In Arkansas, a traffic ticket (assuming you don’t successfully fight the ticket in court) usually leads to a fine and demerit points being assessed to the motorist’s driving record. Accumulating too many points within a certain period of time can lead to license suspension.
Below you’ll find the fines, points, and other consequences for some of the most common traffic violations in Arkansas. But the specific penalties for a traffic ticket can vary depending on the circumstances of the case.
Arkansas has two types of speed limits: basic and absolute. The basic speed limit prohibits driving faster than is reasonable and prudent given the existing weather and road conditions. An absolute limit is simply the maximum speed—which is usually posted—that a motorist can drive on a certain roadway or portion thereof.
|
Type of Violation |
Fine |
Jail |
Points |
|
|
First violation within a year |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $100 |
Up to 10 days |
3 points (not more than 10 miles per hour over limit) 4 points (11 to 20 miles per hour over limit) 5 points (21 to 30 miles per hour over limit) 8 points (at least 31 miles per hour over the limit
|
|
Second violation within a year |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $200 |
Up to 20 days |
Same |
|
Third violation within a year |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $500 |
Up to 6 months |
Same |
|
More than 15 miles per hour over the limit |
Class C misdemeanor |
Up to $500 |
Up to 30 days |
Same |
Generally, the fines are doubled for speeding violations that occur within a construction zone.
At a stop sign or stop light, motorists must come to a complete stop before the nearest of a limit line, entering the crosswalk, or entering the intersection itself. In Arkansas, making a right turn at a red light is permitted provided there’s no sign at the intersection explicitly prohibiting it.
|
Type of Violation |
Offense Classification |
Fine and surcharge |
Jail |
Points |
|
First violation within a year |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $100 |
Up to 10 days |
3 |
|
Second violation within a year |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $200 |
Up to 20 days |
3 |
|
Third violation within a year |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $500 |
Up to 6 months |
3 |
These are the penalties for both red light and stop sign violations.
Arkansas’s distracted driving laws prohibit all drivers from texting while driving and puts restrictions on cellphone use that depend on the driver’s age. Drivers who are at least 21 years old can use a handheld phone while driving but must use hands-free technology when using a phone in a school zone or highway work zone. Drivers who are at least 18 years old and younger than 21 years old can use a cellphone while driving only with hands-free technology. And drivers who are younger than 18 years old generally can’t use a cellphone while driving.
|
Violation |
Fine |
|
First offense |
Up to $250 |
|
Second and subsequent offenses |
Up to $500
|
And fines are doubled for violations that involve collisions or take place in a highway work zone.
Generally, all Arkansas motorists must have a valid license in their possession while driving. The penalties for a violation, however, depend on the circumstances.
|
Violation |
Offense Classification |
Fine |
Jail |
|
License not in possession |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $500 |
Up to 90 days |
|
Unlicensed driving |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $500 |
Up to 6 months |
|
Driving on suspended or revoked |
Misdemeanor |
Up to $500 |
Up to 6 months |
Motorists who can show the court that they had a valid license at the time of the citation can get their ticket dismissed.
Anyone caught driving on a suspended license faces an additional suspension period.
