Arkansas only requires SR-22 forms from drivers with a criminal traffic conviction. This form proves the driver carries the required minimum auto insurance.
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Cheapest recent rates in Arkansas
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $29/mo for liability only and $59/mo for full coverage in Arkansas.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users from Arkansas within the last 10 days. Last updated on April 17, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from April 17, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users from Arkansas within the last 10 days. Last updated on April 17, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from April 17, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Arkansas may require motorists guilty of reckless driving to obtain an SR-22 to keep their licenses. An SR-22 isn’t insurance in itself but instead a form that a driver’s insurance company files with the state as proof of auto insurance coverage.
If Arkansas requires you to file an SR-22, your insurance company will send the form to the state’s driver’s license bureau and Department of Revenue as proof of insurance.
Here’s what you need to know about SR-22 insurance in Arkansas.
Quick Facts
Arkansas may not require an SR-22 for drivers with a DUI. But drivers with other criminal convictions, such as vehicular manslaughter, need to file an SR-22 in Arkansas.
Drivers with an SR-22 also have to pay a fee to reinstate their license.[1]
Even if you don’t own a car, you’ll still have to carry an SR-22 in Arkansas if you want to maintain your driver’s license in the state.
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What is SR-22 insurance in Arkansas, and when do you need it?
Drivers who have engaged in risky behavior often have to file an SR-22 form in order to reinstate their driver’s license. The SR-22 form is a proof-of-insurance document your auto insurance company files with the state on your behalf. It certifies that you carry the minimum auto insurance requirements for the state.
The majority of states require an SR-22 or a similar document for drivers who have proven themselves to be reckless. Activities that could result in an SR-22 requirement include DUI, driving without insurance, hit-and-run, and distracted driving.
However, according to Darryl Hall, Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration manager, “Arkansas doesn’t require SR-22 for DUI. It’s mostly for vehicular manslaughter.” Specifically, Arkansas requires drivers to get an SR-22 after a criminal conviction.
Drivers who have to maintain an SR-22 may refer to this requirement as “SR-22 insurance,” even though the form isn’t actually insurance. Instead, the SR-22 is just the form your insurance company files with Arkansas as proof that you have adequate insurance coverage.
Important Information
In many cases, filing an SR-22 might lead your insurance company to raise your rates or even terminate your policy. If the SR-22 results in you losing your insurance coverage, you must find another insurer that’s willing to cover you and will file the SR-22 on your behalf with the state.
How can you get an SR-22 in Arkansas?
Driver Control, which is a division of the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), issues and manages driver’s licenses in Arkansas. To get an SR-22 form, drivers must contact their insurance company and request their insurer to file the form with Driver Control.
The process for obtaining an SR-22 in Arkansas is opaque. Unlike other states, which provide clear answers and guidance to drivers looking to file an SR-22, neither Arkansas’s Driver Services website nor its state government website provide any information about the SR-22 form. This may make it difficult for drivers to research when the state requires them to file an SR-22.
How long is an SR-22 required in Arkansas?
Since Arkansas only requires SR-22s from drivers who have certain convictions, like vehicular manslaughter, the requirement doesn’t officially start until after you’ve been to court.
“The SR-22 remains in place for three years from the date of conviction,” Hall explains. This is different from other states, which sometimes require an SR-22 on file for three years after license reinstatement.
Generally, filing an SR-22 in Arkansas will also require a reinstatement of your license. Reinstatement fees vary based on the offense, but drivers who commit a DUI/DWI pay a $150 reinstatement fee to the Arkansas State Revenue Office.[2]
However, the reinstatement fee isn’t the only cost drivers can expect from an SR-22. Most insurers ask drivers with an SR-22 to pay higher rates than drivers without one. That’s because the SR-22 indicates a higher level of risk from the driver, and the insurance company mitigates its own risk by increasing premiums.
