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Arkansas trucking

How to start a trucking company in Arkansas

Start with the federal registrations, then add Arkansas's layer. A for-hire carrier running heavy trucks inside the state mails ARDOT a permit application with proof of insurance. Carriers crossing state lines add apportioned plates from the DFA IRP Unit and an IFTA license from DFA Motor Fuel Tax, and IRP comes first.

By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Sep 27, 2026

The launch sequence

Federal first, then Arkansas. The federal side is identical in every state and is covered in depth by how to get your own authority; the state facts below come from our sourced Arkansas data.

  1. Finish the federal registrations. Get your USDOT Number, plus federal operating authority and insurance filings if you will haul for hire across state lines. Arkansas does not require the USDOT Number for intrastate work, but its IRP and IFTA applications ask for one.
  2. Mail the ARDOT intrastate permit application. For-hire carriers over the weight line send Form AR RS 1, the AR-RS2 order form, the equipment list and balance sheet, and a safety rating or notarized statement to the ARDOT Legal Division, with fees by cashier's check or money order.
  3. Have your insurer file proof with ARDOT. Send a certificate of insurance or ACORD form at the Rule 13.1 limits with the application, and again with each renewal. Common carriers of property also owe a cargo filing.
  4. Open an IRP account if you run interstate. Self-register in MyDMV or visit the IRP Unit in Little Rock. Line up the staffed, leased office the IRP Unit requires and your property tax assessment proof before you start.
  5. License for IFTA with DFA Motor Fuel Tax. File Form AMFT-71 with a copy of your current cab card. The license and decals carry no fee, and returns go through AMCS each quarter.
  6. Set up ARPARS if your loads run oversize. Open an ARPARS account or a bonded charge account with the Highway Police Permit Section before your first oversize or overweight move.
  7. Calendar the recurring deadlines. Put the yearly ARDOT permit renewal, the quarterly IFTA returns, and your IRP expiration month on one calendar, and keep your UCR paid so IRP renewals are not blocked.

The order that works in Arkansas

Federal first. Get the USDOT Number, and if you will haul for hire across state lines, the federal operating authority and insurance filings that go with it. Arkansas itself does not demand a USDOT Number for intrastate work, but both its IRP and IFTA applications ask for one.

Then the state layer. A for-hire carrier over the Arkansas weight line mails ARDOT Form AR RS 1 with the vehicle order form, an equipment list, a balance sheet, and proof of liability insurance. If you cross state lines, open an IRP account through MyDMV or at the IRP Unit, then license for IFTA, because the IFTA application needs a current Arkansas cab card.

Permits come last, and only if your loads need them. Oversize or overweight work means an ARPARS account or a call to the Highway Police Permit Section, and each permit covers one move on one route.

Where Arkansas differs from other states

Arkansas deregulated general freight entry but kept a paper trail. Property carriers other than household goods movers skip the hearing, yet they still need an annual receipt, the Arkansas intrastate permit, and a copy rides in each power unit. Carriers already paying Unified Carrier Registration fees for the same trucks do not pay the per-vehicle fee twice.

The insurance floor is low. The state rule sets split limits for intrastate property carriers far below the federal interstate minimum, so a carrier that plans to cross state lines should price the federal figure, not the state one. On the IRP side, a newer place-of-business rule rejects virtual and shared offices as an Arkansas base.

Costs to plan for

Here is what the state charges, by credential. ARDOT charges an application fee by carrier type plus a per-vehicle insurance filing fee, and the per-vehicle fee repeats at each yearly renewal. DFA charges nothing for the IFTA license or decals, and apportioned registration fees follow the miles you run in each IRP jurisdiction. Oversize and overweight moves pay a base permit fee set in statute, with an added per-ton charge for overweight loads that rises with trip distance.

The exact amounts sit on the intrastate authority, IFTA, IRP, and oversize pages, each tied to its source.

The Arkansas facts you will need

State authority required
Yes
State agency
Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), Legal Division, acting for the Arkansas State Highway Commission
State filing fee
$25 (General freight, mobile home, and house movers pay a $25 application (processing) fee; household goods movers and passenger carriers pay $50. Every carrier also pays a $5 insurance filing fee per vehicle operated in Arkansas intrastate commerce, by a separate cashier's check or money order. Ark. Code Ann. § 23-13-265 fixes the $25 processing fee and the $5 per-vehicle fee for property carriers. The yearly renewal is the $5 per-vehicle fee, which a carrier already paying UCR fees for those vehicles does not pay again.)

The complete tables live on the dedicated pages: intrastate authority, IRP registration, IFTA, and trucking permits.

Budget the launch before you file

The trucking startup cost calculator builds a line-item estimate from the sourced fee data, and the cost pillar explains every line. Neither replaces a quote for your truck and insurance, which are the two biggest variables.

Common mistakes when launching in Arkansas

  • Assuming FMCSA authority covers Arkansas intrastate loads

    ARDOT's FAQ says interstate carriers must still apply for Arkansas intrastate authority to haul loads that start and end in the state.

  • Buying insurance to the Arkansas minimum and then crossing state lines

    The Rule 13.1 split limits sit far below the federal minimum for interstate general freight, so size the policy to the federal figure if you will leave Arkansas.

  • Paying the per-vehicle fee twice

    If your trucks are covered by your UCR fees, send ARDOT a copy of the UCR receipt with the renewal form instead of paying the per-vehicle fee again.

  • Applying for IFTA before the IRP cab card exists

    The Arkansas IFTA application needs a copy of a current Arkansas cab card, so an IFTA application filed without one comes back as incomplete.

  • Basing IRP out of a virtual or shared office

    The IRP Unit requires a staffed, leased or owned physical office with signage and posted hours. Virtual and shared offices do not qualify.

  • Planning an oversize move over a holiday weekend

    No permits issue for the listed holidays, and when one falls on a Friday or Monday the adjoining weekend closes too.

  • Leaving the permit copy at the office

    A copy of the ARDOT intrastate permit must ride in the power unit of every vehicle run on Arkansas highways.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need before applying for an Arkansas intrastate permit?

A completed Form AR RS 1 with the vehicle order form, an equipment list and balance sheet, proof of liability insurance, and a DOT safety rating or a notarized statement that you will follow DOT safety rules. ARDOT does not state that a USDOT Number must come first.

Do I need an Arkansas permit if I only haul my own goods?

No. ARDOT's FAQ says a private carrier hauling its own freight needs no intrastate authority. A driver leased to a for-hire carrier needs none either, unless the shipper pays the driver directly.

How long does the Arkansas intrastate permit last?

One year. Permits renew every year by the deadline ARDOT sets, with a renewal order form, a current insurance certificate, and the per-vehicle payment or a copy of your UCR receipt.

Which Arkansas agency issues apportioned plates and IFTA?

Both come from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Office of Motor Vehicle IRP Unit issues apportioned plates and cab cards, and the Motor Fuel Tax Section issues the IFTA license and decals. Get the IRP account first, since the IFTA application asks for a current cab card.

Haul Handbook publishes educational information about trucking registration and compliance requirements. This is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Rules, fees, and deadlines change; confirm with the agency before you file or pay.