Arkansas DUI Records
Arkansas DUI records are public documents created when someone is charged with driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated in the state. These records come from courts, sheriff offices, and state agencies across all 75 counties. You can search Arkansas DUI records online through the state court portal, request them from a county sheriff or circuit clerk, or use the state criminal history system. This guide covers where to find DUI records in Arkansas, what they contain, and how to access them.
Arkansas DUI Records Overview
Where to Find Arkansas DUI Records
DUI records in Arkansas come from several different sources depending on what you need. The type of record you are looking for will determine where to go. Court records from criminal cases are held by the circuit clerk in the county where the case was filed. Arrest records are held by the arresting agency, which could be a local police department, a county sheriff, or the Arkansas State Police. Driver license suspension records are managed by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
The main starting point for most searches is the Arkansas CourtConnect system, which is the state's public court portal. It gives you free access to case information from courts across Arkansas, including criminal DUI and DWI cases. You can search by name, case number, or case type. Not every county is fully connected, but most major counties participate. For counties with limited online access, a direct call or visit to the circuit clerk is needed.
The Arkansas Judiciary website is the central resource for court-related information in the state. It links to CourtConnect, appellate court opinions, court forms, and administrative orders that govern how court records are handled. If you are looking for an appeals court decision involving a DUI case, that is the place to search.
Note: Under Administrative Order 19, court records created before January 1, 2009 have confidential details redacted when accessed online through CourtConnect.
The Search ARCourts portal gives free 24/7 access to court case information statewide, including DUI and DWI criminal cases across participating counties. After a search, you can see party names, charges, hearing dates, and case status in most counties.
Arkansas DWI vs DUI Records
Arkansas uses two terms for impaired driving offenses. DWI stands for Driving While Intoxicated and applies to drivers age 21 and over with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. DUI stands for Driving Under the Influence and applies to drivers under 21 with a BAC between 0.02% and 0.08%. Both create public court records and affect the driver's license. The terminology matters when you search court records because cases may be filed under either charge.
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration handles the administrative side of DUI and DWI offenses. This includes license suspension, reinstatement procedures, ignition interlock device requirements, and alcohol education program enrollment. The DFA acts independently from the criminal court system. You can face both a criminal court case and a DFA administrative action from the same arrest.
The DFA Driver Services page covers the full process for DUI and DWI cases in Arkansas, from the moment of arrest through license reinstatement. Driver Control can be reached at (501) 682-1631 or by email at Drivercontrol@dfa.arkansas.gov for questions about license status.
Arkansas also has enhanced penalties for commercial drivers. A commercial driver license holder faces a BAC limit of 0.04%, and a DWI conviction can cost them their CDL permanently on a second offense. School bus drivers and drivers of vehicles carrying hazardous materials face a 0.01% limit. These stricter rules mean the DWI records for commercial operators may look different in the court system than standard DWI cases.
Arkansas DUI and DWI Laws
The core DWI law in Arkansas is Arkansas Code Annotated Section 5-65-103. It makes it unlawful to operate or be in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated. A person is considered intoxicated if their BAC is 0.08% or higher based on a breath or blood test. The law covers motor vehicles and motorboats. Arkansas does not allow plea bargaining to a lesser charge for DWI cases, which is different from many other states.
Penalties increase with each offense. A first offense is a misdemeanor with up to one year in jail, a fine of $150 to $1,000, and a six-month license suspension. A second offense within a 10-year lookback period brings 7 days to 1 year in jail, fines from $400 to $3,000, and a 24-month suspension. The third offense carries 90 days to 1 year in jail, fines from $900 to $5,000, and a 30-month suspension. A fourth or subsequent offense within 10 years becomes a felony with 1 to 6 years in prison. The lookback period was extended from 5 years to 10 years in 2021.
Arkansas Code Section 5-65-202 is the implied consent law. It means anyone driving in the state is considered to have agreed to a chemical test of their blood, breath, or urine if an officer has probable cause for a DWI stop. Refusing a test triggers automatic license suspension: 180 days for a first refusal, 2 years for a second within 5 years, and 3 years for a third. A fourth refusal within 5 years results in lifetime revocation. Refusal can also be used against a driver in court.
Underage DUI is covered by Arkansas Code Section 5-65-303. Drivers under 21 with a BAC of 0.02% or more but less than 0.08% face this charge. First offenses bring a fine of $100 to $500, a 90-day suspension, and mandatory alcohol education. Penalties grow with repeat offenses, and there is no plea bargaining or probation for underage DUI cases. Records for underage offenses may have different access rules than adult criminal cases.
Note: Arkansas Code Section 25-19-101 is the state Freedom of Information Act. It gives the public the right to request DUI arrest records from law enforcement agencies within three business days of the request.
Search Arkansas DUI Court Records
The CourtConnect system at caseinfo.arcourts.gov is free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except during brief maintenance windows. You can search by party name, business name, case number, or case description. The portal shows civil, criminal, traffic, and DWI cases from courts using the Contexte Case Management System. The Administrative Office of the Courts can help with technical issues at (501) 410-1900, option 1, or toll-free at (866) 823-5778. You can also email them at acap.help@arcourts.gov.
