The Arkansas motorcycle license handbook is the Motorcycle Operator Manual published by the state, and it’s the study source for both the written knowledge exam and the on-cycle skills test that the Arkansas State Police administer before the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) issues your license.1Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas State Police – Driver Examination Everything the examiners can ask you sits inside that manual.
Where to Get the Manual
The Arkansas Department of Public Safety hosts a downloadable PDF of the Motorcycle Operator Manual on its Driver Examination page, along with links to practice tests and testing schedules.1Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas State Police – Driver Examination For a printed copy, your local Arkansas State Police Troop headquarters usually has them on hand. The Arkansas manual adds state-specific rules, definitions, and vehicle classifications on top of the general safe-riding material, so studying an out-of-state guide will leave gaps on test day.
License Classes and Who Qualifies
Arkansas issues two motorcycle licenses:
- Class MD is for riders ages 14 and 15 and covers motor-driven cycles with an engine displacement of 250cc or less. It expires automatically on the rider’s sixteenth birthday.2Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-106 – Operator’s License Required
- Class M is for riders 16 and older and has no engine-size limit.3Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Motorcycle License
Holding a Class D driver’s license doesn’t exempt you from the motorcycle exams. You still take the Arkansas State Police written and skills tests before the endorsement is added. Arkansas also doesn’t accept motorcycle testing from another state or from the military as a substitute for its own exams.
What to Bring Before You Test
You need to prove your identity and legal presence at the testing site with either one primary document and one secondary document, or two primary documents. A U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport counts as primary; a Social Security card or utility bill counts as secondary. The DFA publishes the full accepted-document list, and it’s worth checking against your paperwork before you go, because the wrong combination means no test that day.
Bring originals, not photocopies. Applicants under 18 should expect additional requirements typical of intermediate licensing, including possible parental consent.
The Written Knowledge Test
The written exam is 25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the Motorcycle Operator Manual, and you need at least 80 percent, or 20 correct answers, to pass. Questions focus on riding decisions: lane positioning for visibility, handling intersections, riding in a group, and reacting when something goes wrong at speed.
A vision screening comes first. Arkansas requires an uncorrected acuity of at least 20/40 for an unrestricted license, or a corrected acuity of at least 20/70 for a restricted license, with a field of vision of at least 140 degrees using both eyes or 105 degrees with one functional eye.4FindLaw. Arkansas Code 27-16-704 – Examinations for Licenses If you wear glasses or contacts, wear them. Failing the screening ends the visit before the test starts.
The Instruction Permit
Passing the written test and vision screening gets you a motorcycle instruction permit, not a full license. The permit is valid for 12 months and cannot be renewed. You can ride on public roads to practice during that period, but if the permit expires before you pass the skills test, you’ll take the written exam again.
The On-Cycle Skills Test
Skills tests are scheduled through your local Arkansas State Police Troop, and each troop commander sets the calendar for the counties in that territory, so availability depends on where you live.1Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas State Police – Driver Examination
You supply the motorcycle. The examiner first confirms the bike is street-legal with working lights, mirrors, brakes, and tires. On the range you’ll ride a set of maneuvers that include a serpentine weave and a controlled emergency stop. The examiner scores balance, throttle and brake control, head-turn technique, and whether you stay inside the marked boundaries.
Once you pass, you take the examiner’s paperwork to a DFA Revenue Office, pay the fee, and receive your Class M or Class MD license.
Fees and How Long the License Lasts
A Class M license costs $40 and is valid for eight years.3Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Motorcycle License The Class MD license is prorated because it ends on the rider’s sixteenth birthday.2Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-106 – Operator’s License Required Applicants 70 and older renewing an expired Class D or Class M license can choose a four-year term for $12 or an eight-year term for $24.5Justia. Arkansas Code 27-16-801 – Licenses – Period of Validity
Helmet, Eye Protection, and Insurance
Helmets are required for riders under 21. The headgear must meet standards set by the Office of Motor Vehicle.6Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-104 – Standard Equipment Required Riders 21 and older can choose whether to wear one. Because Class MD riders are 14 or 15, they’re always required to wear a helmet.
Eye protection is the rule everyone misses. Every operator and passenger, regardless of age, must wear glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield on public roads.6Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-104 – Standard Equipment Required A helmet with a built-in face shield handles both requirements for younger riders, but a rider over 21 who skips the helmet still has to wear standalone eye protection.
For helmet shopping, look for the DOT symbol on the outside back, which indicates compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218. Compliant helmets have a stiff inner foam liner at least one inch thick and sturdy chin straps with solid rivets.7National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Choose the Right Motorcycle Helmet
Arkansas also requires liability insurance on every motorcycle used on public roads. The minimum coverage is 25/50/25: $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident.8Justia. Arkansas Code 27-22-104 – Insurance Required Riding uninsured is a separate offense from riding unlicensed, with its own fines and loss of riding privileges.
Carrying Passengers
Children under eight years old cannot be carried as motorcycle passengers on any street or highway, with the sole exception of a parade.9Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-118 – Restrictions on Young Children The bike itself must be built for a passenger, with a proper seat and footpegs for the second rider.
Should You Take a Safety Course?
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourse combines classroom work with range exercises, and motorcycles are typically provided, so you don’t need to own a bike to enroll.10Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Basic RiderCourse The maneuvers you practice line up closely with what the examiner tests.
One thing the course won’t do is get you out of the state exam. Arkansas doesn’t waive the Arkansas State Police skills test based on MSF completion or on testing done in other states. Every applicant rides for an Arkansas examiner.