Teen and Novice Drivers: Arkansas
Full Privilege Minimum Age
18 years
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs allow young drivers to safely gain driving experience before obtaining full driving privileges. Most programs include three stages:
During the 1990s, many states began enacting GDL laws. The programs and types of restrictions vary from state to state. Below are some highlights:
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on GDL laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office (SHSO).
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and SHSOs.
Last updated in May 2024. Laws last reviewed by SHSOs in March 2024.
16 years, 6 months
15
10 days
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 18
16 years, 9 months
15 / 6
6
30 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
No more than 1
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Second 6 months: no more than one passenger under 20
17 years
15
6
50 (10); 0 with driver's ed.
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
18 years
15 15 / 6 without driver's ed.
6
50 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Remainder: no more than 3 passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement)
16 / 3
Midnight - 4 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 21 (secondary enforcement) Thereafter: no more than 3 under 21 under certain conditions (secondary enforcement)
18 years
15 / 6
9
45 (15)
None
16
None
None
None
None
None
12
40 (10)
16
No restriction
First 3 months: no passengers Second 3 months: no passengers except family (secondary enforcement
16 years, 6 months
15
Nighttime driving: 17 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15
18
40 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers (secondary enforcement)
18 years
15
6
30 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
No more than 1 under 21 (secondary enforcement)
17 years
15
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 1
16 years
14
275* days (or 180 days after passing driver's ed.)
*effective July 1, 2021
50 (10 at night and 10 in inclement weather)*
*effective July 1, 2021
14 + minimum of 6 months
10 p.m. - 6 a.m. (exemption for going directly to or from school event, work or church event and driving agricultural machinery)*
*effective July 1, 2021
No passengers outside of household for first 6 months; 1 passenger outside of household after 6 months.*
*effective July 1, 2021
EST: 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. EDT: 8 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 2 under 21 unless to/from school
16 years, 6 months
15
6
40 (10)
15 / 6
17 years, 6 months
16
6
50 (10)
16 / 6
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 21
65 (10) + 5 in inclement weather
16 / 6
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 Thereafter: no more than 3 under 18
17 years with driver's ed. and 12 months free of crash or conviction 18 without driver's ed.
16
6
17 years
15
6
50; 100 without driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Second 6 months: No more than 3 passengers under 20
15 / 6 with driver's ed; 15 without driver's ed
6
50 (10)
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1
16 years, 6 months with driver's ed. 17 years without driver's ed.
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
Age 16: Midnight - 6 a.m. Age 17: 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months, no more than 1 unless supervised
16
15 / 6
None
None
n/a
n/a
n/a
No restriction (other than vehicle manufacturer recommendations)
16 years
14
12 for drivers under 16; otherwise, 6 months or until age 18 (whichever comes first)
50 for drivers under 16; otherwise none
16; 15 for a parent-requested restricted license (restricted license may only operate a vehicle owned by their parents or legal guardian and may not drive a car with more passengers than the vehicle's manufacturer recommends)
Sunset or 9 p.m. (whichever is later) - 5 a.m.
16 years, 6 months
15
6
60 (10) during Learner Stage 2 (6) during Intermediate Stage
16
9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21; if passenger under 21 is family, no other non-family passengers under 21
16 / 6
9 p.m. - 5 a.m. except NYC (unsupervised driving prohibited at all times) and Long Island (limited daytime unsupervised allowed)
No more than 1 under 21
17 years with driver's ed. 18 years without driver's ed.
16
6
50 (15)
16 years, 6 months
15
6
50 (10)
15 / 6
Midnight - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21
6
None
17
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 (exception limited to drivers' dependents)
18 years
16
Nighttime driving: 17 years, 1 month Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
None
40 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 4 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 25
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
6
50 (10); 100 (10) if driver's ed not offered within 30 miles
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers under 18 (secondary enforcement)
Nighttime driving: 17 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15
6
50 (10); 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 6 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 19 (secondary enforcement)
16 years
14 / 6
6
50 (10)
15
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 Second 6 months: no more than 3 under 18
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 19 Thereafter: no more than 3 under 19
18 years
15
6
40 (10)
16
18 years
15
12
None
16
Sun-Thurs: 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fri-Sat: 11:30 p.m. - 6 a.m.
