How to Evict a Tenant in Arkansas (2026)
The legal steps for landlords in Arkansas — the notice, the court case, costs, timeline and the mistakes that get cases thrown out — with the statute or official page behind each step.
Short answer: In Arkansas a landlord must give the required written notice, file an eviction case in court if the tenant doesn't pay or leave, win a judgment, and have a sheriff or other officer carry out the removal. Changing the locks or removing belongings yourself is not allowed.
Step 1: Have a legal reason and give the right notice
| Unpaid rent | For a civil unlawful detainer, the landlord must give three days' written notice to vacate before filing. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304 |
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| Lease violation | Three days' written notice to vacate before filing an unlawful detainer, the same as for nonpayment. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304 |
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no fault) | Either the landlord or the tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the termination date stated in the notice (7 days for a week-to-week tenancy). The landlord needs no reason. A fixed-term written lease ends on its own terms. No statute sets a separate notice period for rent increases; the Attorney General advises giving at least one rental period's notice. |
Local rent-control or just-cause rules can limit evictions: Local rent control is preempted. Local governments may not enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances controlling rent, and since Act 459 of 2025, rental application fees or rental deposits, for private residential or commercial property. There is no statewide rent cap.
Step 2: Write and deliver the notice correctly
| What the notice must say | There are two routes. (1) Unlawful detainer: after rent goes unpaid, the landlord gives a written 3-day notice to quit and demand for possession. The statute sets no required wording, no amount statement, and no service method. (2) Eviction under the Landlord-Tenant Act: if rent is not paid within 5 days of the due date, the nonpayment itself is legal notice that the landlord may file an affidavit of eviction, so no separate notice is required. A separate criminal failure-to-vacate statute requires 10 days' written notice. Where the Landlord-Tenant Act's notice rules apply, the tenant receives a notice when it is handed to the tenant or mailed by registered or certified mail to the address the tenant designated or the last known residence. Proof of mailing counts as notice. |
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| How it must be delivered | Under the Act, a tenant receives a notice when it is handed to them, or mailed by registered or certified mail to the address they gave for notices (or their last known residence). Proof of mailing counts as notice without proof of receipt. A landlord receives notice when it is delivered to the landlord's place of business where the lease was made, or another address the landlord gave. Time periods are counted under the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure. The Act has no rule on email or text notices. |
Notice forms:
- Arkansas notice to pay rent or quit — requirements and free draft
- Arkansas notice to end a month-to-month tenancy — requirements and free draft
Step 3: File the eviction case and go to the hearing
Eviction cases in Arkansas 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
Court timing: Written objection due within 5 days of service, excluding Sundays and legal holidays. Failing to deposit rent into the court registry without justification is grounds to grant the writ.
Source: Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-60-304, 18-60-307 (as amended by Act 1052 of 2021 and Act 414 of 2023)
How long it takes to evict a tenant in Arkansas
For unpaid rent, the notice period is 3 days; after that comes the court process (filing, service, the tenant's answer and a hearing), then the final order and removal by an officer. Uncontested cases move fastest; a contested case, an appeal or a crowded court adds weeks. See how long evictions take in every state.
How much it costs to evict a tenant in Arkansas
Court filing and service fees are set locally. Verified fees in the largest Arkansas counties:
| County | Filing and service fees |
|---|---|
| Pulaski County (Little Rock) | $165 to initiate any civil action in Pulaski County Circuit Court (applies to unlawful detainer); summons $2.50 each; writ of possession $20. |
| Washington County (Fayetteville) | $165 to file a circuit court suit (applies to unlawful detainer); $2.50 per summons issued; $20 for a writ (of any kind, including a writ of possession). |
| Benton County (Bentonville) | $165 to initiate a civil cause of action in circuit court (Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403(b)(1)); $2.50 per summons; $20 for a writ of possession. Sheriff service: $80 for a summons with complaint and notice; $120 to serve a writ of possession. |
Add the cost of a lawyer if you hire one, lost rent during the case, and any writ or officer fee to remove the tenant.
