Arkansas Truck Driver Phone Law
Your CDL carries the federal hand-held ban into Arkansas. No holding, no reaching, even at a light (49 CFR 392.82). For everyone else Arkansas bans only texting, but it's primary and runs $25 to $250 first offense, doubled in a crash (§27-51-1504, penalties at §27-51-1506). Hand-held calling is also barred for every driver in a school zone when children are outside the building (§27-51-1605) and in a highway work zone when a worker is present (§27-51-1606); hands-free is your way through both.
The federal ban applies here first
Federal law rides with your CDL in every state. FMCSA 49 CFR 392.82 bans all hand-held phone use while driving a CMV: no holding it to talk, no dialing more than a single button, no reaching for the phone out of your belted seat. A separate rule (49 CFR 392.80) bans texting and manual data entry. Only hands-free counts as compliant (mounted or in close reach, one-touch or voice, no reaching), and the only exception is calling 911. "Driving" includes sitting at a red light or stuck in traffic; you are clear only once fully off the road and stopped. Penalties run up to $4,812 per violation for the driver and $19,246 for the carrier, the inflation-adjusted maximums in 49 CFR 386 Appendix B. It is a CSA serious violation: two convictions in any 3-year period disqualify your CDL for 60 days, three or more for 120 days (49 CFR 383.51).
Arkansas’s rule for all drivers
Your CDL carries the federal hand-held ban into Arkansas. No holding, no reaching, even at a light (49 CFR 392.82). For everyone else Arkansas bans only texting, but it's primary and runs $25 to $250 first offense, doubled in a crash (§27-51-1504, penalties at §27-51-1506). Hand-held calling is also barred for every driver in a school zone when children are outside the building (§27-51-1605) and in a highway work zone when a worker is present (§27-51-1606); hands-free is your way through both.
- Hand-held: Texting ban only
- Texting: Statewide texting ban, primary enforcement (§27-51-1504). An officer can stop any driver for it alone. No all-driver hand-held ban, but hand-held use is barred for everyone in a school zone during school hours when children are present and outside the building (§27-51-1605) and in a highway work zone when a highway worker is present (§27-51-1606); hands-free stays legal in both. Hand-held use is also barred for drivers 18 to 20, and fully for drivers under 18.
- Fine: Texting: $25 to $250 first offense, $50 to $500 for a second or later offense; fines double if the violation involves a crash. Hand-held use in a school zone or highway work zone is separately barred (hands-free required).
- Points: CSA drives the CDL consequence: hand-held use is a serious violation, and two in any 3-year period disqualify you for 60 days (federal). On the state side, an Arkansas texting conviction adds no license points to your driving record; the state fine itself carries no CDL disqualification.
Arkansas Truck Phone Law FAQ
Can truck drivers use a phone in Arkansas?
What is the phone fine in Arkansas?
Is texting while driving illegal in Arkansas?
Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-27/subtitle-4/chapter-51/subchapter-15/section-27-51-1504/. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
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