Go to any DMV in Arkansas to obtain license plates for your registered vehicle. Be sure to place your plates on both the front and rear of your vehicle to comply with state law.
You have to visit a Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) in Arkansas to register and apply for license plates. Here are the time constraints on applying:
Keep in mind that before you register, you have to:
If you're registering an out-of-state vehicle, you can transfer your title when you register.
You are required to register your vehicle if it is:
You must place a license place on the rear of your vehicle, and some may be required to have one on the front. The rear plate must have a validation sticker in order to be legal.
Be sure to keep the expiration date visible at all times.
If you want to personalize your Arkansas license plate, you should look it up to see if the characters you want are available. Be aware that you are limited to a maximum of 7 characters for your license plate number.
Personalized license plates cost an additional $25 along with the registration fees. It's an annual recurring cost, so you'll be expected to pay this again at the time of renewal.
You can apply for custom and specialty plates either in person or by mail. Certain license plate styles have eligibility requirements, which means that although you may want a certain style, your application may be rejected.
Also, additional fees vary depending on the type of license plate you want to have. The following is a list of specialty license plates in Arkansas:
*Note: The Street Rod/Custom Vehicle plates are only permitted to be driven for car club events, car exhibitions, and other car-related events. They cost $50 to apply and $25 to renew.
The cost for license plates in Arkansas are subject to a standard fee. But you may be required to pay additional fees such as taxes, speciality fees, or other charges.
The following is a list of fees you can expect from the OMV in Arkansas:
Additional fees may be applied depending on your vehicle and application.
In addition to the fees listed above, your total registration fee will be based on a calculation using the following:
You have 30 days to register your vehicle. If you are late, you will have to pay late registration fees, which are:
To avoid late payments, get your vehicle registered as soon as you can.
Unlike some states, Arkansas permits you to transfer your plates to a new vehicle upon registration. All you have to do is pay the transfer fee and any additional fees based on the vehicle type being registered.
Also, if you don’t want to transfer your plates, or if you no longer need them for any reason, you can surrender your license plates to your local OMV centre.
If you lose your license plates or have them stolen, you should contact the authorities immediately. Afterward, you should contact the OMV to get your license plates replaced as soon as possible.
If you have a disability and require a disability placard or license plates, you can apply for those at the OMV. The OMV offers the following:
You can also pick up a temporary placard that lasts for 3 months.
Visitors from out of state can use the disability placard or license plate provided from their own state.
If you decide to move to Arkansas, you should apply promptly for an Arkansas license plate.
Be sure to remember the date on the sticker found on your rear license plate. This sticker indicates when your registration expires. Prior to that date, you're expected to renew your vehicle’s stick and reregister at the nearest OMV.
You don’t have to go to the OMV to renew your registration. It's possible to renew by mail, phone, or online.
If you’re uncertain about a vehicle you are about to buy, you can look up license plates. This service is entirely free and is not provided by the OMV in Arkansas.
You can use this service to check if the personalized plates you want are available. You can also obtain some background information and history associated with a particular license plate number.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to look up Arkansas License Plates and report bad drivers:
