Arkansas Radiologic Technologist Licensing Guide
License Snapshot
Board Processing Time
Not published
Board turnaround on a complete application — see lead time below
Application Fee
$45
Renewal: $45
Credential
ARRT
Required national certification
Renewal
6 hours
Every 1 year
State Overview
Arkansas licenses radiology as more than a single credential. Alongside the general radiologic technologist license, it recognizes 2 separate base licenses (Radiation Therapist (Radiation Therapy Technologist License, RRT) and Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Nuclear Medicine Technologist License, NML)), plus a limited-permit tier (Limited-Scope X-ray Operator (Limited Licensed Technologist, LLT) and Limited Specialty License - Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging (RCIS)).
A few other modalities are not licensed by the state at all, rather than carrying their own Arkansas license. The specialty section below covers each, including where a single-modality candidate may not be placeable.
Across radiology, ARRT certification is the national credential that anchors state licensure. A license you hold in another state does not transfer automatically, so you apply directly to Arkansas's licensing board for each assignment.
General Requirements
If you perform radiology procedures in Arkansas, the baseline below applies regardless of where you trained or which modality you work in.
- National certification: an active ARRT credential is the prerequisite the state license is built on. The state credential sits on top of ARRT, not instead of it.
- Credential required: Graduation from an accredited radiologic technology program and passing the ARRT Radiography national registry examination.
- Scope of the base license: Authorized to perform all types of diagnostic radiography, including computed tomography, mammography, special procedures, and bone densitometry.
- Verification: ARRT or direct board verification.
Fees & Credentials
Arkansas issues more than one radiology credential, so fees vary by what you actually do. The table below is one row per state-recognized credential.
| Credential | Application | Renewal | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiographer (Radiologic Technologist License, RTL) | $45 | $45 | Every 1 year |
| Radiation Therapist (Radiation Therapy Technologist License, RRT) | $45 | $45 | Every 1 year |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Nuclear Medicine Technologist License, NML) | $45 | $45 | Every 1 year |
| Limited-Scope X-ray Operator (Limited Licensed Technologist, LLT) | $45 | $45 | Every 1 year |
| Limited Specialty License - Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging (RCIS) | $45 | $45 | Every 1 year |
There is no state fee line for MRI Technologist, Sonographer / Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound, and Medical Physicist, because Arkansas does not license those modalities. Their absence from the table is the point, not an omission.
$45 for one category; $65 for more than one (AR DoH fee schedule).
Renewal & Continuing Education
- Renewal cycle: every 1 year, every year based on date of initial issuance.
- Continuing education: Arkansas requires 6 hours per 1-year cycle for the general license, alongside maintaining your ARRT credential.
Getting Licensed
Radiology licensure is ARRT-primary, so the path is shorter than the multi-step endorsement other professions run. For most candidates it is four steps:
- Hold the right ARRT credential for the work you will do (Radiography for general x-ray; the matching post-primary credential for a modality the state licenses).
- Complete a board-approved program if the state requires one for your credential.
- Apply to Arkansas Department of Health through the application portal.
- Have ARRT verify your credential to the board directly. You do not self-attest the certification.
Common slip-ups travelers hit here: submitting unofficial transcripts or verification documents instead of official ARRT-issued credentials, causing board rejection and resubmission delay.
Processing & Timing
Board processing time is how long the board takes once it has a complete application. Arkansas does not publish a standard turnaround for radiology, so plan from recruiter experience rather than a board SLA.
Recommended lead time before your start date is the total runway, and it runs longer than the board's processing window. Start the application as early as you can, because your ARRT verification has to reach the board before it can act.
If you need more than one credential here, for example a base license plus an add-on authorization, they may process as separate items rather than in one pass. Do not assume you can layer the second credential on at the last minute.
Permanent endorsement or exam licensure is required before day-one work. Plan 12 weeks minimum to ensure license issuance before assignment start.
Specialty Differences
Most of the radiology family in Arkansas runs on the general license. A handful of credentials genuinely diverge, and those are the ones worth reading closely. Below is one subsection per real difference, then roll-up lines for everything else.
CT Technologist
Divergence: specialty difference. Computed tomography is explicitly within the scope of the general Radiologic Technologist License.
- Credential: Covered by the base Radiologic Technologist License; no separate state credential. Employers typically require ARRT post-primary CT certification per facility policy
Radiation Therapist (Radiation Therapy Technologist License, RRT)
Divergence: separate license. Authorized for radiation therapy procedures only.
- Fee: $45 application, $45 renewal, every 1 year
- Credential: Graduation from an accredited radiation therapy program and passing the ARRT Radiation Therapy national registry examination
How it differs from the general license: Radiation therapy is a distinct license category from the diagnostic radiographer license, requiring a separate accredited program and the ARRT Radiation Therapy exam rather than the ARRT Radiography exam. It does not authorize diagnostic radiography.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Nuclear Medicine Technologist License, NML)
Divergence: separate license. Authorized for nuclear medicine procedures only.
