Is Lane Splitting Legal in Arkansas? What the Law Says (2026)

The Arkansas Code has no section that expressly allows lane splitting, and none that names it. The general rule for laned roads, Ark. Code 27-51-302(1), requires a vehicle to be driven "as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane," and a 2023 bill that would have authorized lane splitting, HB 1755, was sent to interim study and did not become law. For how other states treat the same maneuver, see our guide to lane splitting laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-09. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Arkansas state law: the motorcycle subchapter of the Arkansas Code (27-20-101 through 27-20-120), the laned-roadway rule in 27-51-302, the limits on passing on the right in 27-51-308, the general traffic penalty provisions in 27-50-301, 27-50-302, 27-50-308 and 27-51-104, the 2023 lane splitting bill HB 1755, and the Arkansas Department of Public Safety driver study guide. It does not cover city ordinances, fines set by individual courts, insurance consequences, or the law of other states.

Is lane splitting legal in Arkansas?

The Arkansas Code neither authorizes lane splitting nor bans it by name. The motorcycle subchapter, Ark. Code 27-20-101 through 27-20-120, deals with definitions, the subchapter penalty, sales to minors, standard equipment, registration, operator licensing and examination, manner of riding, local regulations and related matters. None of its sections addresses riding between lanes, sharing a lane, or how many motorcycles may ride abreast.

That leaves the rules every vehicle follows on a road with marked lanes. The one that bears most directly on riding between cars is the single-lane rule in 27-51-302(1). A rider passing between two rows of vehicles is not riding within a single lane, so 27-51-302 is the general rule that bears on the practice even though it never uses the term.

Arkansas also has no counterpart to the express ban that some states adopted from the 1968 Uniform Vehicle Code. That model code's section 11-1303(c) read: "No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles." The model code has no force of its own; it matters here only because it explains why some states have a motorcycle-specific ban and Arkansas does not.

Splitting, filtering, shoulders and riding two abreast

The single-lane rule: Ark. Code 27-51-302

Section 27-51-302 applies whenever a roadway is divided into two or more clearly marked lanes. It reads in full:

"Whenever any roadway has been divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, the following rules in addition to all others consistent with this subchapter shall apply: (1) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until the driver has first ascertained that movement can be made with safety; and (2) Official signs may be erected directing slower-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of every such sign."

Two points about this rule matter for riders. It speaks of "a vehicle" and contains no exception for motorcycles. And it contains no exception for stopped or slow traffic, so the rule is the same at a red light as on an open highway.

No Act passed from 2020 through the 2026 fiscal session amends 27-51-302.

Passing on the right and the shoulder: Ark. Code 27-51-308

Riders sometimes use the paved shoulder to get past a line of stopped cars. Section 27-51-308(a) lists the situations in which a driver may pass another vehicle on the right, and subsection (b) adds two limits:

"(b)(1) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting this movement in safety. (2) In no event shall this movement be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway."

The words "in no event" leave no room for a motorcycle exception. Section 27-51-308 is unchanged by any Act from 2020 through the 2026 fiscal session.

The 2023 bill that would have allowed lane splitting

HB 1755, introduced in the 2023 regular session, would have created a new section, Ark. Code 27-20-121, that said: "(a) The operator of a motorcycle may practice lane splitting in this state." The bill defined the practice this way:

"(5) "Lane splitting" means driving a motorcycle that has two wheels in contact with the ground between a row of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, including without limitation on a divided or undivided street, road, or highway."

The bill did not pass. Its status page records that it was "Recommended for study in the Interim by Joint Interim Committee on PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION- HOUSE." That proposed section is not part of the Arkansas Code, and no Act passed from 2020 through the 2026 fiscal session adds a lane splitting or filtering provision.

What the state driver guide tells motorists

The Arkansas Department of Public Safety driver license study guide addresses the issue from the driver's side:

"Respect a Motorcycle Allow the motorcyclist a full lane width. Although it may seem as though there is enough room in the traffic lane for an automobile and a motorcycle, the motorcycle is entitled to a full lane and may need room to maneuver safely. Do not attempt to share the lane with a motorcycle."

