Little Rock Landlord-Tenant Rules
Little Rock adds local rules on top of Arkansas landlord-tenant law. Here is what is different, with the city code or agency page behind each rule.
| State preemption | Arkansas bars cities and counties from enacting, maintaining or enforcing any ordinance that controls the amount of rent, and (since Act 459 of 2025) rental application fees or rental deposits, for private residential property. Little Rock has no rent control; state law (see the Arkansas page) governs leases, deposits and evictions. |
|---|---|
| Rental registration/inspection | Little Rock requires every residential rental dwelling unit to be registered with the City and renewed each year (registrations run to December 31). Fees: $35 a year for an owner or manager renting three or fewer units; for four or more units, $200 plus $7 per unit for the first 100 units and $3.50 per additional unit. Failure to register can bring penalties or a municipal fine. Under the Systematic Rental Inspection Program (begun by Ord. No. 16,659 in 1994 and revised effective January 1, 2020), the City inspects a random 20% of registered rental units each year, so all units are inspected over time. Newly built complexes are exempt from random inspection for their first five years. Any unit can also be inspected after a complaint, at the owner's request, after fire, storm or vandalism, or when the property changes hands. The URL is the ordinance as placed on the September 17, 2019 Board agenda, marked passed that day. Registration and fees are from an undated City sheet: https://littlerock.gov/!userfiles/editor/docs/Finance/City%20of%20Little%20Rock%20Rental%20Housing%20Registration%20Program%20(2).pdf (questions: 501-371-4849). Current fees were not confirmed. |
| Habitability/code enforcement & complaint line | Report possible housing code violations to the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs, 500 W. Markham St., Suite 120W, (501) 371-6825, or through Little Rock 311. Code violation cases are heard in Little Rock District Court, Environmental Court (3rd Division). Environmental Court: https://littlerock.gov/government/city-departments/district-courts/ (the page says it 'handles code violations' without naming housing code specifically). Source: Official source |
| Rental assistance & legal aid | The Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs may help homeless or at-risk residents when federal funding is available each year: (501) 371-6825. The Little Rock Metropolitan Housing Alliance and 211 may also have resources. For eviction questions the City refers renters to Legal Aid of Arkansas, which offers free help to eligible low-income people: helpline 1-800-952-9243, or apply online any time. Legal Aid helpline and online application: https://arlegalaid.org/contact-us/apply-for-legal-aid.html Source: Official source |
Eviction cases in Little Rock are heard in: Pulaski County Circuit Court or District Court (unlawful detainer); the City's pages do not name the filing court
Right to a lawyer in eviction cases
No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found. Official source
Local agencies
- Little Rock Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs — Code enforcement, rental registration and systematic rental inspections; limited homelessness-prevention help. (501) 371-6825.
- Legal Aid of Arkansas — Free civil legal help, including evictions and fair housing, for eligible low-income Arkansans. 1-800-952-9243.
Frequently asked questions
What landlord-tenant rules does Little Rock add on top of Arkansas law?
State preemption: Arkansas bars cities and counties from enacting, maintaining or enforcing any ordinance that controls the amount of rent, and (since Act 459 of 2025) rental application fees or rental deposits, for private residential property. Little Rock has no rent control; state law (see the Arkansas page) governs leases, deposits and evictions.; Rental registration/inspection: Little Rock requires every residential rental dwelling unit to be registered with the City and renewed each year (registrations run to December 31). Fees: $35 a year for an owner or manager renting three or fewer units; for four or more units, $200 plus $7 per unit for the first 100 units and $3.50 per additional unit. Failure to register can bring penalties or a municipal fine. Under the Systematic Rental Inspection Program (begun by Ord. No. 16,659 in 1994 and revised effective January 1, 2020), the City inspects a random 20% of registered rental units each year, so all units are inspected over time. Newly built complexes are exempt from random inspection for their first five years. Any unit can also be inspected after a complaint, at the owner's request, after fire, storm or vandalism, or when the property changes hands.; Habitability/code enforcement & complaint line: Report possible housing code violations to the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs, 500 W. Markham St., Suite 120W, (501) 371-6825, or through Little Rock 311. Code violation cases are heard in Little Rock District Court, Environmental Court (3rd Division).; Rental assistance & legal aid: The Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs may help homeless or at-risk residents when federal funding is available each year: (501) 371-6825. The Little Rock Metropolitan Housing Alliance and 211 may also have resources. For eviction questions the City refers renters to Legal Aid of Arkansas, which offers free help to eligible low-income people: helpline 1-800-952-9243, or apply online any time.
← All Arkansas landlord-tenant rules
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.