Ark. Code Ann. § 27-14-613 (2026)

1. As used in this section:
   1. “Commercial motor carrier” means a person or entity engaged directly or indirectly through an agent, employee, or subcontractor in the interstate transportation of property by a commercial motor vehicle; and
   2. “Commercial motor vehicle” means a truck, truck trailer, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer registered with the International Registration Plan.
2. 1. The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration shall promulgate rules and procedures to enhance the Arkansas Motor Carrier System developed by the Department of Finance and Administration by allowing:
      1. A commercial motor carrier or its designee to conduct routine administrative transactions electronically, including without limitation the online:
         1. Registration of a commercial motor vehicle;
         2. Renewal, transfer, replacement, and amendment of the registration of a commercial motor vehicle; and
         3. Issuance and replacement of a commercial motor vehicle's license plates and decals;
      2. A commercial motor carrier or its designee to instantaneously print the registration card for a commercial motor vehicle;
      3. A commercial motor carrier or its designee to obtain and affix to a commercial motor vehicle license plate a decal bearing the logo of the commercial motor carrier approved by the secretary or the secretary's designee; and
      4. A commercial motor carrier or its designee to maintain license plate inventories and issue license plates; and
   2. 1. A commercial motor carrier shall have thirty (30) days from the date of online commercial motor vehicle registration to submit to the department all required source documents associated with the registration.
      2. If the department has not received the source documents required under subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section within thirty (30) days of the online registration of a commercial motor vehicle, the secretary or the secretary's designee may suspend the registration.
3. The secretary shall study, develop, and implement improvements to the Arkansas Motor Carrier System in order to modernize and enhance the Arkansas Motor Carrier System and accommodate the latest available technology for commercial motor carriers seeking to register commercial motor vehicles in the State of Arkansas.

History. Acts 2017, No. 532, § 7; 2019, No. 315, § 3090; 2019, No. 910, §§ 4523-4526.

A.C.R.C. Notes. Acts 2017, No. 532, § 1, provided: “Legislative findings.

The General Assembly finds that:

“(1) The Department of Finance and Administration currently lacks clear authority and specific funding sources to adequately upgrade and modernize the registration process for commercial motor vehicles;

“(2) Due to current inefficiencies or technological limitations, commercial motor carriers that would otherwise register their commercial vehicles in the State of Arkansas are deterred from doing so;

“(3) The department should develop and implement rules, regulations, and procedures to facilitate an online system for administrative transactions and the registration of commercial motor vehicles that are registered with the International Registration Plan;

“(4) The law needs to be clarified to verify that license plates for commercial motor vehicles registered with the International Registration Plan should not be required to display an annual decal or tab;

“(5) An enhancement creating an online system for administrative transactions and registration of commercial motor vehicles will facilitate and improve the services available to the commercial motor carrier industry;

“(6) Enhancements to the Arkansas Motor Carrier System will make available to the state additional revenues through a user-fee based system to finance the enhancements without requiring a general tax increase; and

“(7) Directing the department to develop rules, regulations, and procedures to implement the necessary enhancements and providing a funding mechanism to help offset the costs associated with the system enhancements will accomplish the state's goal of improving services and modernizing the Arkansas Motor Carrier System.”

Amendments. The 2019 amendment by No. 315 deleted “regulations” following “rules” in the introductory language of (b)(1).

The 2019 amendment by No. 910 substituted “Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration” for “Director of the Department of Finance and Administration” in the introductory language of (b)(1); and substituted “secretary” for “director” throughout (b) and (c).