Arkansas · Security deposits · Updated Oct 2026

Arkansas security deposit law

How much a landlord in Arkansas can charge, the deadline to return a deposit, what may be deducted, the penalty for keeping it wrongly and how to get yours back.

Short answer

In Arkansas, the deposit limit is: Two months' rent, but only if the landlord owns six or more rental units or uses a manager or rent collector. The landlord must return it as follows: For covered landlords: within 60 days after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit or give you a written, itemized list of what was kept for damages or unpaid rent.

deposit limit
2 months' rent (with exceptions)
to return a deposit
60 days
deposit penalty
Up to 2×

We could not confirm all of Arkansas's rules yet. Some facts on this page rest on limited sources. Check the official sources below, or ask legal aid, before you rely on them.

Security deposit in Arkansas

Limit
Two months' rent, but only if the landlord owns six or more rental units or uses a manager or rent collector. Landlords with five or fewer units who manage them themselves are not covered by the deposit law, so put the deposit terms in a written lease.
Deadline to return it
For covered landlords: within 60 days after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit or give you a written, itemized list of what was kept for damages or unpaid rent. Give the landlord your new address. If the deposit is mailed to your last known address and comes back, the landlord only has to make a reasonable effort to find you; after 180 days the landlord may keep it.
Itemized list
Yes, for covered landlords: a written, itemized list of the damages and amounts withheld, within 60 days. Receipts are not required.
What may be deducted
Unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear. Legal Aid of Arkansas notes landlords also deduct for failure to clean, unpaid late fees, and failing to give the move-out notice your lease requires. The landlord may keep the whole deposit if damages and unpaid rent are more than the deposit.
Interest
No. No interest requirement was found.
Move-in checklist
Not required for the deposit, but under the 2021 habitability law, if the landlord gives you a written form at move-in to list problems with water, electricity, sewer, roof, or heating and air, and you sign it without noting a defect or do not return it within 2 business days, the landlord is treated as meeting those standards at move-in. Fill it out carefully. Ark. Code § 18-17-502(c).
If the landlord keeps it wrongly
If a covered landlord wrongfully keeps all or part of the deposit, or does not send the itemized list, you can sue for it, usually in small claims court. Legal Aid of Arkansas says you may be entitled to twice the amount of the deposit plus costs and attorney's fees. The statute (Ark. Code § 18-16-305) is often summarized as twice the amount wrongfully withheld; we could not read the official text to confirm which.
Law
Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-301 to 18-16-306

Get your deposit back, step by step

  1. Before you move out, clean, take dated photos and video of every room, and return all keys.
  2. Give your landlord your new address in writing. In Arkansas: Give the landlord your new address.
  3. Wait for the deadline: For covered landlords: within 60 days after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit or give you a written, itemized list of what was kept for damages or unpaid rent.
  4. If the money or an itemized list doesn't come, or the deductions are wrong, send a demand letter (below). Keep proof of mailing.
  5. If that doesn't work, sue in small claims court. Limit: $5,000 in money or property. Small claims court in Arkansas on Small Claims Map

Deposit return calculator for Arkansas

Find your state's deadline for returning a security deposit, whether your landlord is late and what you may be owed. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Enter your deposit and move-out dateThe result appears as you type.

An estimate from the dates you enter and the rule in our data, not legal advice. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business days, and we don't skip holidays.

Security deposit demand letter for Arkansas

A short, firm and polite letter asking your landlord to return your deposit by a date. It cites your state's deposit law. Many landlords pay at this step, and the letter is proof that you asked. Fill this in, download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it), sign it, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail with a return receipt.

Your letter is made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else.

The name on your lease or rent receipts.

We suggest 14 days.

One or two sentences. This text goes into the letter as written.

Small claims court in Arkansas

Deposit disputes usually go to small claims court, where you don't need a lawyer. Limit: $5,000 in money or property.

How to file in Arkansas

Questions about security deposits in Arkansas

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Arkansas?

Two months' rent, but only if the landlord owns six or more rental units or uses a manager or rent collector. Landlords with five or fewer units who manage them themselves are not covered by the deposit law, so put the deposit terms in a written lease.

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Arkansas?

For covered landlords: within 60 days after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit or give you a written, itemized list of what was kept for damages or unpaid rent. Give the landlord your new address. If the deposit is mailed to your last known address and comes back, the landlord only has to make a reasonable effort to find you; after 180 days the landlord may keep it.

What can I do if my landlord won't return my deposit in Arkansas?

If a covered landlord wrongfully keeps all or part of the deposit, or does not send the itemized list, you can sue for it, usually in small claims court. Legal Aid of Arkansas says you may be entitled to twice the amount of the deposit plus costs and attorney's fees. The statute (Ark. Code § 18-16-305) is often summarized as twice the amount wrongfully withheld; we could not read the official text to confirm which.

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit in Arkansas?

Unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear. Legal Aid of Arkansas notes landlords also deduct for failure to clean, unpaid late fees, and failing to give the move-out notice your lease requires. The landlord may keep the whole deposit if damages and unpaid rent are more than the deposit.

Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Arkansas?

No. No interest requirement was found.

What is the small claims limit in Arkansas?

$5,000 in money or property.

More for Arkansas renters

Security deposit in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.