Arkansas Late Fee Law
No Arkansas statute caps residential late fees or requires a grace period; the lease sets both.
Last verified: · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed
Arkansas late fee law at a glance
| Late-fee cap | No state capArk. Code Ann. tit. 18, chs. 16-17 (no residential late-fee cap) — Attorney General landlord-tenant overview is silent on late fees |
|---|---|
| Grace period | No state grace periodArk. Code Ann. tit. 18, ch. 17 (no late-fee grace period) — Attorney General landlord-tenant overview |
| Notice before filing for unpaid rent | 3 days (Written notice to vacate (unlawful detainer))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)) |
What Arkansas law says
Is there a limit on late fees in Arkansas?
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).
Does Arkansas require a grace period before a late fee?
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).
How much notice must an Arkansas landlord give for 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).
How Arkansas compares
31 of 51 verified jurisdictions set no statutory cap. 14 require a grace period.
Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri follow the same rule as Arkansas; 3 of its 6 neighbors differ.
Local rules in Arkansas
Cities and counties may not regulate rent, rental application fees or rental deposits for private residential property (Ark. Code §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409, as amended by Act 459 of 2025).