Arkansas License Plate Laws: Display, Covers, and Penalties

Arkansas license plate laws require most vehicles to display two plates, one on the front and one on the rear, mounted horizontally at least twelve inches above the ground and kept clearly readable at all times. Violating the display rules is a traffic offense, and using an unofficial, reproduced, or altered plate is a misdemeanor carrying a fine between $100 and $500.¹

How Many Plates and Where They Mount

Standard passenger vehicles get two plates, and both must be displayed: one on the front, one on the rear. If the state issues only a single plate for your vehicle type, it goes on the rear.²

Two exceptions apply. Trucks rated at one ton or more may carry the plate on either the front or the rear. Motorcycles display a single plate mounted on the rear.²

Keeping the Plate Readable

Every plate must be securely fastened in a horizontal position so it cannot swing while the vehicle is moving. The bottom edge has to sit at least twelve inches above the ground.²

Plates also have to stay free of anything that blocks the characters or the state name. Mud, snow, tape, stickers, road grime. The requirement runs at all times, so there is no grace period for buildup on a long trip. If an officer cannot read your plate, the statute applies.²

Nighttime Illumination

A separate statute requires the rear plate to be lit by a white light bright enough to make the plate clearly readable from fifty feet away. That light has to turn on automatically whenever your headlamps or auxiliary driving lamps are on.³

Only white light is allowed around the plate. Colored LEDs in plate frames are not permitted, and even white light bright enough to wash out the characters from under fifty feet violates the rule.³

Plate Covers and Frames

Placing any cover over a license plate is illegal if it makes the plate harder to read or reduces its reflective properties. Arkansas plates are manufactured with reflective material so they show up under headlights and camera flashes. A tinted plastic cover, or even a “clear” one that dims the reflective coating, falls within the prohibition.²

When Equipment Blocks the Plate

The law recognizes that some accessories can hide a rear plate through no fault of the driver. If the equipment is installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications or generally accepted practices, these items may legally obscure the plate:²

A trailer hitch, ball mount, or receiver.
A trailer being towed behind the vehicle.
A wheelchair lift or carrier.
A bicycle rack, including the bikes loaded on it.

The exception depends on proper installation. A homemade hitch or a bicycle rack rigged to a bumper in a way that permanently hides the plate could fall outside it. Keeping installation documentation is worthwhile if you want to shorten the conversation during a traffic stop.

Unofficial and Altered Plates

Only plates issued by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration may be displayed on the rear of a vehicle. Dealership advertising plates, novelty plates, and homemade reproductions are not allowed. Reproducing, painting, or altering an official plate or registration card is also prohibited.¹

One narrow exception exists for commercial motor carriers. A carrier may affix a company logo decal to the plate if the Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration has authorized and approved that decal.¹

Temporary Tags After Buying a Vehicle

When you buy from a licensed dealer, you need a temporary preprinted paper buyer’s tag within five business days of purchase, unless you are transferring a plate from a vehicle you already have registered. The dealer can issue it at the sale if they have the capability. Otherwise you get one from the Office of Motor Vehicle or an approved vendor, and you must keep a copy of the bill of sale in the vehicle until the tag is in hand.⁴

The tag goes on the inside of the rear window. If the vehicle has no rear window, it goes where the permanent plate will eventually mount. It is valid until you register the vehicle or thirty days after the purchase date, whichever comes first. At registration you pay a fee of up to one dollar for the tag that was issued.⁴

Replacing a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Plate

If your plate is lost, stolen, or damaged beyond legibility, replace it promptly. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration handles replacements, and you can reach them at 501-682-4692 for the specific requirements. Driving with an unreadable plate leaves you open to a citation regardless of why it went missing.

If the plate was stolen, file a police report. Keep a copy for your records and bring it when you apply for the replacement, since it documents that the original was taken rather than lost.

Penalties

Displaying an unofficial, reproduced, or altered plate is a misdemeanor. A conviction carries a fine between $100 and $500.¹

Violations of the display requirements under Section 27-14-716, such as improper mounting, obstructed plates, or prohibited covers, are handled as traffic infractions with a citation and fine. Officers have wide discretion to stop a vehicle whose plate they cannot read.

1
Justia. Arkansas Code 27-14-305 – Penalty for Using or Making Unofficial License Plates
2
Justia. Arkansas Code 27-14-716 – Display of License Plates Generally
3
Justia. Arkansas Code 27-36-215 – Tail Lamps and Reflectors
4
Code of Arkansas Rules. 27 CAR 15-103 – Temporary Preprinted Paper Buyers Tag