Landlord kept your deposit in Arkansas? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and Arkansas law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. Within 60 days of termination of the tenancy; mailing the notice and payment first-class to the tenant's last known address is compliance, and an unclaimed mailed refund becomes the landlord's property 180 days after mailing.
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The Arkansas accounting rule: Deductions for unpaid rent and damages must be itemized in a written notice delivered to the tenant, with the remainder paid within the 60-day window (§ 18-16-305(a)(2)).
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in Arkansas: No statutory requirement to attach receipts or invoices; only the itemized written notice.
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Watch for first-class mail to your last known address. Follow up promptly on an unclaimed refund rather than assuming the money remains available indefinitely.
See the Arkansas court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under Ark. Code § 18-16-305.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional Arkansas example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free Arkansas letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Within 60 days of termination of the tenancy; mailing the notice and payment first-class to the tenant's last known address is compliance, and an unclaimed mailed refund becomes the landlord's property 180 days after mailing.
Check coverage: Arkansas's security deposit law does not apply if your landlord (counting units owned with a spouse, minor children, or through their entities) owns five or fewer rental units, unless a third party manages the property or collects rent for a fee (§ 18-16-303). If your landlord qualifies for this small-landlord exemption, the 60-day deadline and the penalties described here do not apply to your tenancy.
Ark. Code §§ 18-16-305, 18-16-306 ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in Arkansas?
Check the statutory deadline. Within 60 days of termination of the tenancy; mailing the notice and payment first-class to the tenant's last known address is compliance, and an unclaimed mailed refund becomes the landlord's property 180 days after mailing. Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in Arkansas?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, small claims court (limit: $5,000) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run about $30-$65 depending on county plus service costs.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 60 days in Arkansas?
Noncompliance exposes the landlord to suit under § 18-16-306: the money due, plus damages of two times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus costs and attorney's fees - subject to a good-faith/clerical-error safe harbor.
What can I ask to recover in a Arkansas deposit dispute?
Refund of the amount due + statutory damages equal to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld + costs + reasonable attorney's fees (§ 18-16-306) - effectively 3x total exposure. Safe harbor: only costs and the erroneously withheld sum if the error was despite reasonable procedures or a good-faith dispute.
Read the full Arkansas deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.