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Arkansas security deposit: 60 days to get it back

Within 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession, the landlord must return the deposit or send a written itemized notice of deductions with the remainder. Mailing the notice and any payment by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address counts as compliance.

Double-check before you rely on this. Parts of this page come from legal-aid and other secondary summaries instead of the official statute text. Confirm the deadline and penalty in Ark. Code §§ 18-16-303 to 18-16-306, and check whether a local ordinance changes the rules.

What the law requires

Itemized statement
The deposit may be applied to unpaid rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance with the rental agreement, itemized in a written notice delivered to the tenant together with the remainder. The statute sets no receipt or documentation threshold.
Forwarding address
No forwarding address is required to start the clock; the landlord mails to the tenant's last known address. If the mailing comes back and the landlord can't find the tenant after reasonable effort, the payment becomes the landlord's property 180 days after it was mailed.
If the landlord breaks the rules
If the landlord fails to comply, the tenant may recover the money due, damages of two times the amount wrongfully withheld, costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Liability shrinks to costs and the amount withheld if the landlord proves an error despite reasonable procedures, or a good-faith dispute over the amount.
Deposit cap
Two months' periodic rent for any security deposit, however denominated. The subchapter does not apply to an individual who (with spouse, minor children and certain controlled entities) owns five or fewer dwelling units, unless a paid third party manages the units or collects rent.
Small claims limit
$5,000 in Small Claims Division of the District Court

If your landlord misses the deadline

  1. Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
  2. Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite Ark. Code §§ 18-16-303 to 18-16-306. Give a date to respond.
  3. If you still aren't paid, file in Small Claims Division of the District Court. Deposit claims up to $5,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

What a Arkansas demand letter looks like

Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]

Dear [Landlord name]:

I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].

My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.

[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under Ark. Code §§ 18-16-303 to 18-16-306, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 60 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].

Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.

Common questions

How long does a landlord in Arkansas have to return a security deposit?

Within 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession, the landlord must return the deposit or send a written itemized notice of deductions with the remainder. Mailing the notice and any payment by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address counts as compliance.

What happens if a Arkansas landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?

If the landlord fails to comply, the tenant may recover the money due, damages of two times the amount wrongfully withheld, costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Liability shrinks to costs and the amount withheld if the landlord proves an error despite reasonable procedures, or a good-faith dispute over the amount.

Do I have to give my Arkansas landlord a forwarding address?

No forwarding address is required to start the clock; the landlord mails to the tenant's last known address. If the mailing comes back and the landlord can't find the tenant after reasonable effort, the payment becomes the landlord's property 180 days after it was mailed.

Where do I sue for my deposit in Arkansas?

Deposit claims up to $5,000 can be filed in Small Claims Division of the District Court. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

Other states

Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.