Arkansas DMV Exam FAQ 2026
How do I get my first driver's license in Arkansas?
Arkansas splits the job between two agencies: the Arkansas State Police (ASP) administers the knowledge, vision and skills tests, and the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) Office of Driver Services issues the actual license at a state revenue office. You start by passing the knowledge exam and vision test at an ASP testing station to receive an instruction permit, which you can do from age 14. After you have practiced with a licensed driver 21 or older, you return for the skills (driving) test, then take your paperwork to any Arkansas revenue office to be issued a Learner's License, Intermediate License or Class D License depending on your age. Appointments for both the written and skills exams are scheduled online through the ASP system.
What is the minimum age to get a learner's permit in Arkansas?
You must be at least 14 years old to apply for an Arkansas instruction permit. To get it you pass the knowledge exam and the vision test; no behind-the-wheel test is required at this stage. The instruction permit is issued for two years from the date you pass the knowledge exam. While holding it you may drive only when a licensed driver at least 21 years old is occupying the seat beside you, and every passenger in the vehicle must wear a seat belt.
What are the stages of Arkansas's graduated driver licensing (GDL) program?
Arkansas launched its graduated driver's license program on July 1, 2001, and it has four steps. First is the instruction permit at 14, earned by passing the knowledge and vision tests. Second is the Learner's License, issued to drivers between 14 and 16 who have also passed the skills test; it stays restricted until the driver's 16th birthday and until six months of restricted driving are complete. Third is the Intermediate License for drivers 16 to 18, and fourth is the unrestricted Class D License at 18 and older.
What are the restrictions on an Arkansas Intermediate License?
An Intermediate License holder may not drive between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older, or unless driving to or from a school activity, church activity, job, or an emergency. The driver also may not carry more than one unrelated minor passenger unless a licensed driver 21 or older is in the front seat. Cell phone use, whether talking or texting, is prohibited except in an emergency, and all passengers must wear seat belts. The license stays restricted for six months from the date the permit was issued, or until the driver's 16th birthday if the six months are already complete.
How many questions are on the Arkansas written test?
The Arkansas driver license knowledge exam is a 25-question multiple-choice test taken on a computer kiosk at an Arkansas State Police testing station. Every question is drawn from the official Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, so the manual is the only study source you truly need. The Arkansas State Police also publish an official practice test on their website and an AR Driver Testing app for Android and iPhone, which generate 25 randomly chosen questions from the same pool. A skip button lets you set aside up to two questions, which roll to the end of the test and do not count against you.
What score do I need to pass the Arkansas knowledge test?
You need 20 correct answers to pass, which is 80% of the 25-question exam. That means you can miss no more than five questions. The kiosk scores you as you go, and the Arkansas State Police testing instructions note that once you reach 20 correct answers you are finished, even if you skipped questions earlier. Aim to score consistently above 80% on practice tests before you book your appointment.
What happens if I fail the Arkansas written test, and can I retake it?
You may retake the Arkansas knowledge exam, but each written examination carries a $5 fee under Act 1289 of 2015. There is no limit to the number of exams that can be charged at the time of licensing, and the fee is added to the cost of your driver's license and collected by the Department of Finance and Administration. Before you retest, go back to the section of the study guide that tripped you up: most failures come from the number-heavy topics such as parking distances, following distance, and the graduated licensing rules. Schedule your retest through the same ASP online appointment system you used the first time.
What documents do I need to apply for an Arkansas driver's license?
It depends on your age. Applicants under 18 must bring an original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate (no hospital certificates, photocopies or laminated documents), have a parent or legal guardian sign the application in person or complete a notarized ASP-33 affidavit, and provide one accepted secondary identification. Applicants 18 and older must present either two primary documents or one primary plus one secondary document. Primary documents include a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, Permanent Resident Card, or Certificate of Naturalization; secondary documents include an Arkansas school ID, vehicle registration or title, marriage certificate, or military ID. If you wear glasses or contacts, bring them to the test.
Do I need a REAL ID in Arkansas?
A REAL ID-compliant Arkansas driver's license is the version accepted for boarding domestic flights and entering secure federal facilities. Arkansas does not charge extra for it: at a normal renewal, the REAL ID costs the same $40 as a standard eight-year Class D license. If your current license is still valid and you want to switch mid-cycle, you can convert to a REAL ID for a $10 duplicate card charge, or renew early if you are within one year of expiration. You will need to present the same primary and secondary identity documents used to establish your identity.
How much does an Arkansas driver's license cost and how long is it valid?
A Class D driver's license for someone 21 or older costs $40 and is valid for eight years. Drivers between 18 and 21 receive a prorated license that runs to one month past their 21st birthday. At age 70 you may choose either a four-year license for $20 or the standard eight-year license for $40. A separate $5 written examination fee is added at the time of licensing for each knowledge exam taken.
