✓ Law Verified June 2026
Facing eviction in Arkansas? This guide explains the arkansas eviction process step by step — the exact notice periods, the court timeline, your defenses, and what your landlord legally cannot do. All figures are from Arkansas law, verified as of June 2026.
In This Arkansas Guide:
Arkansas Eviction Notice Periods
Before a landlord can file an eviction lawsuit in Arkansas, they must serve you a written notice. The number of days depends on the reason:
| Reason for Eviction | Notice Period |
|---|---|
| Nonpayment of rent | 3 days unconditional quit (no right to cure — landlord is not required to accept late rent). Note: rent is considered late after a 5-day grace period per Ark. Code Ann. 18-17-401, but the eviction notice itself is only 3 days and the landlord does not have to let you pay to stop it. |
| Lease violation | 14 days written notice specifying the violation. This IS curable — if you fix the violation before the date specified in the notice, your lease does not terminate. Per Ark. Code Ann. 18-17-701. |
| No-cause / end of tenancy | 30 days written notice required for month-to-month tenancies. Either party may terminate with at least 30 days written notice per Ark. Code Ann. 18-17-704. |
| Holdover tenant | No additional notice period is required beyond the lease expiration itself. Holding over after the end of the lease term is grounds for unlawful detainer under Ark. Code Ann. 18-60-304(1). Willful holdover tenants may be liable for up to 3 months periodic rent or twice actual damages, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees. |
| Tenant must respond within | 5 days (excluding Sundays and legal holidays) for standard unlawful detainer actions. 10 days if the landlord pursued the criminal eviction track under Ark. Code Ann. 18-16-101. If you miss this deadline, the court may enter a default judgment against you. |
| Realistic total timeline | Fastest uncontested nonpayment eviction: approximately 10 to 14 days total (3-day notice + filing + 5-day response period + default judgment + writ issued within 3 days + 24 hours to vacate). Contested cases: approximately 3 to 6 weeks. Lease violation cases: approximately 3 to 6 weeks or longer due to the 14-day cure period. |
How the Eviction Lawsuit Is Filed in Arkansas
The landlord files a Complaint for Unlawful Detainer in District Court (or Circuit Court). Filing fees vary by county, typically 65 to 165 for the filing fee alone, with total costs including service of process around 165 to 263. Always check with your local court clerk for exact fees.
Hearing timeline: Arkansas law does not set a fixed number of days from filing to hearing. If you do not file a response within 5 days, the court clerk can issue a default judgment. If you do respond, a hearing is scheduled based on court availability — realistically 5 to 15 days from filing if uncontested, longer if contested.
Writ of possession / lockout: The writ of possession may be issued within 3 days of judgment in the landlord’s favor. Once served, you have only 24 hours to vacate before the sheriff may remove you. You may delay enforcement by filing an appeal bond and agreeing to pay rent as determined by the court.
Tenant Defenses Against Eviction in Arkansas
Depending on your situation, you may be able to raise defenses such as:
- Improper notice (landlord failed to provide proper written notice with correct timeframes or content)
- improper service of summons and complaint
- rent was paid in full before the notice period expired
- landlord accepted partial payment after serving notice (may waive the right to evict for that period)
- retaliation (eviction filed in response to you reporting code violations
- joining a tenant organization
- or exercising your legal rights)
- discrimination under the Federal Fair Housing Act (eviction based on race
- color
- religion
No defense is guaranteed — but raising a valid one can delay or stop the eviction.
What Your Landlord CANNOT Do
In Arkansas, a landlord cannot evict you without a court order. Arkansas landlords CANNOT legally do any of the following without a court order: change the locks on your unit; remove doors or windows; shut off utilities such as water, gas, or electricity; remove your personal belongings from the unit; make threats or use intimidation to force you to leave.
All evictions must go through the court. If a landlord performs a self-help eviction, you may sue for forcible entry damages, actual damages, court costs, attorney fees, and an injunction to regain access to your home.
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Free legal help: Legal Aid of Arkansas at 1-800-952-9243 or https://arlegalaid.org provides free legal help for low-income tenants facing eviction. Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) at 1-800-950-5817 also provides free assistance. Arkansas Law Help at https://a.arlawhelp.org/landlord-tenant has self-help guides for tenants. Arkansas Access to Justice at https://arkansasjustice.org/need-help/ can connect you with resources. You can also call HUD housing counselors at 1-800-569-4287 or dial 2-1-1 for utility payment assistance.
Other Arkansas eviction rules: Arkansas is one of the most landlord-friendly states in the nation. CRITICAL: Arkansas is the ONLY state that has NOT adopted the implied warranty of habitability — rental units are essentially rented as-is, and you generally cannot withhold rent for poor conditions unless your lease specifically requires the landlord to make repairs.
One narrow exception: for leases beginning after November 1, 2021, landlords must maintain any provided HVAC system in at least the same condition it was in at lease signing (Ark. Code Ann. 18-17-602). Arkansas also has a CRIMINAL eviction statute (Ark.
Code Ann. 18-16-101) — the only state with one — where failure to pay rent and refusal to vacate after 10 days written notice can result in misdemeanor charges. This creates a two-track system where landlords can pursue civil eviction, criminal eviction, or both simultaneously. The criminal statute has faced constitutional challenges (a judge invalidated it in 2015), but it remains on the books.
Arkansas also provides no right to cure for nonpayment — the 3-day notice is unconditional, meaning you cannot stop the eviction by paying late rent unless the landlord voluntarily agrees to accept it.
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Official Arkansas Sources & Resources
- Arkansas Courts / Judiciary: https://arcourts.gov
- Arkansas Eviction Statute: https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-18/subtitle-5/chapter-60/subchapter-3/
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: hud.gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex
Understanding the Arkansas Eviction Process
The Arkansas eviction process follows a strict legal sequence — notice, then filing, then hearing, then judgment, then enforcement. A landlord who skips any step in the Arkansas eviction process is acting illegally, and you may have grounds to have the case dismissed. Understanding the Arkansas eviction process gives you the ability to spot errors in the notice, raise valid defenses, and buy time to find housing or legal help.
Never ignore an eviction notice — responding within the deadline is the most important step in the entire Arkansas eviction process.
This Arkansas eviction guide was last verified against official sources in June 2026. If you are facing eviction, contact a local legal-aid office immediately.
More Arkansas Tenant Rights Guides
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- Arkansas Security Deposit Law
- Arkansas Rent Increase Laws
- Arkansas Repairs & Habitability
- Breaking a Lease in Arkansas
- Eviction Timeline Calculator
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Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal advice. Landlord-tenant laws change and vary by city and county within a state. Verify current rules with your state, your local court, or a free legal-aid office before acting. If you are facing eviction, contact a local tenant attorney or legal-aid organization right away.