Arkansas Intermediate License (Teen License)

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

Arkansas's graduated driver licensing system has three stages: Learner's License at 14, Intermediate License at 16, and a full unrestricted Class D license at 18 (or 17 with completed driver education). The middle stage — the Intermediate License — is where teens earn the right to drive alone, but with several restrictions designed to reduce crash risk during the highest-risk learning period.

Eligibility for the Intermediate License

To upgrade from a Learner's License to an Intermediate License at 16, the teen must:

Be at least 16 years old.
Have held an Arkansas Learner's License for at least six consecutive months with no moving violation convictions.
Pass the Arkansas road test in a vehicle with a current safety-inspection sticker and proof of insurance.
Submit updated proof of school enrollment under the "no pass, no drive" law (or proof of high-school graduation/GED).
Have a parent or legal guardian sign the financial-responsibility consent.

Restrictions during the Intermediate stage

The Intermediate License lifts the supervised-only rule of the Learner's License but layers in two key restrictions:

Nighttime curfew. Between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., the teen may not drive unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, on the way to or from work, on the way to or from a school activity, or in a documented emergency.
Passenger limit. The teen may carry only one unrelated passenger under 21, and the total number of passengers must not exceed the number of seat belts. Immediate family members do not count toward the unrelated-passenger limit.
Wireless device prohibition. Drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone or any wireless device while driving, including hands-free operation. This is an Arkansas-specific provision tied to the Intermediate License.
Seat belts required for all occupants. Arkansas's primary seat-belt law applies to drivers and front-seat passengers; for Intermediate License holders, all rear-seat occupants must also be belted.

The Intermediate road test

The road test for the Intermediate License is administered by the Arkansas Office of Driver Services in the family's vehicle. The examiner checks:

Pre-drive vehicle inspection — signals, brake lights, mirrors, horn, and tires.
Smooth, controlled acceleration and braking with no abrupt corrections.
Signaled lane changes with full mirror-and-head-check sequence.
Proper turning — correct lane in, correct lane out, no late signals.
Stopping behind the limit line at controlled intersections, no rolling stops.
Backing in a straight line and either parallel parking or angle parking.
Highway entry and merging if the route includes a controlled-access road.

Penalties for breaking the rules

An Intermediate License holder who is convicted of a curfew violation, the unrelated-passenger limit, or the cell-phone rule faces:

A traffic-court fine, typically $50 to $100 for the first violation.
A re-restart of the Intermediate stage clock for serious or repeat infractions.
Possible license suspension at the parent's or court's request.

A DWI offense by a teen on the Intermediate License triggers Arkansas's underage 0.02% threshold and a year-long suspension regardless of the criminal outcome — see Arkansas DWI laws.

Graduating to a full Class D license

The Intermediate License remains in effect until the teen turns 18, at which point it converts to an unrestricted Arkansas Class D driver's license on renewal. A teen who completes a state-approved driver education course and turns 17 may apply early for the unrestricted license — the only requirement is that the Intermediate License has been held for at least one year with no moving violation convictions during the last six months. The conversion is processed at any ODS office with the standard DL-1A form.