DMV Point System in Arkansas

Driving is fun but not a game—points are earned when you break the rules, not follow them, and instead of leading to victories, they could lead to penalties and have a negative impact on your driving future.

Read below to find out more about what happens when you acquire points on your Arkansas driving record and how the point system works in the state.

Arkansas Point System Basics

When it comes to the number of points on your Arkansas driving record, think of a famous piece of fashion advice: “Less is more." Too many points will result in penalties, with more points leading to harsher consequences.

You'll see the tally of points on your AR driving record climb each time you're convicted of or plead guilty to a moving citation. The severity of the driving violation dictates how many points you'll be penalized with.

You'll hear from the Arkansas Driver Services (ODS) about the consequences you're facing once you reach certain point “milestones" on your record, including:

  • 10 to 13 points: Your license history will be reviewed by the Agency Director.
  • 14 to 17 points: Possible license suspension up to 5 business days.
  • 18 to 23 points: License suspension up to 10 business days.
  • 24 points or more: License suspended up to 20 business days.

If you accumulate 10 points or more you will be required to complete an approved defensive driving course. Contact your local Arkansas ODS office for more information, including the timeframe during which you could be punished for accumulating a certain number of points.

And remember: points on your driving record go beyond getting you in hot water with the state. Too many can also typically have a negative impact on your auto insurance rate.

You can find out more about how many points some common violations are worth below.

NOTE: If you're a commercial vehicle driver, you may face additional penalties for acquiring points on your commercial driver's license.

Higher Points = Higher Rates

Want to keep your car insurance rate as low as possible? Earning too many points may make that difficult.

Find out more about the effect tickets have on your auto insurance—and how you could try to stop the rate from increasing.

AR Point System Schedule

How many points you earn per traffic ticket depends on how severe the moving violation you committed was.

You'll receive anywhere in the range of 3 to 8 points per violation in Arkansas.

A penalty worth 3 points will be more common, and could include violations like mild speeding.

Higher point values are reserved for incidents like reckless driving, and the highest point total is usually saved for very serious violations, such as driving under the influence or manslaughter.

You'll be able to find out how many points will be added to your record on you traffic citation.

Contact your local ODS office or an Arkansas traffic ticket attorney for more specific information.

DMV.ORG TIP: Keep Your Record in Tip-Top Shape

Make sure you're not blindsided! Always know exactly how many points you've accumulated—and be prepared for what's coming—by pulling your Arkansas driving record today.

Reducing Record Points

Nothing in life is permanent, not even points on your driving record.

You MAY be able to have the number of points on your AR driving record reduced by attending a defensive driving course in the state. However, this is not guaranteed. Call your court and ask for more details.

You can also contact your nearest Arkansas Driver Services branch for more information on how to get rid of unwanted points, or call an AR traffic ticket attorney for further advice.

DMV.ORG BBB Business Review