Evicting someone without a lease (family member, roommate, guest or squatter)
| Someone with no written lease who pays rent (month-to-month / at will) | Either the landlord or the tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the termination date stated in the notice (7 days for a week-to-week tenancy). The landlord needs no reason. A fixed-term written lease ends on its own terms. No statute sets a separate notice period for rent increases; the Attorney General advises giving at least one rental period's notice. |
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| Someone who was never a tenant (squatter / unauthorized occupant) | Unlawful squatting is a crime (Act 238 of 2025, new Ark. Code § 5-39-215). A person commits it by knowingly entering and residing on another's premises (dwelling, commercial building, or vacant land) without lawful authority when: the premises were not open to the public; the person cannot produce a deed or mortgage statement in their name, a lease signed by the owner or the owner's representative, a written or electronic agreement authorizing entry, or a rent receipt dated within the last 60 days; the owner has told the person to leave or reported the squatting to police; and no litigation is pending between owner and occupant. Police may accept a report only from the owner or the owner's authorized representative, and officers acting in good faith are immune. Penalties: first offense Class B misdemeanor, second Class A misdemeanor, third Class D felony. Producing a false document is a Class D felony, and so is a false report of squatting. The owner also has a private cause of action for damages, restitution, and attorney's fees. Current tenants, people with a valid occupancy agreement, and the owner's immediate family are excluded. |
Mistakes that get eviction cases dismissed — or get landlords sued
| Changing locks / shutting off utilities | No statute — no Arkansas landlord-tenant statute expressly bans lockouts or utility shutoffs or gives the tenant a damages remedy for them. The statutory 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. |
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| Retaliation | No statute — Arkansas has no landlord anti-retaliation statute. The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (Ch. 17) and the deposit subchapter contain no retaliation provision or presumption period. |
| Accepting rent after the notice | No statute found. The Arkansas Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 2007 does not appear to include the uniform act's 'waiver of landlord's right to terminate' section, and the sections reviewed say nothing about accepting full or partial rent after a notice or during an eviction. The question is left to court decisions, which were not reviewed. |
Federal rules that can change the process
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: eviction protection: A landlord may not evict a covered servicemember or their family during military service without a court order. When the servicemember's ability to pay is materially affected by service, the court must on request stay the case for 90 days or adjust the lease. Knowingly evicting without a court order is a federal misdemeanor. More
- VAWA housing protections: An applicant or tenant cannot be denied, evicted or cut off from assistance because they are or were a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. The abuse cannot be treated as a serious lease violation by the victim. The landlord may 'bifurcate' (split) the lease to evict the abuser and keep the victim housed. Covered programs must also have an emergency transfer plan. A transfer is available on request if the tenant reasonably fears imminent harm, or if a sexual assault happened on the premises within the prior 90 days. More
- CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate (covered dwellings): The landlord of a covered dwelling may not require the tenant to leave until 30 days after giving a notice to vacate. The 120-day filing moratorium in the same section expired in July 2020, but the 30-day notice subsection has no expiration date in its text. More
- HUD 30-day nonpayment notice (public housing and project-based Section 8): Before filing an eviction for nonpayment, the landlord must give written notice at least 30 days in advance. The notice must itemize the rent owed by month, explain how to pay it off and by what date, and explain how to recertify income or request a hardship exemption. The notice cannot be served before the day after rent is due. If the tenant pays the amount owed within the 30 days, the landlord may not file the eviction. More
Arkansas eviction FAQ for landlords
How much notice does a landlord have to give to evict for unpaid rent in Arkansas?
For a civil unlawful detainer, the landlord must give three days' written notice to vacate before filing.
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Arkansas?
Court fees are set locally — for example, Pulaski County (Little Rock): $165 to initiate any civil action in Pulaski County Circuit Court (applies to unlawful detainer); summons $2.50 each; writ of possession $20.
Can a landlord change the locks to evict a tenant in Arkansas?
No statute — no Arkansas landlord-tenant statute expressly bans lockouts or utility shutoffs or gives the tenant a damages remedy for them. The statutory 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.
How do you evict a tenant without a lease in Arkansas?
Either the landlord or the tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the termination date stated in the notice (7 days for a week-to-week tenancy). The landlord needs no reason. A fixed-term written lease ends on its own terms. No statute sets a separate notice period for rent increases; the Attorney General advises giving at least one rental period's notice.
← All Arkansas landlord-tenant rules · Notice deadline calculator
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.