This is guidance in a state publication, not a statute. The Arkansas Code's motorcycle subchapter has no section stating that a motorcycle is entitled to a full lane.

Penalties

Ark. Code 27-51-302 does not state its own fine or offense class. The penalty section in the motorcycle subchapter, 27-20-102, applies only to violations of that subchapter, and the subchapter contains no lane rule. Under Ark. Code 27-50-301, a moving traffic violation not listed in 27-50-302 is a "violation" punishable under 5-4-201, which caps the fine for a violation at $100 where the statute defining it sets no different limit.

A stop for riding between lanes may instead be written under Ark. Code 27-51-104, careless and prohibited driving. Its list of prohibited acts includes "Improper or unsafe lane changes on public roadways," and a violation carries a fine of up to $100.

Reckless driving under 27-50-308 requires more than riding between lanes: it applies to driving "in such a manner as to indicate a wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property." Section 27-50-302 classes reckless driving as a Class B misdemeanor, and a first conviction with no physical injury carries 5 to 90 days in jail, a fine of $25 to $500, or both.

These penalty figures come from the text of the Arkansas Code as it stood in its 2020 release; a later amendment to these penalty sections cannot be ruled out, so check the current code. For the amount on a specific ticket, check the citation or contact the court named on it.

Federal law

Lane use is set state by state. The federal motorcyclist safety grant rule, 23 CFR 1300.25, sets criteria for state rider training and motorist awareness programs and says nothing about lane use, and NHTSA's motorcycle safety page does not mention lane splitting. Our lane splitting laws by state hub covers the national picture.

If riding between lanes leads to a crash

Whether a rider followed 27-51-302 is one fact in a crash claim; it does not settle fault on its own. For how fault, insurance and filing deadlines work, see our guide to Arkansas motorcycle accident laws. For the rules that apply to vehicle crashes generally, see Arkansas car accident laws.

Related pages

• Lane splitting laws by state
• Arkansas motorcycle accident laws
• Arkansas car accident laws
• Missouri lane splitting laws
• Tennessee lane splitting laws

This article provides general legal information about Arkansas law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Arkansas or the Arkansas Department of Public Safety.

Last updated: 2026-10-09.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lane splitting legal in Arkansas?

No Arkansas statute expressly allows it, and no statute names it as a separate offense. The general rule in Ark. Code 27-51-302(1) requires a vehicle to be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane, and a 2023 bill to authorize lane splitting (HB 1755) did not become law.

Is lane filtering legal in Arkansas?

Arkansas has no filtering law. Section 27-51-302 contains no exception for stopped traffic, so the single-lane rule applies at a red light or in a traffic jam the same way it does in moving traffic.

Did Arkansas pass a lane splitting bill?

No. HB 1755 of 2023 would have added Ark. Code 27-20-121 stating that a motorcycle operator may practice lane splitting, but the bill was recommended for study in the interim by the Joint Interim Committee on Public Transportation and was not enacted. No Act passed from 2020 through the 2026 fiscal session adds a lane splitting or filtering provision.

Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Arkansas to pass traffic?

Ark. Code 27-51-308(b)(2) says passing on the right shall in no event be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway. The rule applies to every vehicle, including motorcycles.

Can a car share a lane with a motorcycle in Arkansas?

The Arkansas Department of Public Safety driver study guide tells drivers that a motorcycle is entitled to a full lane and says not to attempt to share the lane with a motorcycle. That is state guidance for drivers; the Arkansas Code's motorcycle subchapter has no full-lane statute.

What is the fine for lane splitting in Arkansas?

Ark. Code 27-51-302 does not state its own fine or offense class. Under 27-50-301 and 5-4-201, a moving violation not listed in 27-50-302 carries a fine of up to $100. A stop may instead be written as careless and prohibited driving under 27-51-104, which lists improper or unsafe lane changes and carries a fine of up to $100. Driving in a manner that indicates a wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is reckless driving under 27-50-308, a Class B misdemeanor; a first conviction with no physical injury carries 5 to 90 days in jail, a fine of $25 to $500, or both. These figures reflect the 2020 release of the Arkansas Code, and a later amendment cannot be ruled out. For the amount on a specific ticket, check the citation or contact the court named on it.