Arkansas Landlord-Tenant Law

Arkansas caps most security deposits at 2 months' rent (1 exception applies), and requires its return within 60 days after the lease ends; no statute fixes a notice period before a landlord enters, and state law bars cities from adopting rent control.

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed

Security deposits in Arkansas

Maximum deposit

Landlords covered by the Residential Security Deposit law may not demand or receive a deposit above two months' rent (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-304). (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-304; § 18-16-303 (exemption) — summarized by the Arkansas Attorney General, Act 459 of 2025, §§ 1-2 (local preemption 'except as provided under § 18-16-304'))

Two months' periodic rent; the deposit subchapter does not apply to individual owners with five or fewer units who manage them themselves

Individual owner (with spouse, minor children and their rental entities) owns 5 or fewer dwelling units and does not use a paid third-party manager (subchapter does not apply): no cap applies

Return deadline

Landlords must return the deposit, or the balance with a written itemized notice of deductions, within 60 days after the tenancy ends (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305(a)). (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 — summarized by the Arkansas Attorney General)

Itemized deductions

A landlord who deducts unpaid rent or damages must itemize them in a written notice delivered to the tenant with any balance (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305(a)(2)). (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305(a)(2) — summarized by the Arkansas Attorney General)

Interest on deposits

Arkansas law does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-301 to -306 are silent). (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-301 to -306 (silent on interest) — summarized by the Arkansas Attorney General)

Penalty for wrongful withholding

A landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit can owe the tenant twice the amount withheld plus attorney's fees, unless it proves a bona fide error or good-faith dispute (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-306). (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-306 — Arkansas Code is officially published via LexisNexis; Attorney General overview of the deposit law)

Arkansas security deposit law and return-deadline calculator

Arkansas late fees

Late-fee limit

Arkansas sets no statutory cap on residential late fees, so any late fee must be in the rental agreement and should be a reasonable estimate of the landlord's costs (Ark. Code Ann. tit. 18, ch. 16-17). (Ark. Code Ann. tit. 18, chs. 16-17 (no residential late-fee cap) — Attorney General landlord-tenant overview is silent on late fees)

Grace period

Arkansas law sets no grace period before a residential late fee may be charged, so the lease's due date and any lease grace period control (Ark. Code Ann. tit. 18, ch. 17). (Ark. Code Ann. tit. 18, ch. 17 (no late-fee grace period) — Attorney General landlord-tenant overview)

Landlord entry in Arkansas

Arkansas sets no advance-notice period for landlord entry; the statute only says a tenant may not unreasonably refuse entry for inspections, repairs, services or showings, so notice terms come from the lease (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-602). (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-602 (FindLaw copy, current as of Mar. 28, 2024), Arkansas Attorney General, Landlord and Tenant Rights (no entry rule))

Ending a month-to-month tenancy in Arkansas

Under Arkansas's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, a landlord or tenant ends a month-to-month tenancy with written notice given at least 30 days before the termination date stated in it (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-704). (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-704 — Attorney General summary ('one rental period's notice'), Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-704 (FindLaw copy, current as of Mar. 28, 2024))

Landlord: 30 days · Tenant: 30 days

Week-to-week: 7 days' written notice before the termination date. Month-to-month: 30 days' written notice before the termination date.

Rent increase notice in Arkansas

No Arkansas statute fixes rent-increase notice, but the Attorney General tells landlords to give at least one rental period's notice before raising rent, which for a monthly tenancy means a full month (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-704). (Arkansas Attorney General, Landlord and Tenant Rights, Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-704 (FindLaw copy))

Rent control in Arkansas

Arkansas has no rent control, and state law bars counties and cities from controlling rent, rental application fees or deposits on private residential or commercial rentals (Ark. Code §§ 14-16-601(b), 14-54-1409(b), as amended by Act 459 of 2025). (Act 459 of 2025, §§ 1-2 (Ark. Code §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409))

No statewide rent control. Counties, cities and other local governments may not enact, maintain or enforce an ordinance or resolution that would control the amount charged for rent, rental application fees or rental deposits for private residential or commercial property, except as provided under § 18-16-304; they may still manage property in which they hold an interest (Ark. Code §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409).

Required lease disclosures in Arkansas

Arkansas's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act adds no state move-in disclosure, so the federal lead-paint disclosure, warning statement and EPA pamphlet for pre-1978 housing is the notice a landlord must give before the lease is signed (40 CFR 745.107; Ark. Code § 18-17-101 et seq.). (40 CFR 745.107, Act 1004 of 2007 (Arkansas Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 2007, Ark. Code § 18-17-101 et seq.), Act 1052 of 2021 (Ark. Code § 18-17-502))

Lead-based paint disclosure, lead warning statement and EPA pamphlet (Housing built before 1978 (unless exempt under 40 CFR 745.101)) — 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart F (§ 745.107)

Eviction notices in Arkansas

Unpaid rent

Once rent is five days late the landlord may terminate the rental agreement, and before suing for unlawful detainer the landlord must give the tenant a three-day written notice to vacate (Ark. Code §§ 18-17-701(b), 18-60-304). (Ark. Code § 18-60-304 (unlawful detainer), as stated by the Arkansas Attorney General, Act 1004 of 2007, § 1 (Ark. Code § 18-17-701(b)))

Notice: Written notice to vacate (unlawful detainer) (3 days)

Lease violations

For a lease violation, give written notice describing the breach and a termination date at least 14 days after the tenant receives it; the agreement continues if the tenant remedies a curable breach before that date (Ark. Code § 18-17-701(a)). (Act 1004 of 2007, § 1 (Ark. Code § 18-17-701(a)), Act 482 of 2009, § 5 (Ark. Code § 18-17-701(a)))

Notice period: 14 days; the tenant can cure the violation within the notice period

Arkansas compared with neighbouring states

Arkansas and its neighbours on five headline rules
State	Deposit cap	Deposit return	Late fee	Entry notice	Rent control
Arkansas	2 months' rent (with exceptions)Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-304; § 18-16-303 (exemption) — summarized by the Arkansas Attorney General, Act 459 of 2025, §§ 1-2 (local preemption 'except as provided under § 18-16-304')	60 days after the lease endsArk. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 — summarized by the Arkansas Attorney General	No state cap; grace: no state grace periodArk. Code Ann. tit. 18, chs. 16-17 (no residential late-fee cap) — Attorney General landlord-tenant overview is silent on late fees, Ark. Code Ann. tit. 18, ch. 17 (no late-fee grace period) — Attorney General landlord-tenant overview	No state ruleArk. Code Ann. § 18-17-602 (FindLaw copy, current as of Mar. 28, 2024), Arkansas Attorney General, Landlord and Tenant Rights (no entry rule)	None; cities barred from adopting itAct 459 of 2025, §§ 1-2 (Ark. Code §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409)
Louisiana	No state cap	30 days after the lease ends	No state cap; grace: no state grace period	No state rule	None; cities barred from adopting it
Mississippi	No state cap	45 days after the triggering event	No state cap; grace: no state grace period	No state rule	No statewide rent control
Missouri	2 months' rent (with exceptions)	30 days after the lease ends	No state cap; grace: no state grace period	No state rule	None; cities barred from adopting it
Oklahoma	No state cap	45 days after the tenant's written request	Reasonableness (case law); grace: no state grace period	24 hours' notice	None; cities barred from adopting it
Tennessee	No state cap	No fixed deadline	Statutory formula; grace: 5 days	No fixed number of hours	None; cities barred from adopting it
Texas	No state cap	30 days after move-out	Statutory formula; grace: 2 days	No state rule	None; cities barred from adopting it

Writing a Arkansas lease

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