Arkansas Address & Name Change

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Arkansas requires drivers to keep their address and legal name current on the driver's license and the vehicle registration record. The state's 30-day rule applies to both: you have 30 days from a move or a name change to update the records with the DFA. The update is straightforward, but the steps are slightly different for an address change versus a name change.

Address change

If you move within Arkansas, you have 30 days to update:

Your Arkansas driver's license address.
The address on each vehicle registration in your name.
The address on any title in your name (recommended even though not always required).

Updating your license address

Address changes on the license can be done:

Online through the Arkansas DFA portal — the fastest option, with the new address recorded immediately. The new card with the corrected address is mailed in 7 to 14 business days.
By mail using the address-change request form available on the DFA website, returned with a photocopy of the existing license and any required fee.
In person at any Office of Driver Services location with your current license and proof of residency at the new address (utility bill, lease, or bank statement dated within 60 days).

Updating your registration address

Vehicle registration address changes are typically updated at any DFA Revenue Office. Bring your current registration card or your renewal notice and a proof of residency. If you're updating address only with no name change or other modifications, the update is recorded at no cost on the system; a new registration card with the corrected address is issued. If you also want a new title showing the new address, the standard duplicate title fee applies.

Name change

An Arkansas legal name change — from marriage, divorce, adoption, or court order — requires updating the license and the title/registration. Bring to an Office of Driver Services:

Your current Arkansas driver's license.
The legal proof of name change — certified marriage certificate, divorce decree restoring a former name, court order, or adoption order.
An updated Social Security card showing the new name (the SSA must be notified before the DFA — the systems cross-check).
Two proofs of Arkansas residency at your current address.
The duplicate license fee, around $10, plus the REAL ID surcharge if applicable.

The DFA issues a temporary paper credential with the new name; the permanent card arrives by mail in 7 to 14 business days.

Updating registration after a name change

For each vehicle registered in your prior name, visit a DFA Revenue Office with:

The current registration card.
Your updated Arkansas driver's license showing the new name.
The legal proof of name change.
The duplicate registration fee (around $10), plus the duplicate title fee if you want a new title in your new name.

Most owners update the title at the same visit so the title and registration match the license — this prevents complications at any future title transfer.

Moving from another state

If you've moved to Arkansas from another state, the DFA expects you to convert within 30 days:

Surrender the out-of-state license and apply for an Arkansas driver's license.
Title and register the vehicle at a Revenue Office, including a VIN inspection by Arkansas State Police.
Assess the vehicle with the county assessor in your new home county for personal property tax.
Pass the annual safety inspection at a state-certified station.

Voter registration and other linked records

Updating your DFA address also gives you the option to update voter registration through the same transaction. The update flows from the DFA to the Arkansas Secretary of State's voter file. You'll still need to update other state records separately — selective service, professional license boards, hunting and fishing licenses — if applicable.

Common mistakes

Skipping the SSA name update first. The DFA cross-checks names with the SSA.
Forgetting to update each vehicle, not just the primary one.
Using an out-of-state document (PO box, mail-forwarding service) as residency proof — the DFA wants a physical Arkansas address.
Letting the address discrepancy linger past 30 days, which can complicate any future ticket or insurance claim.