Arkansas Security Deposit Law: Deadlines, Penalties & How to Get Your Deposit Back
Arkansas gives a landlord 60 days to return your security deposit or send an itemized statement of deductions, under Ark. Code § 18-16-305. If that window has passed and you haven’t been paid, you have leverage — here’s exactly what the statute says and how to act on it.
Arkansas security-deposit law at a glance
- Deadline to return / itemize
- 60 days
- after the tenancy ends
- Bad-faith penalty exposure
- Up to 2×
- a court may award if it finds bad faith
- Itemization required?
- Yes
- the landlord must justify any deduction
- Attorney’s fees recoverable?
- Yes
- under Ark. Code § 18-16-305
How long does a Arkansas landlord have?
Under Ark. Code § 18-16-305, a Arkansas landlord has 60 days after your tenancy ends to return your deposit or provide an itemized statement of any deductions. Arkansas requires that itemized statement when the landlord keeps any part of the deposit. Count from the day the tenancy ended. If the deadline has passed and you haven’t been paid or itemized, your landlord is late — and that’s the leverage your demand letter is built on.
What penalty can a Arkansas landlord face?
A landlord who keeps a deposit in bad faith may owe up to 2× the deposit. Specifically, under Ark. Code § 18-16-305, Arkansas law lets a tenant seek up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld if a court finds the landlord acted in bad faith, plus attorney's fees.
Important: any penalty is something a court may award if it finds the landlord acted in bad faith — it is never automatic, and you would still need to make that case. Arkansas also lets a prevailing tenant recover attorney's fees.
How to get your deposit back in Arkansas
- 1. Send a written demand. Put the deadline your landlord missed and the statute (Ark. Code § 18-16-305) in writing, by certified mail with return receipt, so you have proof of the date they received it.
- 2. Keep your records. Move-out photos, the walkthrough checklist, your lease, and proof you gave a forwarding address are your evidence if the landlord disputes the claim.
- 3. If they don’t pay, file in small claims. You can ask a Arkansas small claims court to order the deposit returned, and — under Ark. Code § 18-16-305 — to seek up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld if a court finds the landlord acted in bad faith, plus attorney's fees plus attorney's fees, which the court may award if you prove your case. The small-claims dollar limit varies by court within the state, so check your county’s limit before filing.
Generate your Arkansas demand letter
Run the free leverage check — enter your deposit and how long it’s been, and we’ll show you exactly how many days past Arkansas’s 60-day deadline your landlord is and the penalty exposure under Ark. Code § 18-16-305. Then, for a flat $39, get a firm, statute-cited demand letter you send yourself plus a Arkansas small-claims escalation roadmap. You keep 100% of whatever you recover.
Arkansas security deposit FAQ
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Arkansas?
- Arkansas law gives a landlord 60 days to return the deposit or send an itemized statement of any deductions, under Ark. Code § 18-16-305. Count from the day your tenancy ended; if that window has passed and you haven't been paid or itemized, your landlord is late.
- What penalty can a Arkansas landlord face for wrongfully keeping a deposit?
- Under Ark. Code § 18-16-305, up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld if a court finds the landlord acted in bad faith, plus attorney's fees. That is something a court may award if it finds bad faith — it is not automatic, and you would still need to make that case. Arkansas also lets a prevailing tenant recover attorney's fees.
- Does my Arkansas landlord have to itemize deductions?
- Yes. Under Ark. Code § 18-16-305, a Arkansas landlord must provide an itemized statement of any deductions within the return window. If the statement is missing or the deadline is missed, you can demand the full deposit back.
- Can I take my Arkansas landlord to small claims court over my deposit?
- Yes. If your landlord won't return the deposit after a written demand, you can file in Arkansas small claims court (small-claims dollar limits vary by court within the state). There you can ask the court to order the deposit returned, and — under Ark. Code § 18-16-305 — to seek up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld if a court finds the landlord acted in bad faith, plus attorney's fees plus attorney's fees, which the court may award if you prove your case. Small claims is designed to be navigated without a lawyer.
Sources
The Arkansas facts on this page are drawn from Ark. Code § 18-16-305 and the references below. Always confirm the current text of the statute for your situation.