In Arkansas, the Affidavit of Non-Use (Form 10-300) is a declaration filed with the Department of Finance and Administration that waives late-registration penalties for a vehicle whose registration has lapsed, so long as the vehicle wasn’t driven on state roads during the gap. It doesn’t register the vehicle or excuse you from registering it before you drive again. It only removes the penalty fees that would otherwise stack up while the tags were expired.
What Form 10-300 Does
The form is available at any state revenue office. By signing it, you confirm that the vehicle was not operated on Arkansas roads after the registration expired.1Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Vehicle Tag Renewal That declaration is what the state relies on to skip the late fees when you eventually renew.
Think of it as a paper trail for a car that sat. A vehicle in long-term storage, a project car waiting on parts, an inherited vehicle you haven’t decided what to do with, a second car you stopped driving after a schedule change: any of these can accumulate a registration gap without ever touching a public road. Form 10-300 tells the state that’s what happened.
The Penalties It Protects You From
Driving in Arkansas with expired registration carries mandatory fines. A first offense is $50 to $100. A second or subsequent offense runs $100 to $250. If you pick up two offenses within the same year, a court can order the vehicle impounded until you produce proof of valid registration, and you pay the impoundment costs.2FindLaw. Arkansas Code Title 27 Transportation 27-14-314
Those penalties attach to driving, not to owning. The affidavit works because it separates the two: you’re telling the state the vehicle stayed off the road, so the driving-based penalty structure never triggered.
What the Affidavit Does Not Do
Form 10-300 shields you from penalty fees during the lapse. It is not a registration. Before you put the vehicle back on Arkansas roads, you still have to register it and carry at least the minimum liability insurance the state requires:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person per accident
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people per accident
- $25,000 for property damage per accident
These minimums come from the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act and apply to any vehicle operated on public roads.3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 27-22-104 – Insurance Required The affidavit doesn’t change any of that. It only addresses the penalty side of the lapse.
Insurance While the Vehicle Sits
Owners filing a non-use affidavit often ask whether they can drop insurance entirely while the car is parked. You can, but there’s a cost to it. Cancelling a policy creates a coverage gap on your insurance record, and insurers treat gaps as a risk indicator. When you shop for coverage again, your premiums will typically be higher because of it.
A middle path is switching to comprehensive-only coverage during storage. That drops liability and collision but keeps protection against theft, fire, vandalism, flood, and hail. For a car sitting in a garage or driveway, those are the actual exposures, and premiums fall accordingly because you’re no longer paying for driving-related risk.
One warning: if the vehicle is financed or leased, your lender almost certainly requires full coverage at all times, storage included. Dropping collision or liability without checking the loan or lease terms can put you in breach of the agreement. Call the lender before making changes.
Putting the Vehicle Back on the Road
When you’re ready to drive the vehicle again, register it first and restore full liability coverage before it moves. Arkansas requires the minimum liability limits above for any vehicle on public roads,3Justia Law. Arkansas Code 27-22-104 – Insurance Required and the expired-registration fines apply the moment you drive on lapsed tags, regardless of any affidavit you filed for the earlier gap. The affidavit closes the past; it doesn’t cover the next trip.