Chapter 1: Your License to Drive

Understanding the licensing process is the first and most critical step for any new driver. These rules are designed to ensure every person on the road has demonstrated the necessary knowledge and skill to operate a vehicle safely. Mastering this information is essential for passing the knowledge exam and for maintaining a valid license throughout one’s driving career.

Glossary

• Right-of-way: The legal right of a pedestrian or vehicle to proceed first in a particular situation or place.
• Per-se BAC: The blood alcohol concentration level at which a driver is legally considered intoxicated (0.08% for adults in Arkansas).
• Implied Consent: By driving on public roads, you have automatically agreed to submit to a chemical test for intoxication if requested by a law enforcement officer.
• Divided Highway: A road separated into two one-way roadways by a median or physical barrier.
• Keep Right/Left-Lane: The general rule requiring drivers to stay in the rightmost lane except when passing, turning left, or when the right lane is blocked.
• No-Zone: The large blind spots around a commercial truck where cars are not visible to the truck driver.
• Hydroplaning: A dangerous condition where a vehicle’s tires lose contact with the road surface and ride on a thin film of water.
• Reversible Lane: A lane on which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions, often indicated by overhead signals.

License Classes

Arkansas issues several classes of non-commercial driver’s licenses, each authorizing the operation of specific types of vehicles. It is illegal to operate a vehicle without the correct license class.

• Class D License: This is the standard passenger vehicle license for most drivers in Arkansas. It permits the operation of any automobile or other four-wheel vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) under 26,001 pounds, unless the vehicle is designed to carry 16 or more passengers or transport hazardous materials. This is the license most applicants will seek.
• Class M (Motorcycle) License: This license is required to operate a motorcycle on public roadways. Applicants must be at least 16 years old. To obtain a Class M license, an individual must pass a vision test, a motorcycle-specific knowledge exam, and a motorcycle skills test. The skills test may be waived upon successful completion of a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Rider Course.
• Class MD (Motor Driven Cycle) License: This is a restricted license for individuals between 14 and 16 years of age. It allows the operation of motor-driven cycles with an engine displacement of 250 cubic centimeters (cc) or less. Applicants must pass both a standard driver’s knowledge exam and a motorcycle knowledge exam, as well as a vision and skills test.
• Motorized Bicycle (MB) Certificate: This restricted certificate is for individuals between 14 and 16 years old. It limits operation to a motorized bicycle or motorcycle with an engine displacement of 50cc or less.