- Fee: $45 application, $45 renewal, every 1 year
- Credential: Graduation from an accredited nuclear medicine technology program and passing either the ARRT Nuclear Medicine or the NMTCB national certification examination
How it differs from the general license: Nuclear medicine is a distinct license category from the diagnostic radiographer license, accepting NMTCB certification (not just ARRT) and requiring a nuclear-medicine-specific program. It does not authorize general diagnostic radiography.
Limited-Scope X-ray Operator (Limited Licensed Technologist, LLT)
Divergence: limited-scope tier. May perform radiographic exams only in the specific module categories passed on the Limited Scope Examination. Explicitly excludes abdomen, pelvis/hips, ribs/sternum, fluoroscopy, and contrast studies.
- Fee: $45 application, $45 renewal, every 1 year
- Credential: At least 18 years old, high school graduate, and passing the ARRT Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography examination in one or more modules (chest, extremity, skull/sinus, spine, and/or podiatry). A Temporary License is available for on-the-job trainees preparing for the exam
How it differs from the general license: A reduced-scope credential below the full radiographer license: holders are restricted to the body-region modules they passed and cannot perform CT, mammography, fluoroscopy, contrast studies, or the excluded body regions that a full Radiologic Technologist may perform.
Limited Specialty License - Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging (RCIS)
Divergence: limited-scope tier. Operate ionizing-radiation-emitting equipment limited to specific invasive cardiovascular imaging procedures, under the supervision of a Licensed Practitioner.
- Fee: $45 application, $45 renewal, every 1 year
- Credential: CCI Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) credentialing, for individuals who are not Licensed Practitioners, Radiologic Technologists, or Limited Licensed Technologists
How it differs from the general license: A narrow specialty credential tied to the CCI-RCIS certification rather than ARRT, restricted to invasive cardiovascular imaging procedures performed under practitioner supervision. It does not authorize general diagnostic radiography.
MRI Technologist
Divergence: no state credential. Not state-regulated; magnetic resonance imaging does not produce ionizing radiation.
- Credential: No Arkansas state license. The Radiation Control program licenses only operators of ionizing-radiation and radiopharmaceutical equipment; MRI uses no ionizing radiation and is outside its scope. Employers typically require ARRT(MR) or ARMRIT certification per facility policy
How it differs from the general license: MRI falls entirely outside the Radiation Control licensure scheme because it involves no ionizing radiation, so no state license or supplemental authorization is required; credentialing is left to the hiring facility.
Sonographer / Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound
Divergence: no state credential. Not state-regulated as a distinct license; diagnostic medical sonography does not produce ionizing radiation.
- Credential: No Arkansas state license identified. Diagnostic ultrasound uses no ionizing radiation and is outside the Radiation Control program's scope. Employers typically require ARDMS (RDMS) certification per facility policy
How it differs from the general license: Diagnostic ultrasound involves no ionizing radiation and is not addressed by the Arkansas radiologic technology licensure categories, so no state license is required; credentialing is left to the hiring facility.
Medical Physicist
Divergence: no state credential. Not licensed as a radiologic technologist category; recognized by national board certification rather than state operator licensure.
- Credential: No Arkansas operator license required. Radiation health/medical physicists are expressly exempt from the requirement to obtain a license to apply ionizing radiation or administer radiopharmaceuticals, provided they are certified or eligible for certification by the American Board of Radiology, the American Board of Medical Physics, or the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine
How it differs from the general license: Medical physicists are explicitly exempted from the radiologic technologist licensure requirement; they are recognized through national board certification (ABR/ABMP/ABSNM) instead of holding any Arkansas operator license.
Specialties that follow the general Arkansas license
These run under the general radiologic technologist license and need no separate state credential: Mammography.
Before you pay: confirm your modality
Within radiology, whether a modality needs its own state credential is not consistent, and it is the thing travelers most often get wrong. MRI, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, sonography, and CT can each be a separate state license in one state, a facility credential checked against your ARRT registration in the next, and nothing extra in a third.
The divergences we verified for Arkansas are above. What we cannot see is your specific assignment and the site you land at. Before you submit any application fee for an advanced modality, confirm with your recruiter whether Arkansas issues a state credential for it or whether the facility handles that against your certification. We would rather you ask first than pay for something the role never required.
Official Resources
Arkansas Department of Health
Board Website·Application Portal·License Verification
Phone: (501) 661-2301
Frequently Asked Questions
Please note that while Fusion Medical Staffing strives to provide the most current and accurate information, we cannot guarantee the completeness or timeliness of the information provided. Requirements and processes can change frequently. Healthcare professionals are strongly encouraged to verify details directly with Arkansas Department of Health's official website.
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