<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-03-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001787306</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ARQT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001801061</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Watanabe Todd Franklin</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ARCUTIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2945 TOWNSGATE ROAD, SUITE 110</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTLAKE VILLAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>91361</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-03-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>59481</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.6806</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>566928</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49981</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By LLC</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17850</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17850</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>124956</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.6806</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-03-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>59481</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2029-03-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>59481</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>158492</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The transaction by the Reporting Person is an exercise of an in-the-money option for cash consideration and does not involve the sale of any shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The securities are held of record by Watanabe Ventures, LLC, of which the Reporting Person is the Chief Operating Officer. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these securities in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purposes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The securities are held of record by The Anderson Prest Watanabe Irrevocable Trust, of which the Reporting Person is the trustee. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these securities in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purposes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The securities are held of record by The John Franklin Watanabe Trust, of which the Reporting Person is the trustee. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these securities in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purposes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The securities are held of record by The Watanabe 2016 Irrevocable Trust, of which the Reporting Person's children are beneficiaries. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these securities in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purposes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The option vests monthly over a four year period beginning upon the achievement of certain company milestones, subject to the Reporting Person's continuous provision of services to the Issuer on each vesting date. The option contains an early-exercise provision and is exercisable as to unvested shares, subject to the Issuer's right of repurchase.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Todd Franklin Watanabe, by John W. Smither, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-03-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
