§ 27-16-801 - Licenses generally -- Validity periods -- Contents -- Fees -- Disposition of moneys.
27-16-801. Licenses generally -- Validity periods -- Contents -- Fees -- Disposition of moneys.
(a) (1) In a manner prescribed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles:
(A) The Office of Motor Vehicle shall issue a Class D license or a Class M license to each qualified applicant for a period of four (4) years upon payment of twelve dollars ($12.00);
(B) The office shall issue a Class MD license to each qualified applicant for a period of not more than two (2) years upon payment of two dollars ($2.00); and
(C) (i) Every applicant for a Class D license, Class M license, or Class MD license under 27-16-704, 27-16-807, or 27-20-108 shall pay an examination fee of five dollars ($5.00) for the first examination and a fee of five dollars ($5.00) for each subsequent examination, but there shall be no charge after the third examination if the applicant produces receipts for fees paid for previous examinations.
(ii) The examination fee shall be remitted in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(2) Each license shall include:
(A) A distinguishing number assigned to the licensee;
(B) (i) Except as provided under subdivision (a)(2)(B)(ii) of this section, the name, residence address, date of birth, and a brief description of the licensee.
(ii) The following exceptions to providing a residence address and instead providing a post office box address shall be allowed at the option of the licensee:
(a) If the licensee is a law enforcement officer; or
(b) If the licensee is a victim of domestic violence or the dependent of a victim of domestic violence as provided under 27-16-811; and
(C) A space upon which the licensee may affix his or her signature.
(3) The licensee shall affix his or her signature in ink in a space provided, and no license shall be valid until it shall have been so signed by the licensee.
(4) At the time of initial issuance or at the time of renewal of a license, the distinguishing number assigned to the licensee for his or her license shall be a nine-digit number assigned to the specific licensee by the commissioner.
(b) (1) (A) All licenses, as described in subsection (a) of this section, shall include a color photograph of the licensee, and the photograph shall be made a part of the license at the time of application.
(B) (i) If the licensee is under eighteen (18) years of age at the time the license is issued, the license shall state that the licensee was under eighteen (18) years of age at the time of issuance.
(ii) If the licensee is at least eighteen (18) years of age but under twenty-one (21) years of age at the time the license is issued, the license shall state that the licensee was under twenty-one (21) years of age at the time the license was issued.
(2) A license may be valid without a photograph of the licensee when the commissioner is advised that the requirement of the photograph is either objectionable on the grounds of religious belief or the licensee is unavailable to have the photograph made.
(3) (A) If a licensee has an illness that causes hair loss or is undergoing treatment for an illness that causes hair loss, the Office of Driver Services shall give the licensee the option to use the photograph from the most recent driver's license on file with the office instead of having a new photograph taken if the licensee establishes that his or her hair loss is related to that illness or treatment.
(B) To establish the relationship between the licensee's illness or treatment and the resulting hair loss, the licensee shall provide a statement from his or her treating physician.
(C) This option can only be provided for one (1) renewal of the license to prevent obsolete photographs from being used.
(c) (1) In addition to the license fee prescribed by subsection (a) of this section, the office shall collect a penalty equal to fifty percent (50%) of the amount thereof from each driver, otherwise qualified, who shall operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this state without a valid license.
(2) Such penalty shall be in addition to any other penalty that may be prescribed by law.
(d) All license fees collected under subsection (a) of this section shall be deposited into the State Treasury as special revenues, and the net amount thereof shall be credited to the Department of Arkansas State Police Fund, to be used for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the Department of Arkansas State Police.
(e) (1) The office shall not charge an additional fee for the color photograph provided for in subsection (b) of this section for those applicants making a renewal application for the first time.
(2) In addition to the regular license fee, a fee of one dollar ($1.00) shall be charged for all subsequent renewals.
(3) All persons applying for an Arkansas license for the first time and all persons who are required to take the driver's written examination as provided for in this act shall be charged the additional fee of one dollar ($1.00).
(4) All persons who are required to have their eyesight tested prior to initial licensing or upon subsequent license renewal as provided for in this act shall be charged an additional fee of one dollar ($1.00) upon issuance of the license.
(f) Moneys collected from the penalty fee provided in subsection (c) of this section and the fees provided in subsection (e) of this section shall be deposited into the State Treasury into the Constitutional Officers Fund and the State Central Services Fund, and the net amount shall be credited to the Department of Finance and Administration to be used to help defray the cost of the driver license program which shall be payable therefrom.
(g) Such fees as are collected under subsection (a) of this section shall be remitted to the State Treasury, there to be deposited as special revenues to the credit of the Department of Arkansas State Police Fund, to be used for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the Department of Arkansas State Police.
(h) (1) In addition to the license fees imposed in subsections (a) and (e) of this section, a fee of six dollars ($6.00) shall be charged for the issuance or renewal of any Class D, M, or MD license.
(2) The fees collected under this subsection shall be remitted to the State Treasury, there to be deposited as special revenues to the credit of the Department of Arkansas State Police Fund, to be used for the payment of health insurance premiums for uniformed employees of the Department of Arkansas State Police.