None
50 (15) or 40 (15) if parent completes 90 minute class
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 20 Second 6 months: no more than 3 under 20
Nighttime driving: 16 years, 6 months Driving with passengers: 17
15
6
17 years
14 / 9
6
50 (10)
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21
16
6
40; 30 with advanced driver training
16 / 6
12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement 12:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. - 5 a.m.)
First 6 months: no passengers under 18
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 11 months
15 / 9
9
60 (10)
16 / 6
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 5 months: no passengers under 18 (secondary enforcement)
16 years
15
6
70 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 270 days: no passengers
No more than 1 under 21 between 6 p.m. - 5 a.m.
17 years
15
6
50 (15)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
17 years
16
6
60 (10)
16 / 6
Midnight - 6 a.m.
No more than 1 under 20 unless supervised by instructor (secondary enforcement)
16 (at 15, can drive without supervision to and from work or school)
First 6 months: 9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 non-sibling
16 years, 6 months
14
12
50 (10)
17 years
14
12
20 (2) during Learner Stage 10 (2) during Intermediate Stage
16
12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18, parents may waive
6
50 (10)
16 / 3 with driver's ed. 16 / 9 without driver's ed.
First 180 days: 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. After 180 days: 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (Sun-Thurs); 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (Fri-Sat)
First 180 days: no passengers
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 9 months with drivers ed.; 17 years, 3 months without driver's ed.
15 with driver's ed. 16 without driver's ed.
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
15
9
50 (10)
16
Sun-Thurs: 10 p.m. - 6 a.m Fri-Sat: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 20
Nighttime driving: 16 Driving with passengers: 15 years, 6 months
14 / 6
6
50 (10)
15
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 17
17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 18
No data
16
No data
No data
12
40 (6); 0 with behind the wheel training
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers Second 6 months: no more than 1 passenger under 21 Thereafter: No more than 3 passengers (secondary enforcement)
18 years
15
18 years
15
12
50 (10)
16
Age 16: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Age 17: 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
None
18 years
16
6
40 (10 in intermediate stage)
16 / 6
September through June: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. (Sun-Thurs); Midnight - 6 a.m. (Fri-Sat) July through August: midnight - 6 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers Thereafter: No more than 2 passengers under 21
17 years
16
6
50 (10)
16 / 6
10 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 1 (law also includes a seat belt provision: if a teen driver w/ permit or their passenger <18 is found unbelted, the permit holder's license suspended for 2 months)
Nighttime Driving: 18 Driving with Passengers: 17 years, 4 months
16
4 with driver's ed 6 without driver's ed
40
16 / 4
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers except parents or instructor Second 6 months: no passengers except parents, instructor or immediate family
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers Second 6 months: no more than one passenger (secondary enforcement)
17 years
15 with driver's ed 15 / 6 with driver awareness program 16 without driver's ed. or program
12
50 (10)
16
17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months: No passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement) unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is the licensee’s parent or guardian, a licensed driver who is 25 years or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor.
None
16
11 p.m. - 4 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21
18 years
14
6
16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
6
30 (10); 20 (6) with defensive driving course; 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 (secondary enforcement)
14
6
40 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 21
16 years, 6 months
17
15
6
50; 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 6 a.m.
No more than 1
Full Privilege Minimum Age
18 years
Full Privilege Minimum Age
16 years, 6 months
Full Privilege Minimum Age
16 years, 6 months
Full Privilege Minimum Age
17 years
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2016
Contact: Amadie Hart, ahart@ghsa.org
703-626-6679
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2016
Contact: Madison Forker, mforker@ghsa.org
202-789-0942 x120
Mission Not Accomplished: Teen Safe Driving, the Next Chapter offers a fresh look at 10 years of data examines the differences in fatal crashes between older and younger teens and provides policy and best practice recommendations.
GHSA's Annual Report covers association accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2016
Contact: Kara Macek, kmacek@ghsa.org
202-789-0942 x140
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2015
Contact: Kara Macek, kmacek@ghsa.org
202-789-0942 x140