Arkansas · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
Arkansas CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Arkansas splits CDL functions: the Department of Finance and Administration (Office of Driver Services/Revenue Offices) issues licenses, while the Arkansas State Police administers CDL knowledge and skills tests (skills tests at six troop locations). Applicants purchase a $50 CDL-1 application/test packet (valid one year, covers knowledge and skills testing), must be 18+ for a CLP (21 for interstate under federal rule), hold the CLP 14 days, then pay $50 for the five-year CDL.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Arkansas?
Arkansas licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT since Feb 2022 for first-time A/B and first-time H/P/S endorsements; DOT medical certificate; endorsements H (TSA check), N, T, P, S, X. Verified on official pages: CDL fee $50 for a 5-year license per Act 753 (effective 1/1/2022, up from $40/4-year); CLP 18+, valid up to 1 year, no skills test in first 14 days, knowledge tests must be retaken if CLP expires and is renewed; ASP skills-test sites require applicant-supplied vehicle with DOT inspection sticker and two wheel chocks. Whether the renewal fee equals the $50 five-year license fee for all classes was not separately itemized.
What licenses does Arkansas issue?
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services (issuance); Arkansas State Police (testing) issues the credentials below for this trade. Boards often list further classes for specialties and business licenses; these are the ones this page covers.
Hours are what each class asks for on its own terms. Where a senior class shows fewer than a journeyman, the board is counting time served after the earlier license rather than from the start; the prerequisite column says which.
| License | On-the-job hours | Classroom hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class B CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class C CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services (issuance); Arkansas State Police (testing) (arkleg.state.ar.us). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Arkansas require?
CDL knowledge tests (available at all ASP troop testing sites; requires current CDL-1 form purchased from a DFA revenue office). Administered by Arkansas State Police.
CDL skills test (pre-trip inspection and on-road; appointment required; offered at Troops A, B, G, I, J, L). Administered by Arkansas State Police.
Source: examination page (dps.arkansas.gov). Verified July 2026.
How much does an Arkansas CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Arkansas costs $100 in board fees, before any training. That is the application fee and the initial license fee charged once, with renewal charged separately below. No board publishes this total, so it is added up here from the schedule it does publish.
- Application fee$50
- Exam feeincluded
- Initial license fee$50
- Renewal fee (recurring)$50
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 5 years
Continuing education: No recurring continuing education. A one-time human-trafficking-prevention course is required to be ISSUED a Class A CDL, either a course administered/approved by the division or the Truckers Against Trafficking online 'Certified Trucker Against Trafficking' certification (Ark. Code Ann. 27-23-108(e)(1)). A Class A CDL holder who has completed that training at least once is NOT required to repeat it at renewal (27-23-108(e)(2)). DOT medical certification must be kept current.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No apprenticeship requirement. First-time Class A/B applicants complete ELDT through an FMCSA-registered provider (performance-based, no state hour minimum).
How does Arkansas compare to neighboring states?
Requirements stop at the state line, which matters if you live near one or expect to move. Here is what the neighboring states ask of the same trade.
| State | Journeyman hours | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | not published | Statewide |
| Louisiana | not published | Statewide |
| Missouri | not published | Statewide |
| Mississippi | not published | Statewide |
| Oklahoma | not published | Statewide |
| Tennessee | not published | Statewide |
| Texas | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Arkansas DFA - Commercial Drivers License (CDL)
- Arkansas DFA - CLP Commercial Learner's Permit
- Arkansas DFA - Recent Changes in the Law (Act 753: CDL fee $50 for five-year license)
- Arkansas DPS/State Police - Driver Examination
- Arkansas General Assembly - HB1371 (2025) engrossed bill text, reproducing current Ark. Code Ann. 27-23-108(e) verbatim including the (e)(2) renewal exemption
- Arkansas General Assembly - HB1371 bill status: 'Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment' 5/5/2025 (repeal failed; requirement still in force)
- Arkansas State Police CDL Testing Rules, 130.00.13 Ark. Code R. 002 ($50 initial CDL application incl. knowledge and skills testing; CDL-1 expires 1 year) - republished by Cornell LII, not state-hosted
Last verified July 2026, independently re-verified before publication. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: California, Colorado, Connecticut.
Price the whole path with the license cost estimator, or weigh earning against paying for school with the apprenticeship comparison. Back to CDL truck drivers overview.
Licensing requirements change between our verification sweeps. This page is informational only, so confirm current requirements with Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services (issuance); Arkansas State Police (testing) before making decisions. Not legal advice.