If a renewal application was submitted but the Arkansas registration sticker was not received you must replace the sticker as soon as possible. The Arkansas DMV allows drivers to renew their registration documents by phone, mail, online or in person at a local DMV office. There are benefits to each method, but in all cases the new registration documents must be displayed on your vehicle promptly after you receive them in the mail.

Depending on the method you used to renew your DMV registration sticker, you may be forced to wait for the new decals to arrive by mail. For example, when you renew online, your decal stickers will be mailed to you and you cannot collect them at a local office. If you have ordered your new registration documents and they have not arrived, you should know that you may be subject to penalties if you do not show evidence of your registration renewal.

Law enforcement officials in Arkansas rely on registration documents to determine whether the owner has paid all due taxes and fees for the vehicle to operate legally on public roads. Therefore, it is important to act quickly if a new DMV sticker not received in the mail has been deemed lost.

Common Reasons for a Registration Sticker Not Being Received in Arkansas

Mailing times are not always exact, so make sure you wait the standard amount of time before you report your stickers missing. Any mailed-in applications will naturally take longer, so you must account for transit times on both ends of the application process.

A change of address may also cause a decal sticker to be lost in the mail. If a license plate sticker was not received and you have recently moved, there is a possibility that the sticker was sent to your old address. All new addresses and address changes must be made before requesting a registration renewal. Make sure all of your contact details, including your mailing and residential addresses, are kept up to date with the AR DMV. If you change your address using the AR DMV’s online system, it will be updated immediately and used for all future renewals.

For all renewals to be correctly processed, including renewing your registration sticker online, you must comply with the Arkansas state renewal procedures. All vehicles must have liability insurance and be assessed by the county assessor in your area. In addition to this, all personal property taxes owed by the driver must be paid in full. If these compliance issues are not satisfied, your renewal may not have been completed and no stickers will have been sent.

Can I legally drive if my Arkansas registration sticker was not received?

While drivers are not permitted to drive unregistered vehicles in Arkansas, those who are waiting for new documentation are allowed to drive their cars. However, if you have not received your new sticker, you must use the receipt of your renewal as proof of the vehicle’s registration until you receive the new DMV registration sticker in the mail.

Drivers must keep all renewal receipts and relevant documents in the vehicle at all times to show to law enforcement officers if pulled over. If you do not have proof of your renewal or a current registration for your vehicle, you may be subject to fines and penalties.

Additional Consequences of a Car Sticker Not Received in Arkansas

The state of Arkansas allows fellow citizens to notify officials of any registration violations in their area. These violation reports are anonymous and can be completed online by anyone who sees an unregistered vehicle or vehicle without the correct AR car tag sticker in the state.

Therefore, it is important to have all current documents in your car in case you are reported and need to show receipt of your renewal or duplicate registration to a law enforcement officer.

Steps to Take If Your Arkansas DMV Sticker Was Not Received

An AR DMV registration sticker not received in the mail needs to be addresses as quickly as possible. Below are some of steps you should take if you have not received your new registration documents:

  • Contact your local DMV office – Ask your local DMV office to check the status of your registration and make sure it was received and processed in full.
  • Print a renewal receipt – If it is determined that your car plate sticker renewal was processed but has not yet arrived, you can print your renewal receipt until the decals arrive in the mail. You must keep this receipt in your vehicle at all times to show as proof of your renewal.
  • Order replacement stickers – If your new decal stickers have not arrived and appear to be lost, you can request a replacement registration to be sent. You cannot replace stickers online but can reprint receipts or registration certificates.

Where to Get Registration Sticker Replacements in Arkansas

A license sticker not received in the mail needs to be replaced. While you can reprint duplicate registrations online in Arkansas, replacement stickers need to be ordered in person at a local DMV office.

An AR DMV sticker replacement may involve fees.

Last updated on Tuesday, March 10 2020.