Elevators in Arkansas must be inspected at least once every 12 months. In practice, this means a licensed elevator inspector needs to perform an annual safety inspection on each elevator (and escalator). Typically, the inspection is due each year in the same month the elevator’s initial certification was issued. After the elevator passes inspection and any required tests, the state will renew the elevator’s operating certificate for another year.

Arkansas requires a permit for installing or significantly altering an elevator, and it requires an operating certificate for any elevator in service. Before any new elevator installation or major alteration, an installation permit must be obtained from the state’s Elevator Safety Division (with plans and fees submitted by the elevator contractor). After the elevator is installed and passes its initial inspection, the state issues a certificate of operation (operating permit). That operating certificate must then be kept current by having the elevator inspected and renewed annually.

Yes. Over time, safety standards have been updated, and Arkansas expects older elevators to be brought closer to current code when possible. If you have an older elevator, you may be required to retrofit certain safety features that were not required when it was first built. For example, if an elevator doesn’t have firefighter emergency operation (fire recall) or other modern safety features, the state may mandate adding them within a given timeframe. Complying with the current code often means planning a modernization project so that critical upgrades (like emergency communication devices, door safety systems, etc.) are installed to meet Arkansas’s requirements.

Every elevator in Arkansas must have a working emergency phone or communication system in the cab. The code requires this phone to be hands-free and able to connect to help 24/7. When someone presses the emergency call button, it should automatically dial a number where a trained person will answer (not a recording). The phone needs to provide two-way communication, allowing the trapped passenger to speak with responders, and it should also either transmit the elevator’s location or have identifying information readily available.

Yes. The intent of Arkansas’s code is that any emergency call from an elevator is answered by a live person at any time of day. This means the elevator’s phone line must ring to someone who is always available – either on-site staff or a professional monitoring service – rather than an unattended phone. The Arkansas elevator regulations do not allow leaving emergency calls unanswered. Having 24/7 elevator phone monitoring (such as the service MyLinkLine provides) is a reliable way to fulfill this requirement and ensure no call for help goes unanswered.

If an elevator isn’t up to code or fails an inspection, the state can refuse to issue or renew its operating certificate. In such cases, the elevator might be taken out of service until the problems are fixed and it passes re-inspection. Building owners may also face fines or penalties for operating an elevator that violates safety regulations. Essentially, non-compliance can lead to elevator shutdowns, liability issues, and increased costs, so it’s crucial to address any problems noted by inspectors promptly.

Arkansas law requires that elevators be worked on and inspected by properly licensed personnel. Elevator installations, repairs, and maintenance must be done by a licensed elevator contractor or mechanic. Annual inspections for certification are carried out either by state-employed inspectors or by third-party inspectors who are licensed (QEI-certified) to work in Arkansas. Building owners cannot self-certify an elevator; you need a qualified inspector to officially inspect it and a licensed professional to correct any issues. Using licensed elevator companies ensures the work meets code and helps your elevator pass state inspections.

Yes. Arkansas’s elevator regulations do not prohibit using cellular technology for the elevator’s emergency phone, as long as it meets the code requirements. In fact, many building owners are replacing traditional landlines with cellular elevator phones to improve reliability and save on costs. The key is that the cellular phone solution must provide the same level of 24/7 emergency communication – including backup power so it works during outages. MyLinkLine specializes in cellular elevator phone lines that meet all safety code requirements, making it easy to switch to wireless without breaking any rules.

MyLinkLine offers several solutions to keep your elevators up to code in Arkansas. We supply and install approved elevator emergency phones, ensuring your elevator has the required two-way communication system. Our cellular elevator phone lines can replace expensive landlines while still meeting all state and national safety standards (including ADA and ASME code provisions). We also provide 24/7 monitoring services, so any emergency call from your elevator is answered by a live operator in accordance with the state’s requirements. By partnering with MyLinkLine, property owners can address key code obligations—like reliable emergency phones and annual testing—more easily and cost-effectively.