An Arkansas lease agreement is a written contract between a landlord and a tenant for renting residential property in Arkansas. It sets out the rent, the security deposit, and how long the tenancy lasts. Arkansas's rules for this agreement sit in Arkansas Code Title 18, Subtitle 2, Chapters 16 and 17. These chapters set the security deposit return deadline and the notice needed to end a month-to-month or week-to-week tenancy.
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Arkansas law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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An Arkansas lease agreement is also called an Arkansas residential lease agreement or an AR rental lease. All three names refer to the same document.
Arkansas's landlord-tenant law lives in Arkansas Code Title 18, Subtitle 2, Chapters 16 and 17. These chapters set the deadline for returning a security deposit and the itemization a landlord must give when keeping part of it. They also set the notice a landlord or tenant must give before ending a month-to-month or week-to-week tenancy. The sections below cover what an Arkansas lease agreement should follow under this law.
Rent is due at the time and place set in the lease (Section 18-17-401). If rent is unpaid and the tenant does not pay it within five days of the due date, the landlord may terminate the lease (Section 18-17-701(b)). This is not a grace period from late fees.[1.3]
Federal law (42 U.S.C. 4852d) requires landlords of housing built before 1978 to disclose known lead-based paint and lead hazards and to give tenants the EPA lead hazard pamphlet before the lease is signed.[2.1]
Arkansas law sets a firm deadline for returning a security deposit and requires the landlord to account for any money it keeps. A landlord must return a tenant's security deposit within sixty days after the tenancy ends. If the landlord keeps part of it for unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear, the landlord must send a written, itemized list of what it kept. The notice must include the balance still due.[1.1]
Within sixty (60) days of termination of the tenancy, property or money held by the landlord as security shall be returned to the tenant.
The landlord can satisfy this requirement by mailing the itemized notice and any payment due by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address. Suppose that letter comes back and the landlord cannot locate the tenant after a reasonable effort. The money then becomes the landlord's property one hundred eighty days after the date it was mailed.[1.1]
A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit, however it is labeled, of more than two months' rent (Section 18-16-304). This limit does not apply to an individual landlord who owns five or fewer units and manages them without a paid third party (Section 18-16-303).[1.4]
Arkansas law sets separate notice periods for ending a periodic lease without cause, and the length depends on how often rent is due. A month-to-month lease needs longer notice than a week-to-week lease, and the rule works the same way for both the landlord and the tenant.[1.2]
You can count either notice period with our deadline calculator.
Many landlords give tenants advance notice, often at least 24 hours, before entering a rented home. Common reasons include repairs, inspections, or showing the unit to a prospective renter or buyer. Giving notice ahead of time is a widely followed courtesy rather than a fixed rule, and it helps keep the relationship between landlord and renter on good terms.
Respecting a tenant's privacy this way also lowers the chance of a dispute later, since both sides know when to expect a visit.
Popular Local Rental Lease Agreement Forms
| Document Name | Arkansas Rental Lease Agreement Form |
| Other Names | AR Rental Lease, Arkansas Residential Lease Agreement |
| Relevant Laws | Arkansas Code, Title 18, Subtitle 2, Chapter 17 |
| Security Deposit Return | Sixty (60) days of termination of the tenancy |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 18 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 119 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
The question below answers what Arkansas renters and landlords most often ask about a lease agreement, specifically what a landlord must give a tenant when keeping part of a security deposit.
If an Arkansas landlord keeps any part of a tenant's security deposit, the landlord must give the tenant a written, itemized notice listing what it kept. This covers unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear. The landlord must send the notice and any money still owed within sixty days after the tenant moves out and returns the property.[1.1]
General information, not legal or tax advice.