For DUI cases not visible online, contact the circuit clerk directly in the county where the case was filed. Copy fees are typically $1 per page for standard copies and $5 for a certified copy with the court seal. Fees vary by county. You can pay court fines and fees through the Arkansas Court Payment portal, which works for citations and case obligations across the state.
The Arkansas Court Payment system lets you pay DUI fines, court costs, and other case obligations online. It works for citations and court-ordered payments tied to DUI and DWI cases statewide.
Arkansas Criminal Background Checks
The Arkansas Crime Information Center, known as ACIC, maintains criminal history records for the state including DUI and DWI convictions. ACIC is located at One State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209, and can be reached at (501) 618-8000. The ARCH system, which stands for Arkansas Criminal History, lets authorized users search criminal history online. A standard search costs $24.00. Name-based checks for volunteers cost $22.00 (or $11.00 for volunteers themselves).
The Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system handles official background check requests. This service is provided by the Arkansas State Police. Fingerprint-based checks cost $13.00 and are available to authorized entities. Mail-in requests cost $25.00 and can be sent to: Arkansas State Police Identification Bureau, 1 State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209.
The State Police background check portal at cbc.ark.org is the official Arkansas system for criminal history requests. Access requires a consent form from the subject of the check.
Arkansas State Police DUI Records
The Arkansas State Police is a major source of DUI arrest records in the state. State troopers handle traffic enforcement on highways and interstates, and their DUI arrest records are shared with ACIC. The main headquarters is located at 1 State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209, phone (501) 618-8500. Accident reports from state police investigations are available at crashreports.ark.org for $10 per report. If a DUI arrest involved an accident, the crash report is a key record to request.
The Arkansas State Police website provides information about troop operations, traffic enforcement, and how to access reports from state trooper investigations including DUI arrests on state highways.
Each county also has its own Sheriff's Office that handles DUI arrests in unincorporated areas. Boone County Sheriff, for example, made 118 DUI arrests in 2023 out of 999 total arrests. That gives you a sense of how common DUI cases are at the county level. Most sheriff offices accept FOIA requests for arrest records by phone, mail, email, or in-person visit during business hours (typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM).
Crash Reports and DUI Accident Records
When a DUI arrest follows a vehicle accident, two separate sets of records are created. The first is the crash report filed by the responding officer. These reports are available through the Arkansas State Police crash report portal. The fee is $10 per report. You can also get crash reports through BuyCrash, which handles digital copies of accident reports from law enforcement agencies across Arkansas.
The Arkansas crash report system at crashreports.ark.org lets you search and purchase reports from traffic accidents statewide. Reports involving DUI arrests are available here along with standard collision reports.
BuyCrash is another option for getting digital copies of accident reports in Arkansas. It covers reports from many local law enforcement agencies that may not appear on the state portal alone.
Arkansas Inmate Search
People convicted of felony DWI in Arkansas and sentenced to state prison can be found through the Arkansas Department of Correction inmate search. This free tool lets you search by name, ADC number, gender, age, race, county, facility, or offense category. It shows inmate location, sentence information, release dates, and offense details. Photos are available for most inmates. Keep in mind this system only covers state prison inmates, not county jails. For county jail inmates, you need to contact the Sheriff's Office in the relevant county.
The ADC Inmate Search portal covers all Arkansas Department of Correction facilities. Felony DWI offenders sentenced to state prison appear here. Out-of-state inmates and those still on waiting lists may not be shown.
For notification about when a DUI offender is released from custody, the VINE notification system can send alerts by phone, email, or text. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday and covers county jails and state facilities in Arkansas.
The VINE system provides custody status and release alerts for inmates in Arkansas jails and prisons. You can register for alerts tied to a specific DUI case or offender.
Requesting DUI Records Under Arkansas FOIA
Arkansas Code Section 25-19-101 is the Freedom of Information Act. It gives any person the right to request public records from state and local government agencies in Arkansas. You do not need to be an Arkansas resident to file a FOIA request. Agencies must respond within three business days. For most DUI arrest records, you submit the request to the arresting agency, which could be the local police department, county sheriff, or Arkansas State Police.
Fees for copies are at the actual cost of duplication. Most agencies charge between $0.25 and $1.00 per page for printed records. Staff time may be billed at the prevailing wage for lengthy searches. Fee waivers are available for journalists, nonprofits, and public interest requesters. Requests may be denied if you are currently serving a felony sentence or are acting as a non-attorney representative of such an individual. The Arkansas Attorney General's FOIA Hotline is (800) 482-8982.
DUI records exempt from FOIA include ongoing criminal investigations, juvenile records, and sealed or expunged cases. Most adult DUI arrest records are public. If a case was expunged, the court record is sealed and not available to the public. Arkansas allows expungement of a first-offense DWI after completing the sentence and waiting period, but the process requires a court petition.
Browse Arkansas DUI Records by County
Each of Arkansas's 75 counties has its own circuit clerk and sheriff that maintain DUI records locally. Select a county below to find contact information, local resources, and how to access DUI records in that area.
DUI Records in Major Arkansas Cities
DUI cases filed in Arkansas cities are handled by the circuit court or district court in the county where the city is located. Select a city below to find out where to go for DUI records in that area.