Drivers Under 21 and Alcohol

Key points

1. You cannot buy or consume alcohol under 21.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “In Arkansas, you cannot buy or consume alcohol under the age of twenty-one (21).”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 75

2. Underage drivers can be arrested for underage DUI at 0.02%.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “You can be arrested for Underage Driving Under the Influence if your alcohol concentration is 0.02%breath or blood alcohol concentration.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 75

3. If found guilty, your license can be revoked until 21 and you can be fined $2000.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “you could have your license revoked until you reach twenty-one (21) years of age and could be fined $2000.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 75

4. Anyone under 21 convicted of buying or possessing alcohol will lose driving privileges.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “any person under twenty-one (21) years of age convicted of purchasing or being in possession of alcohol will have their driving privileges suspended, revoked, or disqualified.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 75

5. New drivers are even more affected by alcohol because they are still learning.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “new drivers are even more affected by alcohol because they are still in the learning process.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 73

6. Never drink alcohol while taking medicine or other drugs; they multiply alcohol's effects.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “Never drink alcohol while you are taking medications or other drugs. These drugs may multiply the effects of alcohol”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 75

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Arkansas practice test

1. 1. What BAC threshold applies to Arkansas's under-21 DUI rule?

   1. 0.02%
   2. 0.00%
   3. 0.05%
   4. 0.08%
   Show answer

   0.02%. The under-21 DUI threshold is 0.02 percent BAC or BrAC. It is lower than the adult 0.08 percent threshold, so the adult number cannot be substituted for a younger driver. The guide does not state zero as the test figure in this rule, and 0.05 percent is also not the listed cutoff. Age must be checked before applying a BAC number to a licensing question.

2. 2. A person under 21 convicted of buying or possessing alcohol may face what driving-related consequence?

   1. A permanent Class D license upgrade
   2. Automatic restoration of all driving privileges
   3. Only a warning with no licensing effect
   4. Suspension, revocation, or disqualification of driving privileges
   Show answer

   Suspension, revocation, or disqualification of driving privileges. An under-21 alcohol purchase or possession conviction can affect driving privileges through suspension, revocation, or disqualification. The wording does not promise that every case receives the same result, but it clearly allows a licensing consequence. The warning-only choice understates the risk, while automatic restoration and a Class D upgrade are unrelated outcomes. Young drivers should treat alcohol violations as matters that can reach beyond a fine.

3. 3. What alcohol restriction applies to an Arkansas person under 21 apart from impaired driving?

   1. Purchasing or consuming alcohol is prohibited
   2. Beer is allowed but liquor is prohibited
   3. Alcohol is allowed when a parent is present
   4. Consumption is allowed after midnight only
   Show answer

   Purchasing or consuming alcohol is prohibited. The guide states that a person under 21 may not purchase or consume alcohol. The rule is broader than a distinction between beer and liquor, and neither a parent’s presence nor a time of day creates the listed exception. Keep this separate from the BAC rule: the question concerns purchase and consumption itself, not merely the condition of operating a vehicle while impaired.

Source: the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Chapter 8: Alcohol and the Law. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.