Does Arkansas require a front license plate?

No. Arkansas passenger cars carry one plate, mounted on the rear.

What does an Arkansas plate number look like?

Three letters, two numbers and a letter, like ABC 12D. Plates issued before 2021 look like 123 ABC.

Do Arkansas plates stay with the car when it’s sold?

No. The seller removes the plate. The owner can have it assigned to another vehicle by paying the required fees.

How long do I have to register a car in Arkansas?

Sixty days from the date of purchase. After that, DFA adds a penalty of 10% of the sales tax due plus $3 for each 10 days the vehicle stays unregistered.

Can I get a VIN from an Arkansas tag?

Yes. Enter the tag number with Arkansas selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.

Can I find the owner of an Arkansas tag?

Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Arkansas vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.

Arkansas License Plate & Tag Lookup

Enter an Arkansas tag number to get the vehicle’s VIN, year, make, model and trim.

In Arkansas, plates and registrations are handled by the Department of Finance and Administration, the state’s tax agency, through its state revenue offices, and DFA itself calls renewal a “car tag renewal.” Passenger cars carry one plate, on the rear. The plate belongs to the owner, not the car.

Arkansas tag to VIN

An Arkansas tagnumber points to one current registration, and the registration records the vehicle’s 17-character VIN. Enter the tag above to get the VIN with the year, make, model, trim, body and engine. It is the quickest way to get the VIN of a car you are not standing next to: one in a listing, one you are quoting a repair for, or your own when the title is in a drawer somewhere.

Arkansas license plate formats

Standard passenger plates use these formats. Personalized, specialty, commercial and motorcycle plates follow their own rules, and every format works in the lookup.

Format	What it is
ABC 12D	Three letters, two numbers and a letter, issued since April 2021.
123 ABC	Three numbers and three letters, issued from 2006 to 2021 and still common on the road.

Arkansas issues one plate, for the rear of the vehicle.

Who issues plates in Arkansas

Plates and registrations in Arkansas come from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Motor Vehicle, and people go in person to state revenue offices. Plate Decoder is an independent service and is not affiliated with the DFA or any other government agency.

Temporary tags in Arkansas

Dealers issue temporary tags, and buyers have 60 days from the date of purchase to register the vehicle. If you buy from a private seller, any state revenue office can issue a temporary tag with your bill of sale and driver’s license.

Personalized and specialty plates

Personalized plates can have up to seven characters and carry a $25 personalization fee. They are requested with DFA’s Request for Personalized License Plate form.

60 days to register

A 2023 law, Act 41, doubled the time to register a newly bought vehicle from 30 to 60 days. Late registration brings a penalty on the sales tax due.

What an Arkansasplate lookup can and can’t show

You get the vehicle: VIN, year, make, model, trim, body and engine. You do not get the person. See what a plate lookup shows for the full list.

What we don’t show, and why

No owner names, addresses, phone numbers or photos. Owner details in DMV records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, and looking someone up out of curiosity is not a purpose it allows. Any site that promises the owner of a plate for a few dollars is either breaking that law or not going to deliver.

Who can get owner records, and what to do instead

FAQ

Arkansas plate lookup questions

Does Arkansas require a front license plate?: No. Arkansas passenger cars carry one plate, mounted on the rear.
What does an Arkansas plate number look like?: Three letters, two numbers and a letter, like ABC 12D. Plates issued before 2021 look like 123 ABC.
Do Arkansas plates stay with the car when it’s sold?: No. The seller removes the plate. The owner can have it assigned to another vehicle by paying the required fees.
How long do I have to register a car in Arkansas?: Sixty days from the date of purchase. After that, DFA adds a penalty of 10% of the sales tax due plus $3 for each 10 days the vehicle stays unregistered.
Can I get a VIN from an Arkansas tag?: Yes. Enter the tag number with Arkansas selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.
Can I find the owner of an Arkansas tag?: Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Arkansas vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.