Arkansas Eviction Laws
Arkansas rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: For a civil unlawful detainer, the landlord must give three days' written notice to vacate before filing. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304
The rules in Arkansas
| Notice for unpaid rent | For a civil unlawful detainer, the landlord must give three days' written notice to vacate before filing. § 18-60-304(3) (3 days' written notice to quit) verified on the FindLaw mirror (current as of March 28, 2024). Alternatives: under the Landlord-Tenant Act, rent unpaid 5 days after due is itself legal notice that the landlord may start eviction in district court (§ 18-17-901(b)) and lets the landlord terminate (§ 18-17-701(b)). Criminal failure to vacate (§ 18-16-101) remains in the code: 10 days' written notice; willful refusal to vacate is a misdemeanor, fine $1-$25 per day, each day a separate offense (text restored by Act 159 of 2017; no amendment since through the 2026 fiscal session per arkleg). Several circuit courts have held earlier versions unconstitutional. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304 |
|---|---|
| Notice for lease violations | Three days' written notice to vacate before filing an unlawful detainer, the same as for nonpayment. No separate cure period for non-rent violations was verified from an official source. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304 |
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Lockouts and other self-help evictions are not allowed. The Arkansas Supreme Court held in Gorman v. Ratliff (1986) that under the forcible entry and detainer law a landlord may not re-enter a rental or carry away a tenant's belongings without first going to court, and that lease clauses allowing self-help are invalid. A tenant who wins can recover costs and damages. No statute specifically addresses utility shutoffs by a landlord. The legal routes to regain possession are unlawful detainer (§§ 18-60-301 et seq., 3 days' written notice) and eviction in district court (§§ 18-17-901 et seq.), with the sheriff executing the writ. The court applied the forcible entry and detainer statute then codified at Ark. Stat. Ann. §§ 34-1501 to -1512 (Act 615 of 1981), now in Ark. Code Title 18, Ch. 60, Subch. 3. Act 1004 of 2007 has no lockout or utility provision (the only lock rule, § 18-17-602(b), bars the tenant from changing locks), and no later act has added one; SB 501 of 2025, on tenants' belongings after a writ of possession, died in committee (https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=SB501&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R). |
How an eviction case works in Arkansas
Eviction cases are heard in: Circuit Court or District Court of the county where the property is located (unlawful detainer).
- Landlord gives the tenant three days' written notice to vacate
- Landlord files an unlawful detainer complaint with a supporting affidavit; the clerk issues a summons and a Notice of Intention to Issue Writ of Possession
- Sheriff or process server serves the tenant
- Tenant has 5 days, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, to file a written objection, and a tenant who stays must deposit the rent due into the court registry
- If no objection is filed, the clerk, upon order of the court, immediately issues a writ of possession (§ 18-60-307(b) as amended by Act 414 of 2023)
- If an objection is filed, a hearing is set; if the landlord shows it is likely to succeed and posts security, a writ of possession issues
- The sheriff executes the writ of possession
Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Arkansas — steps, costs, timeline and forms.
Eviction court and fees by county
- Pulaski County (Little Rock)
- Washington County (Fayetteville)
- Benton County (Bentonville)
- Sebastian County (Fort Smith)
- Faulkner County
- Craighead County (Jonesboro)
Free calculators
- Notice Deadline Calculator — Enter the date a notice was delivered and see the date it runs out under your state's law.
Templates
Related questions
- Can a landlord evict you without going to court, change the locks or shut off utilities?
- How long does an eviction take?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before an eviction?
