You can handle a handful of Arkansas ID card tasks online through the Department of Finance and Administration’s myDMV portal: ordering a replacement, updating your address, and pre-registering an application. Full renewals, first-time applications, name changes, and REAL ID upgrades still require a visit to a revenue office. A standard ID card costs $5, and a replacement ordered online arrives by mail in three to five business days.
What the myDMV Portal Actually Lets You Do
The online services are narrower than most people expect. Four transactions are available:
- Order a replacement card if yours was lost, stolen, or damaged. It ships within three to five business days.
- Update the address on your ID at no cost. The DFA does not mail a new physical card for an address change alone.
- Pre-register for a new or renewed ID. The system generates a case number you bring to the office.
- Sign up for renewal reminders by email or text.
Everything else, including the full renewal itself, happens at one of Arkansas’s 134 revenue offices.1Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration – Drivers
Ordering a Replacement Card Online
This is the transaction most people come to the portal for. Have three things ready before you start: your current Arkansas ID number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and a credit or debit card for the $5 fee.
The system checks what you type against DFA records, so every field has to match exactly. A misspelled name or wrong date of birth will kick the request back.2Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Identification Only Once you confirm your details and pay, the card ships to the address on file within three to five business days.3Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. MyDMV
If your card was stolen rather than misplaced, filing a police report first creates a paper trail in case the card is used fraudulently later.
Changing Your Address
Address updates are free and take a few minutes online. Your existing card stays valid, and the new address goes into the state’s records. No new physical card gets mailed.1Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration – Drivers
If you want a card that shows the new address, order a replacement for $5 after the address change goes through. Do it in that order, because the replacement mails to whatever address DFA currently has on file.
Pre-Registering to Shorten Your Office Visit
Pre-registration is a compromise between online and in-person service. You fill out the application on the DFA site and the system gives you a case number. When you get to the revenue office, staff pull up your prefilled application, take your photo, and process payment. The counter time is shorter, but you still have to appear in person.1Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration – Drivers
Pre-registration works for both first-time applicants and people renewing an existing card.
What You Cannot Do Online
Several transactions require an in-person visit, no matter how much of the paperwork you handle beforehand:
- First-time applications. The office needs to capture your photo and verify your documents.
- Full renewals. Pre-registration helps, but the renewal is finished at the office with a new photo.
- REAL ID upgrades. Original documents must be presented in person.
- Legal name changes. Staff verify supporting documents at the counter.
- Adding a veteran designation. Your discharge document has to be shown in person.
You can schedule an appointment through the DFA website to cut down on wait time.4Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Real ID
REAL ID Is Not an Online Transaction
Since May 7, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration has required a REAL ID-compliant credential to board domestic flights and enter federal buildings.5Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID REAL ID-compliant Arkansas cards carry a gold star in the upper portion of the card. A valid U.S. passport meets the same federal requirement if you’d rather not upgrade.
REAL ID cannot be obtained or renewed online. You need to appear at a revenue office with:
- Proof of legal presence: a U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport.
- Proof of identity: a current driver’s license, school ID, vehicle registration or title, marriage certificate, or military ID.
- Proof of Social Security number: your Social Security card. Lost cards can be replaced at ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-325-0778.
- Two proofs of residency: a utility bill in your name, a paycheck stub from the last six months, a bank statement from the last six months, a current tax return, or a current insurance policy.
The documentation requirements are strict because REAL ID sets a federal floor for identity verification.4Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Real ID
Fees
A standard Arkansas ID card is $5 across every age group.2Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Identification Only Replacements ordered online are also $5. Address updates through the portal are free, but no new card is issued for that change alone. People recently released from state custody may qualify for a fee waiver on replacement cards under Arkansas law.