Under Arkansas moped laws, anyone riding on a public road needs either a motorized bicycle certificate from the Division of Arkansas State Police or a valid Arkansas driver’s license. Mopeds are classified as “motorized bicycles,” and the main rules live in Arkansas Code § 27-20-111, with equipment requirements in § 27-20-104 and penalties in § 27-20-102.
What Counts as a Moped
Arkansas Code § 27-20-101 defines a motorized bicycle as a bicycle with an automatic transmission and a motor no larger than 50cc. If your vehicle has a manual transmission or a bigger engine, the state treats it as a motor-driven cycle or motorcycle, which requires a different license class. Electric bicycles are excluded from the definition and fall under their own rules.
License or Certificate Required
You cannot legally ride a moped on any public street or highway in Arkansas without proper credentials. Any of the following will do: a motorized bicycle certificate issued by the Division of Arkansas State Police, a motor-driven cycle license, a motorcycle license, or a Class A, B, C, or D driver’s license. If you already hold one of those licenses, the separate certificate is unnecessary.1Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-111 – Operation of Motorized Bicycles Regulated
The certificate is meant for younger riders who don’t yet qualify for a standard license. You must be at least fourteen to apply. The process involves a written traffic-rules exam, a vision screening, and a road test. The fee is $2, deposited into the Division of Arkansas State Police Fund.1Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-111 – Operation of Motorized Bicycles Regulated
Riders Under Fourteen
Children under fourteen cannot get a certificate. The law does allow them to ride in smaller communities, but they are prohibited from operating a motorized bicycle in any municipality with a population of 10,000 or more.1Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-111 – Operation of Motorized Bicycles Regulated
Helmets, Eye Protection, and Lights
Riders under twenty-one must wear a helmet that meets standards set by the Office of Motor Vehicle. Every operator and passenger, regardless of age, must wear protective glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield. Skipping the eye protection is a violation even if you’re over twenty-one and no longer required to wear a helmet.2Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-104 – Standard Equipment Required
The bicycle lighting statute applies to mopeds. You need a front-facing white lamp visible from at least 500 feet and a rear-facing red lamp visible from the same distance. A red reflector meeting § 27-36-215 standards can replace the rear lamp.3Justia. Arkansas Code 27-36-220 – Lamps on Bicycles
Where You Can Ride
Moped operators must follow every state and local traffic law that applies to other vehicles: speed limits, stop signs, red lights, yielding, turn signals. Impaired riding is treated the same as impaired driving because the DUI and DWI statutes apply to any vehicle operated on a public road.1Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-111 – Operation of Motorized Bicycles Regulated
Three places are off-limits: interstate highways, limited-access highways, and sidewalks. Riding in any of them is a separate violation on top of anything else you’re cited for.1Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-111 – Operation of Motorized Bicycles Regulated
Passengers
A motorized bicycle cannot carry more than one person unless it has a sidecar or an additional seat with foot supports, and even then two people is the maximum. Riders under sixteen cannot carry a passenger at all.
Penalties
Any violation of the motorized bicycle subchapter is a misdemeanor. The penalty is a fine between $10 and $50, up to 30 days in jail, or both. The same range covers riding without a certificate, riding on a prohibited highway, or any other subchapter violation.4Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-102 – Penalty
Equipment violations, such as riding without a helmet when under twenty-one or without eye protection at any age, fall under the separate equipment statute and can carry their own consequences.2Justia. Arkansas Code 27-20-104 – Standard Equipment Required
Registration and Insurance
Arkansas does not require the registration, titling, or liability insurance that cars and motorcycles need. The State Police certificate process is the primary regulatory requirement. Without insurance, though, you personally absorb the cost of any accident you cause, so many riders carry a basic liability policy even where the law doesn’t require one.