Arkansas vs. neighboring states
| State | Notice for unpaid rent | Notice for lease violations | Lockouts & utility shutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | For a civil unlawful detainer, the landlord must give three days' written notice to vacate before filing. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304 | Three days' written notice to vacate before filing an unlawful detainer, the same as for nonpayment. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304 | Lockouts and other self-help evictions are not allowed. The Arkansas Supreme Court held in Gorman v. Ratliff (1986) that under the forcible entry and detainer law a landlord may not re-enter a rental or carry away a tenant's belongings without first going to court, and that lease clauses allowing self-help are invalid. A tenant who wins can recover costs and damages. No statute specifically addresses utility shutoffs by a landlord. The legal routes to regain possession are unlawful detainer (§§ 18-60-301 et seq., 3 days' written notice) and eviction in district court (§§ 18-17-901 et seq.), with the sheriff executing the writ. Gorman v. Ratliff, 289 Ark. 332, 712 S.W.2d 888 (1986); Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-60-301 et seq., 18-17-901 |
| Louisiana | Written notice to vacate giving at least 5 days from delivery. Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays are not counted in a period this short, so in practice the tenant gets 5 business days. The lease may waive the notice, and many standard leases do. La. C.C.P. arts. 4701, 5059(C)(3); La. R.S. 1:55(E); La. C.C. art. 2704 | Same 5-day written notice to vacate (waivable in the lease) once the lease is dissolved for the breach. No statutory cure period. La. C.C. art. 2686; La. C.C.P. art. 4701 | Self-help eviction is not authorized. A landlord must use the court process (notice to vacate, rule to show cause, judgment, and a warrant executed by the sheriff, constable or marshal). The only exception is a reasonable belief that the tenant abandoned the premises. A landlord who locks out the tenant or removes belongings may be liable for wrongful-eviction damages. La. C.C.P. arts. 4701, 4731-4734; La. C.C. art. 2682 |
| Mississippi | 3 days. The landlord may give written notice (or email/text, if the tenant agreed in writing to be notified that way) that the rental agreement will end if the rent is not paid within three days. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13(5)(a) | 14 days to cure. The written notice must describe the breach and say the agreement will end on a date at least 14 days after the tenant receives it unless the breach is fixed within a reasonable time of no more than 14 days. If substantially the same breach happens again within 6 months, the agreement can be ended on at least 14 days' written notice with no chance to cure. No notice at all is required for a substantial violation that materially affects health or safety. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-13(3), 89-8-19(4) | The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no express ban on self-help lockouts or utility shutoffs and no damages remedy for them. The Act provides a court eviction process (§§ 89-8-31 to 89-8-39), and only a sheriff or constable may remove the tenant, under a warrant of removal issued after the move-out date. Since 2025, posting the warrant on the door does not count as executing it; law enforcement must remove the occupants. New in 2026: HB 1404 (approved March 25, 2026) makes it a crime to knowingly fail to apply tenant money collected under a lease for utilities to the utility bill within 60 days of receiving the bill. Penalties run from up to 6 months in jail or a $1,000 fine, up to 20 years or a $50,000 fine, depending on the amount, plus restitution. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-31, 89-8-39(2) (as amended by Laws 2025, ch. 460); 2026 HB 1404 (Code section not yet assigned in the sources reviewed) |
| Missouri | No fixed pay-or-quit notice period. Landlord must demand the rent; if it is unpaid, landlord may file a rent-and-possession statement. The one-month termination notice of 441.060 is not required before filing. RSMo 535.020 | 10 days' notice to vacate for breach of a written lease condition, unauthorized assignment/sublet, or waste (violations of 441.030), and for illegal use under 441.020 (gambling, bawdyhouse, controlled substances). The statute provides no right to cure. RSMo 441.030, 441.040, 441.020 | Prohibited. A landlord who removes or excludes a tenant or the tenant's property without judicial process and court order, or removes doors or locks, is guilty of forcible entry and detainer. The same applies to willfully interrupting essential services (electric, gas, water, sewer) unless done for health or safety reasons. Tenant can sue under Ch. 534, which awards double damages and double monthly rents/profits until restitution. RSMo 441.233; 534.330 |
| Oklahoma | 5 days' written notice demanding payment. If rent is not paid within 5 days after the notice, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement. The demand counts as a demand for possession; no further notice to quit is required. 41 O.S. § 131 | Material noncompliance: written notice stating a termination date at least 15 days after receipt; tenant has 10 days to remedy, otherwise the lease ends on the stated date. A repeat breach allows immediate termination on written notice. Imminent, irremediable harm or criminal / drug-related activity allows immediate termination by filing forcible entry and detainer. 41 O.S. § 132(B)-(D) | Self-help eviction prohibited in effect: if a landlord wrongfully removes or excludes the tenant, the tenant may recover possession or terminate, and recover the greater of twice the average monthly rent or twice actual damages. If the landlord willfully or negligently cuts essential services, tenant may terminate, buy substitute services and deduct, recover diminished rental value damages, or obtain substitute housing excused from rent. 41 O.S. § 123; 41 O.S. § 121(C) |
