graduated license stages at a glance

Stage	Age	How you get it	Main rules
Instruction permit	14+	Pass the knowledge exam and vision test at an ASP testing site	Licensed driver 21+ in the seat beside you; all passengers belted
Learner’s license	14 to 15	Pass the skills test on your permit, then visit a State Revenue Office	Licensed driver 21+ with you; all passengers belted; no phone except emergencies
Intermediate license	16 to 17	Same tests; issued at a State Revenue Office	Adult 21+ until you have 6 months of experience; curfew 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.; one unrelated minor passenger; no phone
Class D	18+	Same tests, or move up from intermediate at 18	Ages 18 to 20: hands-free phone only; texting banned at every age

Full detail: Arkansas intermediate license curfew and passenger rules.

Step by step for an Arkansas teen

Watch the required video. ASP requires a 1-minute video, “What to Do During a Basic Traffic Stop”, before you schedule any test.
Study the guide and use the official practice test. ASP offers a free online practice test and the AR Driver Testing app. ASP says it is not associated with third-party practice sites.
Book and take the knowledge and vision tests at an ASP testing site. Tests are given in every county. Bring an original U.S. birth certificate and a parent or guardian (or a notarized ASP-33 form). See the Arkansas permit test guide.
Practice with a licensed driver aged 21 or older on your instruction permit.
Take the skills (driving) test in your own car, by appointment. See what to expect on the Arkansas driving test.
Buy your license at a State Revenue Office before the permit’s 2-year expiry. If you miss it, you retake every part of the exam.
Keep a clean record. A serious accident or serious traffic conviction can delay your next stage (details below).

Do you need supervised hours or driver’s ed in Arkansas?

The October 2026 study guide, the DFA graduated license pages and the ASP testing page set no minimum number of supervised hours and do not require driver education. The time rule that does apply is 6 months of driving experience, counted from the date your instruction permit was issued, before the adult-supervision restriction ends. Compare states in supervised driving hours by state.

Clean record rules

ASP quotes 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 describes it as 6 months before the intermediate license and a clean year before the regular license at 18. Breaking the rule can delay your license. DFA lists texting while driving as a serious violation.

Points also go on your record. DFA’s violations list gives 3 points for speeding up to 10 mph over, a stop sign violation, following too closely or careless driving, 4 to 5 points for higher speeds and 8 points for reckless driving, racing or leaving the scene of a crash. DUI and underage DUI are handled as major offenses with their own suspensions. Ask Driver Services about the point totals that trigger a suspension if you have several tickets.

Early unrestricted license at 16 or 17

DFA can issue a full Class D before 18 if you have 6 months of driving experience and one of these applies:

Emancipated: 17 or older and legally emancipated
Graduated: 16 or older with a high school diploma or GED
Married: 16 or older with a marriage certificate or license
Military: 16 or older and already enlisted in the U.S. military

Under 16 with a real hardship? See the Arkansas age waiver guide.

Getting an Arkansas license at 18 or older

You still start with an instruction permit (knowledge and vision tests), then pass the skills test with a licensed driver aged 21 or older. For the knowledge test you need two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary, from ASP’s 18 and older checklist. Examples are a U.S. birth certificate or passport, plus a state ID or a certified school transcript. Drivers 18 to 20 may use only a hands-free phone.

Arkansas license fees (as of November 2026)

Item	Fee (DFA / study guide)	Expires
Knowledge exam	$5 per attempt, added to the license cost	n/a
Learner’s license	Prorated	1 month past your 16th birthday
Intermediate license	Prorated	1 month past your 18th birthday
Class D, ages 18 to 21	Prorated	1 month past your 21st birthday
Class D, ages 21+	$40.00	8 years

Ask at a State Revenue Office for the prorated dollar amounts.

Vision standards

Unrestricted: at least 20/40 without glasses or contacts.
Restricted (must wear lenses): at least 20/70 corrected.
Field of vision: 140 degrees with two functional eyes, 105 degrees with one.
A vision referral form (ASP-90) must be completed by an Arkansas optometrist. Out-of-state and online optometrists are not accepted. The form is valid for one year.

What the Arkansas study guide covers, chapter by chapter

The knowledge test comes from the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Volume 1, Edition 10 (October 2026). A Spanish edition (January 2018) and a Vietnamese edition (February 2024) are also available.

The driver’s license and ID

License types (instruction permit, learner’s, intermediate, Class D, Class M motorcycle, Class MD motor-driven cycle, motorized bicycle certificate), vision rules, the countries exempt from testing (Manitoba in Canada, Germany, France, Taiwan and South Korea) and the ID checklists. New residents must get an Arkansas license within 30 days. To transfer an out-of-state license, bring the valid hard copy; it cannot have been expired for more than 30 days. Active-duty military and non-resident college or exchange students aged 16 or older may drive on a valid license from another state. Non-residents need one after 6 months in the state.