Cheapest companies for SR-22 insurance in Arkansas
The specific amount you’ll pay for auto insurance premiums with an SR-22 in place will vary depending on your insurer and your location. But be prepared to pay more for your insurance when you have an SR-22 in place.
The following insurance companies have the least expensive policies for drivers with an SR-22 in Arkansas.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Wednesday, April 17 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company
Average Monthly Quote - Liability
Average Monthly Quote - Full Coverage
State Farm
37
76
USAA
45
92
GEICO
56
114
Auto-Owners
63
128
Safeco
70
152
National General
73
189
Shelter
82
165
Allstate
82
168
Nationwide
83
169
Farmers
83
169
Travelers
88
178
Progressive
88
179
Liberty Mutual
108
260
GAINSCO
122
260
Dairyland
128
303
Direct Auto
143
303
The General
161
332
Bristol West
192
451
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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How an SR-22 affects driving record and future rates in Arkansas
An SR-22 requirement can increase your rates while you maintain the form on your record — and your rates may remain high even after the SR-22 requirement has expired. That’s because the insurance company may still regard you as a risk, even after the end of your state-mandated SR-22 requirement.
However, you can take several steps to help reduce your costs, both while your SR-22 is in place and once it has expired. To start, the following strategies can help you improve your driving record and potentially lower your insurance rates, even while you’re still under the state’s SR-22 requirement:
Meet the minimum SR-22 requirements. Arkansas requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person for bodily injury with a maximum of $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.[3] You must carry this minimum coverage, and you must not allow your policy to lapse for the duration of your SR-22.
Take a defensive driving course. Some SR-22 drivers may have a court order to complete a defensive driving course, which may also be referred to as “traffic school” in Arkansas. If the court mandated that you complete such a course, doing so will be part of the process you must follow to reinstate your license. However, taking this kind of course may also help improve your driving record and lower your future insurance costs.
Limit your driving. If you spend less time behind the wheel, you’ll have fewer opportunities to get into an accident. Insurance companies may offer you a lower rate based on your reduced mileage.
Once the SR-22 has expired, you’ll likely need to call your insurance company to ask it to contact the state of Arkansas to remove the form from your record. Make sure you do this promptly, so your insurer knows you’re no longer required to have the form.
Arkansas SR-22 insurance FAQs
Filing and maintaining an SR-22 in Arkansas can be a complicated process, especially since the state websites don’t provide much information. Here are some of the most common questions about this form to help you navigate an SR-22 requirement in Arkansas.
How long do you have to hold an SR-22 in Arkansas?
The state of Arkansas requires drivers who have a criminal traffic conviction — such as vehicular manslaughter — to file an SR-22. The SR-22 form must remain in place for three years, starting from the day of the driver’s conviction.
How do you get rid of an SR-22 in Arkansas?
There’s no way to shorten the period of time that you must hold an SR-22. You can only wait for it to elapse.
What happens to your SR-22 in Arkansas if you move?
“If you are moving to another state and not driving there, nothing happens,” Hall says. But if you need to maintain a driver’s license in another state, you can’t just ignore your Arkansas SR-22 if you move before it has expired.
The DMV in your new state will learn of your Arkansas SR-22 when you update your insurance, driver’s license, and license plates. Depending on the new state’s requirements, you may have to carry your Arkansas SR-22 until its original expiration date.
Do you need an SR-22 in Arkansas if you don’t have a car?
Selling your car may seem like a decent way to avoid dealing with an SR-22 in Arkansas, but Hall warns that it’s not that simple. “You still need an SR-22 to maintain your license,” he says.
If you want to drive legally in Arkansas — even if you’re not driving your own car — you’ll need to get and maintain nonowner coverage.
Emily Guy Birken is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. Her background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson.
Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Kiplinger's, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online.
She is the author of several books, including The 5 Years Before You Retire, End Financial Stress Now, and the brand new book Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management, written with Joe Saul-Sehy.
3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content
Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score
Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.
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