Security deposit return deadline in Arkansas
An Arkansas landlord has 60 days after the tenancy ends to return a security deposit or send a written list of what was kept.
- Deadline
- 60 days
- What the landlord must send
- Any deductions must be itemized in a written notice delivered to the tenant within 60 days.
- If the landlord gets it wrong
- Failure to return the deposit can cost the landlord twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus costs and attorney fees.
- Deposit limit
- 2 months’ rent
These rules do not cover an individual landlord who owns 5 or fewer units and manages them personally; they do apply if a paid third party manages the units.
The law
Ark. Code §§ 18-16-303 to 18-16-306. Read the statute or the state agency’s page.
Checked against the statute in October 2026. Laws change, so confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
What to do next
If the deadline has passed, or the landlord kept money without a proper list, put your request in writing. Ask for the deposit back by a specific date, and keep a copy. The free first letter in the Deposit Demand Letters kit does this for Arkansas, and the deadline calculator works out your exact date from your move-out day.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
General information about Arkansas law, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Deposit Demand Letters is a self-help template kit from Kits For That.