What is the vision requirement for an Arkansas driver's license?
Arkansas Code 27-16-704 requires every applicant to pass a vision test before a license or instruction permit is issued. You need a minimum uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 for an unrestricted license, or a minimum corrected acuity of 20/70 for a restricted license, which means you must wear glasses or contact lenses whenever you drive. Your field of vision must be at least 140 degrees with two functional eyes or 105 degrees with one. A vision test or a vision referral form (ASP-90) is valid for one year, and referral forms must be completed by an Arkansas optometrist — out-of-state and online providers are not accepted.
What should I bring to the Arkansas road skills test?
Bring your instruction permit, a licensed driver at least 21 years old whose license is not suspended or revoked, current proof of insurance in paper or electronic form, and the vehicle's current registration. The examiner inspects the vehicle before the drive, so make sure the seats, mirrors, brakes, lights, horn, windshield, wipers, tires, steering and exhaust are all in working order — a vehicle that fails inspection means the test cannot go ahead. The Arkansas State Police publish a Skills Testing 1-2-3 Checklist you can review beforehand, and skills tests are scheduled through the same online appointment system as the written exam.
I'm moving to Arkansas with an out-of-state license — what do I do?
Arkansas Code 27-16-606 requires you to obtain an Arkansas driver's license within 30 calendar days of becoming a resident. A non-resident who has been physically present in the state for six months must also get an Arkansas license. Bring your valid hard-copy license from the other state; it cannot be expired by more than 30 days. Active-duty military members and out-of-state students attending Arkansas schools may continue to drive on their home-state license.
How do I renew my Arkansas driver's license?
You may renew starting 90 days before your license expires, through the Department of Finance and Administration. A standard Class D renewal for a driver 21 or older is $40 and runs eight years. Drivers who have reached 70 may choose a shorter four-year license for $20 instead. Renewal is a good moment to upgrade to a REAL ID at no additional cost if you have not already done so.
Are there special driver's license rules for seniors in Arkansas?
Arkansas does not force older drivers into a shortened renewal cycle, but it does give them a choice: from age 70 you may take a four-year license for $20 rather than the standard eight-year license for $40. Everyone, regardless of age, must pass the vision test before a license is issued or renewed, and the study guide recommends having your eyes checked every year by an eye specialist since driving depends so heavily on sight. If a medical condition such as a heart condition or diabetes affects your driving, talk to your doctor before getting behind the wheel.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit (BAC) in Arkansas?
For drivers 21 and over the limit is 0.08% alcohol concentration in the breath or blood. For drivers under 21 the threshold is far lower: you can be arrested for Underage Driving Under the Influence at 0.02%. Arkansas also allows a DWI charge at a concentration between 0.04% and 0.08% if you were involved in a traffic crash or a serious traffic offense. The study guide is blunt about it — there is no safe alcohol concentration for operating a vehicle, and judgment is the first driving ability alcohol impairs.
What happens if I refuse a breath or blood test in Arkansas?
Arkansas has an implied consent law: by driving on Arkansas roads you have already agreed to chemical testing, and the law enforcement officer — not you — chooses whether the test is of breath, blood, saliva or urine. If an officer instructs you to take an alcohol test you are compelled by law to do so. Under Arkansas Code 5-65-205 a first refusal results in a 180-day suspension of your driving privileges, with longer suspensions and revocations for repeat refusals. Refusing does not protect you from a DWI charge.
What are the penalties for a DWI in Arkansas?
For a first conviction the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide describes a fine of $150 to $1,000 plus court costs, and the possibility of up to one year in jail. Under Arkansas Code 5-65-104 and the Department of Finance and Administration's schedule, a first DWI offense also carries a six-month driver's license suspension. Second and subsequent offenses escalate sharply — a second offense within five years carries a 24-month suspension, a third a 30-month suspension, and a fourth a four-year revocation. Convicted drivers also face higher insurance rates and may be required to install an ignition interlock device.
How does the Arkansas point system work?
The Arkansas Office of Driver Services runs an administrative point system to identify problem drivers. Moving violations carry a range of three to eight points depending on severity, so a minor speeding conviction is at the low end and a serious offense at the high end. When a driver reaches 10 points a warning letter is mailed out. At 14 or more points a hearing is automatically scheduled with a hearing officer, and failing to attend that hearing results in an automatic suspension of your license.
What is the minimum car insurance required in Arkansas?
Arkansas Code 27-22-104 requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in an accident, $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage — commonly written as 25/50/25. Proof of coverage may be shown in paper or electronic form. Arkansas law requires you to hand over your driver's license, proof of insurance and vehicle registration when a law enforcement officer requests them during a stop.