| Tennessee | 14 days. URLTA counties: written notice that the lease will end unless the rent is paid within 14 days after the tenant receives the notice. The tenant can cure by paying. Notice may be waived only by a waiver in 12-point or larger bold type in the lease, and the 5-day late-fee grace period still applies. Non-URLTA counties: 14 days' notice for rent that is due and in arrears, upon demand. The lease does not end if the tenant pays before the date in the notice. T.C.A. 66-28-505(a)(2), (b); 66-28-201(c); 66-7-109(a) | URLTA counties: (1) a breach that can be fixed by paying money or repairs: 14 days to cure, or the lease ends; (2) any other material breach: termination no less than 14 days after the tenant receives notice; (3) the same breach again within 6 months: 7 days' written notice; (4) violent acts, real and present danger, hazardous or unsanitary conditions, or an unauthorized occupant who refuses to leave: termination 3 days after the tenant receives written notice. Non-URLTA counties: 14 days for damage beyond normal wear and tear (curable) or for violent or dangerous behavior; 30 days for all other lease defaults; 3 days for violent acts, drug-related criminal activity, or dangerous behavior (except tenants who are mentally or physically disabled). T.C.A. 66-28-505(a); 66-28-517(a); 66-7-109(a), (b), (d) | URLTA counties: if a landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant, or willfully cuts essential services required by the lease, the tenant may recover possession or end the lease. In either case the tenant may recover actual damages, punitive damages when appropriate, and reasonable attorney's fees. If the lease ends, the landlord must return all prepaid rent and deposits. All counties: a person may enter and take possession of property only where the law gives a right of entry, and then only peaceably. Entering a home occupied by another and holding it by force, threats or intimidation, removing the occupant's belongings, or entering peaceably and then keeping the occupant out by force or terror is a forcible entry and detainer. Outside URLTA counties, no statute sets a specific damages remedy for a lockout or utility shutoff. T.C.A. 66-28-504; 66-28-517(d); 29-18-101 to 29-18-103 |
| Texas | At least 3 days' written notice to vacate before filing, unless the written lease provides a shorter or longer period. For a tenant evicted solely for nonpayment who was not delinquent before the month of the notice, the notice must be a notice to pay rent or vacate. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 24.005(a) | Same 3-day written notice to vacate as for other defaults, unless the lease provides otherwise. No statutory right to cure. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 24.005(a) | Landlord may not intentionally exclude a tenant except by judicial process, with narrow exceptions including a lock change for rent delinquency if allowed by the lease and preceded by written notice (5 days if mailed, 3 days if hand-delivered/posted), and a new key must be available 24 hours a day regardless of payment. Remedy: possession or termination, plus one month's rent + $1,000, actual damages, costs and attorney's fees. Interrupting utilities (except for repairs, construction, emergency, or authorized submetered electric cutoffs) carries the same one month's rent + $1,000 remedy. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.0081; Sec. 92.008 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Arkansas rental law
- Arkansas Security Deposit Law
- Arkansas Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Arkansas
- Arkansas Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Arkansas Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Arkansas
- Squatters' Rights in Arkansas
- Arkansas Rental Fee Rules
- Arkansas Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Arkansas Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Arkansas Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Arkansas Landlord Selling the House
- Arkansas Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Arkansas Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Arkansas landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Arkansas
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Arkansas Eviction Laws FAQ
How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Arkansas?
For a civil unlawful detainer, the landlord must give three days' written notice to vacate before filing. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304)
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Arkansas?
Three days' written notice to vacate before filing an unlawful detainer, the same as for nonpayment. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304)
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Arkansas?
Lockouts and other self-help evictions are not allowed. The Arkansas Supreme Court held in Gorman v. Ratliff (1986) that under the forcible entry and detainer law a landlord may not re-enter a rental or carry away a tenant's belongings without first going to court, and that lease clauses allowing self-help are invalid. A tenant who wins can recover costs and damages. No statute specifically addresses utility shutoffs by a landlord. The legal routes to regain possession are unlawful detainer (§§ 18-60-301 et seq., 3 days' written notice) and eviction in district court (§§ 18-17-901 et seq.), with the sheriff executing the writ. (Gorman v. Ratliff, 289 Ark. 332, 712 S.W.2d 888 (1986); Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-60-301 et seq., 18-17-901)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.