How to Get Your 2026 Arkansas Hunter Education in 3 Easy Steps
Ready to hunt in Arkansas this season? If you were born on or after January 1, 1969, you must complete a hunter education course before buying your license.
A hunter safety course helps you (and others) stay safe in the field. Through a state-approved hunter safety course, you'll learn proper firearm and bow handling, basic shooting and hunting skills, outdoor safety, tree stand safety, why hunters wear blaze orange for hunts, the hunting laws for your state, and more.
So, if you're planning a hunt in Arkansas in 2026, keep reading to learn how to find an Arkansas hunter education practice test, take the state's hunter education course, and get a hunting license.
How Do I Get My Hunter Education Card in Arkansas?
The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC) offers two options to meet the hunter safety certification requirements.
1. Take a Free In-Person Class
Hunters can take the state's free instructor-led hunter education class. It's a 10-hour classroom setting with hands-on demonstration.
Classes can take place over 3-4 nights or for a full day on a Saturday. Choose a course that works for your schedule. Be sure to complete the course a few weeks before hunting season begins, so you have plenty of time to get your hunter education card and hunting license.
2. Take an Online Course
Hunters ages 10 and older can opt to take an online hunter safety course You can get certified completely online.
Hunter-Ed is proud to be an approved online hunter education course for Arkansas! It's the most convenient way to meet the state's hunter education requirement. Use the free study guide as a hunter education practice test before taking the final exam.
After completing the coursework and passing the final exam online, you can immediately print a hunter education certificate. You'll need this to buy your hunting license.
3 Easy Steps to Get Your 2026 Arkansas Hunting License
With your hunter certification, you're ready to get your license and hunt! Here are three easy steps to get your Arkansas hunting license.
- Meet the Requirements (and Complete a Hunter Education Course)
Remember: all hunters born on or after January 1, 1969, must show proof of completing a hunter safety course before buying a hunting license.
Hunter-Ed makes it easy to do that through our course, approved by the AGFC! - Choose the Right License Type and Purchase It
Determine the hunting license you need. Choose from resident, non-resident, 65-Plus lifetime, and other licenses. Then, purchase your license online, by phone, or in person at an authorized dealer, AGFC regional office, Nature Center, or the Little Rock Headquarters. - Carry Proof of Your License When Hunting
Pack your valid hunting license and any necessary tags, stamps, or permits for every hunt.
Next, let's look at these steps in more detail.
Step 1: How to Take the Arkansas Hunter Education Practice Test and Course
The easiest way to get your hunter safety certification in Arkansas is to take the Hunter-Ed Online course!
Hunter-Ed:
- Is available anywhere you can connect to the internet using a computer or mobile device.
- Is offered in English or Spanish
- Can be completed in about 3 hours. You can work at your own pace and start and stop as needed.
- Includes illustrations, games, animations, videos, and quizzes to help you learn the required material. Score at least 80% on the quizzes to pass.
- Provides two attempts to pass the final exam.
- Gives you free access to the course study guide to help you learn the material and pass the quizzes.
- Gives you free access to Hunter Perks!
- Is approved by the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Use the study guide as a hunter education practice test before taking the final exam.
Step 2: Get Your Hunter Education Certificate
After completing the course through Hunter-Ed and passing the final exam, you've met the hunter education requirements for Arkansas! In your Hunter-Ed student portal, print your Hunter Education Certificate.
You can hunt right away with your printed card.
Your Hunter Education Card is Your Proof of Certification
Your hunter safety card is a valuable document for every hunting season. Store it safely between hunts and protect it in the field. Always carry it when you hunt (along with your hunting license).
If you lose your card, visit the ilostmycard website to request a replacement card before hunting season begins.
Step 3: Where to Get Your Arkansas Hunting License in 2026
Your Arkansas hunter education course is now behind you. You're ready to get your hunting license and hunt!
Buy a Hunting License Online
The easiest way to get your license is to buy it online. This can be particularly convenient if you don't live close to an in-person hunting license purchase location, or you plan to hunt in Arkansas while you're a resident of another state.
Purchase by Phone
Call 833-345-0325 to order a hunting license. Make sure you call during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Buy In Person
If you prefer to pick up a license in person, the State of Arkansas has plenty of locations offering hunting licenses. Pick up a license at an authorized dealer location.
You can also buy a license at an AGFC Regional Office, Nature Center, or the headquarters in Little Rock.
