(a) No person, except those expressly exempted, shall drive any motor vehicle upon a highway in this state unless the person has a valid driver's license under the provisions of this act.
(b) (1) No person shall receive a driver's license unless and until he surrenders to the office all valid driver's licenses in his possession issued to him by any other jurisdiction.
(2) All surrendered licenses shall be returned by the office to the issuing department together with information that the licensee is now licensed in the new jurisdiction.
(3) No person shall be permitted to have more than one (1) valid driver's license at any time.
(c) (1) No person shall drive a commercial motor vehicle as a commercial driver unless he holds a valid commercial driver's license.
(2) No person shall receive a commercial driver's license unless and until he surrenders to the office any noncommercial driver's license issued to him or an affidavit that he does not possess a noncommercial driver's license.
(3) Any person holding a valid commercial driver's license under this chapter need not procure a noncommercial driver's license.
(d) Any person licensed under this act may exercise the privilege granted upon all streets and highways in this state and shall not be required to obtain any other license to exercise the privilege by any county, municipal, or local board or body having authority to adopt local police regulations.
History. Acts 1937, No. 280, § 7; Pope's Dig., § 6831; Acts 1959, No. 307, § 12; A.S.A. 1947, § 75-307; Acts 1993, No. 445, § 11.
Meaning of “this act”. Acts 1937, No. 280, codified as §§ 27-16-101, 27-16-102, 27-16-201 - 27-16-207, 27-16-301 - 27-16-306, 27-16-501, 27-16-502, 27-16-504, 27-16-506, 27-16-601 - 27-16-605, 27-16-701 - 27-16-705, 27-16-801 - 27-16-806, 27-16-901, 27-16-903 - 27-16-913, 27-16-1001 [repealed].
Cross References. License required for motorcycles, etc., § 27-20-106.
Penalty for violation of 1959 amendatory act, § 27-50-305.
Research References
Ark. L. Rev.
Responsibility of Adults for Minors Who Drive Automobiles, 9 Ark. L. Rev. 389.
Case Notes
In General.
Arrest.
Driving Without License.
The state has the police power to promulgate regulations calculated to promote safety in the use of highways. Driving a motor vehicle on a public highway is a privilege, and not an unrestrained, natural right, and the state may require a license of those who exercise the privilege. Satterlee v. State, 289 Ark. 450, 711 S.W.2d 827 (1986).
Custodial arrest on an expired driver's license charge was not pretextual, and fruits of search made incident to the arrest need not have been excluded. Williams v. State, 23 Ark. App. 121, 743 S.W.2d 402 (1988).
No grand jury action, indictment, or information was necessary to prosecute the defendant for driving without a license, since driving without a license is a misdemeanor and a misdemeanor may be charged by a citation. Satterlee v. State, 289 Ark. 450, 711 S.W.2d 827 (1986).
Cited: Gran v. Hale, 294 Ark. 563, 745 S.W.2d 129 (1988); Jones v. City of Newport, 29 Ark. App. 42, 780 S.W.2d 338 (1989); Jones v. State, 314 Ark. 383, 862 S.W.2d 273 (1993).