Does Arkansas law require a car's rearview mirror to be mounted on the windshield?
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This page answers the general question as of 2021. Ezel answers yours: what it means for your facts, under current Arkansas law, with citations.
Plain-English summary
Senator Jane English asked whether Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a) requires drivers to mount the rearview mirror on the inside of the windshield, or in any other specific spot. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge answered no. The statute only says every motor vehicle "shall be equipped with a rearview mirror." It does not say where the mirror has to go.
That leaves owners free to mount the mirror anywhere it works: windshield-suction, dash-mounted, A-pillar, or aftermarket. The only related rule is § 27-37-305(b), which requires loaded vehicles whose driver's rear view is obstructed to have a mirror that reflects at least 200 feet of highway behind the vehicle. That subsection still does not specify a location, only an effective field of view.
Currency note
This opinion was issued in late 2021. The General Assembly may have amended § 27-37-305 since then. If you are writing a citation, programming an inspection checklist, or updating a fleet policy, verify the current statute text.
What this means for you
If you have a windshield crack and the mirror falls off
Based on this opinion, you can mount a replacement mirror anywhere on the vehicle that gives you a usable rear view. Suction-cup mounts, dash mounts, and clip-on mounts all comply with § 27-37-305(a). If the vehicle is loaded and your normal rear view is blocked, the mirror you choose has to reflect at least 200 feet behind you per subsection (b).
If you are a law enforcement officer or vehicle inspector
A driver does not violate § 27-37-305(a) by having the rearview mirror mounted somewhere other than the windshield. The element of the offense is "no rearview mirror at all," not "mirror in the wrong place." If the rear view is obstructed (typical for cargo vans or loaded pickups), check the mirror's effective range against the 200-foot rule in subsection (b) instead.
If you sell or install aftermarket auto parts
You can offer dash-mount, A-pillar, and other non-windshield rearview mirror solutions to Arkansas customers without warning them they are buying into a violation. They are not.
Common questions
Q: Are side mirrors required in Arkansas?
A: This opinion did not address side mirrors. It addressed § 27-37-305(a), which is specifically the rearview mirror requirement. Other Arkansas Code provisions and federal motor vehicle safety standards may impose separate side-mirror rules; check those separately.
Q: What does the 200-foot rule actually require?
A: Section 27-37-305(b), as quoted in the opinion, applies to motor vehicles loaded so that the driver's rear view through the regular rearview mirror is obstructed. Those vehicles must have a mirror "located at such a place so as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the vehicle." The location is whatever location achieves that field of view.
Q: What about tinted windows or visibility through the rear window?
A: Not addressed in this opinion. Window tint and obstructed-window rules are governed by separate Arkansas statutes.
Q: Can I get cited for not having a windshield-mounted mirror specifically?
A: Per this opinion, no. The statute does not specify mounting location. A citation predicated solely on the mirror not being on the windshield would not have a statutory basis under § 27-37-305(a).
Background and statutory framework
Section 27-37-305 sits in Title 27 (Transportation), Chapter 37 (Equipment), of the Arkansas Code, alongside other vehicle equipment requirements (lights, brakes, horns, windshields). The statute uses two operative clauses:
- Subsection (a): every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a rearview mirror "of a type approved by the Office of Motor Vehicle." The placement is unstated.
- Subsection (b): when a vehicle is loaded so the driver's rear view through subsection (a)'s mirror is obstructed, an additional mirror must give a 200-foot rear field of view.
The opinion's reasoning is straightforward statutory interpretation: where the legislature has spoken to one issue (mirror presence and effective range) but not another (mounting location), the AG cannot read in a placement requirement. The drafter presumably understood that windshield, dashboard, and aftermarket mounts all serve the safety goal; what matters is that the driver can see behind.
Citations and references
Statutes:
- Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a) (rearview mirror requirement; no mounting location specified)
- Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(b) (200-foot rear field of view for loaded vehicles)
Source
Original opinion text
Opinion No. 2021-072
December 28, 2021
The Honorable Jane English
State Senator
3 Great Oak Court
North Little Rock, AR 72116
Dear Senator English:
This is in response to your recent request for an opinion from this office concerning provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a), which specifically addresses rearview mirrors on highway-operated vehicles.
Your correspondence provides the following background information:
Under Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a), every motor vehicle is required to be equipped with a rearview mirror. The law states that a motor vehicle is required to be "equipped" with a rearview mirror but does not specify where the rearview mirror is required to be attached to the motor vehicle in order to meet the rearview mirror requirement. Given the ambiguity in the law, [you are] requesting [my] opinion on the following questions:
-
Does Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a) require that every motor vehicle have a rearview mirror attached to the inside of the motor vehicle's front windshield?
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If a rearview mirror is not required to be attached to the inside of a motor vehicle's front windshield under Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a), does the law require that the rearview mirror be attached in any other particular location?
RESPONSE
No, the cited provision contains no such requirements.
DISCUSSION
Question 1: Does Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a) require that every motor vehicle have a rearview mirror attached to the inside of the motor vehicle's front windshield?
No, the cited statute contains no such requirement. Subsection 27-37-305(a) only requires that every motor vehicle "be equipped with a rearview mirror." The statute does not indicate where that mirror must be located. Thus, while windscreen-mounted mirrors are the norm for most passenger cars and trucks, the statute does not mandate that placement.
Question 2: If a rearview mirror is not required to be attached to the inside of a motor vehicle's front windshield under Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-305(a), does the law require that the rearview mirror be attached in any other particular location?
No, the statute is silent as to a rearview mirror's placement. Instead, the statute leaves flexibility and allows for alternative placements, such as, say, dash-mounted mirrors.
Moreover, subsection 27-37-305(b) requires, in part, motor vehicles that are loaded (such that the driver's rear view is obstructed) be equipped with a mirror located at such a place so as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the vehicle.
Sincerely,
LESLIE RUTLEDGE
Attorney General
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