Where Arkansas Reinstatement Fees Go
Your Arkansas driver license was suspended and you received a notice stating you owe a reinstatement fee. The notice may not clearly state where to send payment, and sending it to the wrong office means your payment sits unprocessed while your suspension continues. Arkansas splits reinstatement authority between the Department of Finance and Administration Office of Driver Services — Driver Control and county circuit courts, depending on what triggered the suspension.
Administrative suspensions — failures to pay traffic tickets, proof-of-insurance violations, Safety Responsibility actions after an uninsured accident — are handled by DFA Driver Control in Little Rock. Court-ordered suspensions — DUI convictions, reckless driving, habitual offender declarations — are handled by the circuit court in the county where you were convicted.
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Applies to most administrative suspensions processed through DFA Driver Control. Court-ordered suspensions may carry additional fines and court costs determined by the sentencing judge.
Arkansas Dept of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services
What Determines Which Office Processes Your Payment
The suspension notice you received names the issuing authority. If the notice came from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services, Driver Control, your payment goes to DFA in Little Rock. If the notice came from a circuit court or references a court case number, your payment goes to the circuit clerk in the county where you were convicted.
Administrative suspensions include failure to appear for a traffic citation, failure to pay a traffic fine, driving without proof of insurance, and Safety Responsibility actions triggered by an at-fault accident while uninsured. These suspensions are processed entirely by DFA Driver Control. Court-ordered suspensions include DUI or DWI convictions, reckless driving convictions, and habitual offender declarations. These suspensions require circuit court clearance before DFA will reinstate your license.
If your suspension was court-ordered, you must satisfy all court-imposed conditions — fines, court costs, victim impact panels, alcohol education programs — before the court will issue a clearance letter to DFA. Only after DFA receives that clearance can you pay the reinstatement fee and apply for license reinstatement. Paying DFA before the court clears you accomplishes nothing.
Paying the reinstatement fee to DFA before the court issues clearance does not start the reinstatement clock — DFA will not process your application until the court clearance arrives.
How to Pay the DFA Driver Control Reinstatement Fee
Mail a money order or cashier's check payable to Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration to: Office of Driver Services, Driver Control, P.O. Box 1272, Room 1130, Little Rock, AR 72203. Include your full name, date of birth, driver license number, and a copy of the suspension notice. Personal checks are not accepted. DFA does not process reinstatement fee payments online or by credit card as of current policy.
If you need a restricted driving permit while your suspension is active, request an uncontested hearing with Driver Control using the Restricted Permit Request form available at ar.accessgov.com. A Driver Control Hearing Officer determines eligibility.
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Court-Ordered Suspensions Require Circuit Court Clearance First
If a circuit court ordered your suspension as part of a DUI, reckless driving, or habitual offender case, you must satisfy all court-imposed conditions before paying the DFA reinstatement fee. The circuit clerk in the county where you were convicted maintains your case file and tracks compliance with fines, court costs, and program requirements.
Contact the circuit clerk's office in the county where you were convicted and ask for a compliance status check. The clerk will tell you what remains unpaid or incomplete. Once you satisfy all conditions, request a clearance letter from the court. The court sends that letter to DFA Driver Control. Only after DFA receives the clearance can you submit your reinstatement application and fee.
Some counties allow you to pay court fines and costs online through the county's case management portal. Others require payment in person or by mail to the circuit clerk. Call the clerk's office before mailing payment to confirm the correct payee name and mailing address. Court payment and DFA reinstatement payment are separate transactions sent to separate offices.
Arkansas Standard License Cycle
8 years
Arkansas driver licenses renew every 8 years for drivers under 70. At age 70, drivers may choose a 4-year or 8-year cycle. Reinstatement after suspension does not reset the expiration date — your reinstated license carries the same expiration as before suspension.
Arkansas Office of Driver Services license rules
What Happens After You Pay
DFA Driver Control processes mailed reinstatement fee payments within 10 business days of receipt. Once processed, your payment clears the financial hold on your license, but reinstatement is not automatic. You must visit a state revenue office in person with proof of identity, proof of Social Security number, proof of Arkansas residency, and proof of current Arkansas liability insurance meeting state minimum limits of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.
If your suspension was triggered by a Safety Responsibility action after an uninsured accident, you must file an SR-22 certificate with DFA before reinstatement. The SR-22 is filed by your insurance carrier and confirms you carry at least state minimum liability coverage. Arkansas requires SR-22 filing for 3 years following certain violations. Your carrier files the SR-22 electronically; you do not mail it yourself.
Pay the Reinstatement Fee to the Correct Office
Check your suspension notice to identify the issuing authority. Administrative suspensions from DFA Driver Control require payment mailed to the Little Rock office with your license number and suspension notice copy. Court-ordered suspensions require circuit court clearance before DFA will accept your reinstatement application. Paying the wrong office or paying DFA before court clearance delays reinstatement by weeks. Once DFA processes your payment and you satisfy all other requirements, visit a revenue office in person with proof of insurance to complete reinstatement.