AGFC Regional Office Name | Address |
| AGFC Headquarters | 2 Natural Resources Drive Little Rock, AR 72211 |
| East Central Office | 1201 North Main St Brinkley, AR 72021 |
| Fort Smith Office | Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center 8300 Wells Lake Road Fort Smith, AR 72916 |
| Hot Springs Office | 350 Fish Hatchery Road Hot Springs, AR 71913 |
| North Central Office | 424 Natural Resources Drive Mountain Home, AR 72653 |
| Northeast Office | Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center 600 E. Lawson Road Jonesboro, AR 72404 |
| Southeast Office | 771 Jordan Drive Monticello, AR 71655 |
| Southwest Office | 7004 Highway 67 East Perrytown, AR 71801 |
| West Central Office | 1266 Lock and Dam Road Russellville, AR 72802 |
Why Hunter Education Is Important
Before you punch your tag or settle into a tree stand tucked along an Arkansas timber edge, it’s worth taking a hunter education course. Whether this is your first hunting season or you’ve spent years chasing ducks through flooded timber and deer through the Ozarks, hunter education can sharpen your edge and make sure you’re hunting by today’s standards.
Hunter education in Arkansas focuses on what really matters when you’re out in the woods or on the water:
- Safe, confident firearm handling
- Sound, ethical choices
- Smart judgment in real-world hunting situations
The course is straightforward and practical, designed to protect you, your hunting buddies, landowners, and anyone else enjoying Arkansas’s outdoors. The bottom line is simple: everyone makes it home safe when the day is done.
You’ll also learn hands-on skills, from navigating dense hardwood forests and Delta bottomlands to preparing for quick weather changes and handling basic first aid if something goes sideways. The training reinforces respect for private property, cooperation among hunters, and appreciation for the wildlife that defines hunting in the state.
At its core, hunter education is about stewardship. It strengthens your commitment to conserving game populations, honoring time-tested traditions, and ensuring that future generations can experience strong, sustainable hunting seasons across Arkansas.
Why are a State-Specific Hunter Education Courses Important?
Most states honor hunter education certificates earned in other parts of the country, and Arkansas does the same. If you’ve successfully completed an approved course somewhere else, there’s a good chance your certification will count here, too.
That’s a relief for traveling hunters who don’t want to sit through the same material every time they head to a new state.
That said, if you’re planning to hunt in Arkansas (especially for the first time), it’s smart to look into a course tailored specifically to this state. An Arkansas-focused program walks through the rules and realities that make hunting here different, and those details can matter more than folks realize.
A class from another state might not dive into Arkansas season dates, tagging requirements, harvest reporting, regulations on places like wildlife management areas, or state-specific firearm laws. Those aren’t small things! They’re the kind of nuts-and-bolts details that count when you’re setting up in flooded timber before sunrise or making sure your buck is tagged and reported correctly.
Before relying completely on an out-of-state certification, consider taking Arkansas’s hunter education course. It’s a simple way to make sure you’re following the law, making solid decisions in the field, and respecting the deep-rooted hunting traditions that run strong across Arkansas.
You get more with Hunter-Ed!
You get a learn-at-your-pace online course that covers the essentials to hunt safely (while meeting the AGFC's requirements). Plus, you also get access to Hunter Perks.
Hunter Perks is an exclusive offering from Hunter-Ed. It's entirely free for students!
When you purchase your course, you unlock complete access to:
- More Learning Opportunities: Additional courses at a discount to help you learn about more aspects of hunting.
- Curated Blog and Video Content: More free resources to help you keep learning about how to be a better hunter.
- Discounted Digital Hunting Tools: Hunter-proven resources (i.e., app subscriptions) to help you keep learning and hunt better.
- Hunting Regulations: Links to stay updated on the hunting regulations for Arkansas each year.
Your Hunter Perks also include discounts on gear and contests to win free stuff. This free program from Hunter-Ed helps you have everything you need for great hunts (and save money while gearing up).
Get Hunter Safety Certified in Arkansas with Hunter-Ed
Don't wait for the hunting season to get here before you take the Arkansas hunter education course. Hunt safely with your hunter safety certification!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We have answers to your questions about the Arkansas hunter education certification!
Q: Do I need a hunter education course to hunt in Arkansas?
Yes, all hunters born on or after January 1, 1969, must show proof of completing a hunter education course to hunt legally.
Q: Can you take the Arkansas Hunter Safety course online?
Yes, you can take the Arkansas hunter safety course online as part of the state's requirements. Hunter-Ed is an approved online course!
Q: How Soon Should I Sign Up for a Hunter Education Course?
Sign up so you can complete your hunter education course at least a few weeks before your hunting season begins.
Q: Do I Need a Certification for Every Season?
No, you don't need to recertify for hunter safety every season. Your Arkansas hunter education course is the only certification you'll need to hunt in the state after completing the course and passing the final exam. Your certification is valid for life!
Q: How Much Does it Cost to Get My Hunter Education Certification?
When taking the course through Hunter-Ed, the course fee is $29.95. This includes the course and study guide, two tries to pass the final exam, your hunter education card, and Hunter Perks.
Q: What happens if you hunt without hunter ed?
Hunting without the required Hunter Education certification can result in penalties, including fines. Your hunting license may also be invalid until you complete the course.