Chapter 1: Arkansas law

Seat belts: a primary offense for the driver and front-seat passenger, with a fine of up to $25 plus court costs. A child under 6 and under 60 pounds must ride in a child safety seat. All children under 15 must be restrained. See seat belt and child seat laws.
No smoking tobacco in a vehicle with a child under 14.
Littering fines of up to $1,000 for a first offense.
Move over for stopped emergency, police, ARDOT, utility and tow vehicles with lights on. See move over laws.
School buses: stop in every direction for red flashing lights, unless the bus is across a median 20 feet or wider. Fines run from $250 to $1,000, with up to 90 days in jail. Under Isaac’s Law, negligently causing a death by passing a stopped school bus is a Class C felony. See school bus laws.
Never leave a child or pet alone in a parked car. The guide’s chart shows the inside of a car reaching 99°F within 10 minutes on an 80°F day.
Accessible parking rules: misusing someone else’s placard or plate is a Class A misdemeanor, with a fine of $100 to $500 for a first offense. Also covered: what to do when you are stopped by an officer.

Chapter 2: Rules, signs and signals

Yield signs: slow down and stop if needed. Failing to yield can bring a fine of up to $1,000 and a 180-day suspension. Work zones: fines double for moving violations when workers are present, and speed cameras are used in Interstate work zones. Also covered: flaggers, flashing green lights on work vehicles, traffic lights and arrows (a flashing yellow arrow means turn left after yielding), right on red after a full stop, sign shapes and colors, and railroad crossings. On county roads without a posted limit, the limit is 40 mph. See traffic signals, road signs by shape and color and railroad crossings.

Chapter 3: General driving

Lane markings, shared center turn lanes (not an acceleration lane), passing, turns, crosswalks, right of way, roundabouts, all-way stops (first to arrive goes first) and parking. Parking limits: within 18 inches of the curb, no closer than 15 feet to a fire hydrant, 20 feet to a crosswalk at an intersection, 30 feet to a stop sign or signal, and 50 feet to a railroad crossing. See pavement markings, roundabouts, four-way stops and parking rules.

Chapter 4: Safe driving and distracted driving

Seat belt fit, steering (hand-over-hand for sharp turns), scanning 15 seconds ahead, signaling at least 100 feet before a lane change, blind spots and backing. The distracted driving section sets out the phone rules by age: see the Arkansas teen phone law.

Chapter 5: See and be seen

Arkansas law requires headlights whenever you need your windshield wipers. Headlights also go on from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, or whenever you cannot see clearly within 500 feet. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, and use low beams within 200 feet when following. Use the two-second rule, and more space in bad conditions. In rain or fog with under 200 feet of visibility, drive no faster than 30 mph. A car at 55 mph needs about 225 feet to stop. Arkansas Code § 27-51-301 reserves the left lane of a multilane highway for passing, with limited exceptions. See driving in snow, fog and rain.

Chapters 6 and 7: Trucks, bicycles and motorcycles

Truck no-zones, wide right turns and following motorcycles at a greater distance. See sharing the road.

Chapter 8: Driving fitness, alcohol and drugs

Vision, fatigue and health. The guide says you may drive with epilepsy if you are under a doctor’s care and have been seizure free for one year. The legal limit is 0.08% for adults, but after a crash or a serious traffic offense you can be charged with DWI at 0.04% or more. A first DWI conviction carries a fine of $150 to $1,000, up to 1 year in jail and a 120-day suspension. A driver under 21 can be arrested for underage DUI at 0.02%, and the guide warns of revocation until 21 and a fine of up to $2,000. Under 21, buying or possessing alcohol also costs your driving privileges. Refusing a test can cost your license. DFA’s underage DUI suspensions are 90 days for a first offense, 1 year for a second, and 3 years or until 21 for a third. See zero tolerance laws and implied consent.

Chapter 9: Emergencies and crashes

Brake failure, blowouts, skids and stopping with and without ABS. After a crash, move your car off the road if you can. Notify police right away if anyone is hurt or property damage exceeds $1,000. Report the crash to DFA’s Office of Driver Services within 30 days if there is injury, death or more than $3,000 damage to one person’s property. See what to do after a crash.

Chapter 10: Skills test guidelines

Vehicle inspection, the controls you must locate and how the driving test is scored. See the Arkansas skills test guide.

Common questions

Can you get a permit at 14 in Arkansas?

Yes. At 14 you can take the knowledge and vision tests for an instruction permit, and pass the skills test for a learner’s license. You must drive with a licensed driver aged 21 or older.

Can a 16-year-old drive alone in Arkansas?

Yes, on an intermediate license once you have 6 months of driving experience from your permit date. Until then a licensed driver aged 21 or older must be with you.

Is driver’s ed required in Arkansas?

The study guide and DFA pages do not require it, and they set no supervised hour total.

Where do I take the test and where do I get the license?

Tests are given at Arkansas State Police testing sites by appointment. The license is issued and paid for at a DFA State Revenue Office.

Do I need a REAL ID?

DFA offers REAL ID at any State Revenue Office. You need proof of legal presence, a Social Security card or DD214, and two proofs of residency. See REAL ID for your first license.

Can I take the Arkansas permit test in Spanish?

ASP publishes the study guide in Spanish and Vietnamese. Ask your testing site which test languages it offers.

Compare Arkansas with other states

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 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, “Non-Commercial Information (NCL)” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, “Underage Offenses” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, “Violations and Points” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, “DSMV FAQs” (dfa.arkansas.gov)
Arkansas State Police, “Driver’s Testing 1-2-3 Checklist” (under 18 and 18 and older) (media.ark.org/dps)

How to Get a Driver’s License in Arkansas: GDL Steps and Fees