How long does an eviction take in Arkansas?
For unpaid rent, expect about 2.5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout, and anywhere from 1.5 to 8.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
What would a rental in Arkansas actually earn?
We'll prefill Arkansas's numbers and include the eviction cost from this page.
- Median rent $982/mo
- Property tax 0.52%–0.53%
- Insurance $571–$1,457/yr
- Vacancy 6%–6.1%
The Arkansas eviction timeline
Each step comes from Arkansas's rules, with the source linked. The typical case adds up to about 2.5 weeks; a contested hearing adds about 3 more. Timeline model.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
3 days3-day unconditional notice to vacate for civil unlawful detainer (Ark. Code §§ 18-60-304); no right to pay and stay
- 2
File and get a judgment
6–30 days · typical 105 days (excluding Sundays and holidays) after service of the notice of intention to file a written objection; otherwise the clerk issues the writ
- 3
Judgment to lockout
1–5 daysSheriff gives at least 24 hours to vacate after the writ of possession
- 4
If the tenant appeals
30-day window30 days to appeal (Ark. R. App. P.-Civ. 4); to stay the eviction the tenant must post a bond covering rent as it comes due (Ark. Code § 18-17-707)
Can the tenant pay and stay? No right to pay and stay once notice is given. secondary source Source ↗
What an eviction costs in Arkansas
Court fees come from the fee schedules we found, and each one says where it applies. Fees we couldn't verify are labeled Unverified and use the national default range. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Statewide$150–$165Circuit court uniform filing fee $150 by statute; many clerks list $165 with surcharges
Serving the tenant
Unverified · national default$30–$77No official amount verified for Arkansas yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Unverified · national default$75–$180No official amount verified for Arkansas yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this state; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this state.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$982/moArkansas median gross rent, ±$13. The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
Statewide rules that can slow things down
Statewide rent control: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Statewide just-cause rules: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Right to counsel for tenants: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Seasonal or weather limits: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Arkansas scores 98 out of 100
Faster timelines, fewer chances to pay-and-stay and fewer statewide tenant protections score higher.
Arkansas eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Arkansas?
A nonpayment eviction in Arkansas typically takes about 2.5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 1.5 to 8.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an LandlordCost estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked Oct 17, 2026.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Arkansas?
3-day unconditional notice to vacate for civil unlawful detainer (Ark. Code §§ 18-60-304); no right to pay and stay.
Can a tenant stop an eviction in Arkansas by paying the rent?
No right to pay and stay once notice is given.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Arkansas?
The court filing fee is $150-$165 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Arkansas?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in Arkansas costs a landlord roughly $1,300 to $2,500: about 2.5 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $982/month (about $600), court and service fees of about $255-$422 (some are national defaults because we could not verify them), and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 8.5 weeks can pass $4,300. These are LandlordCost estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
Is Arkansas landlord-friendly for evictions?
Arkansas scores 98 out of 100 on the LandlordCost landlord-friendliness score (timeline 47.9/50, right to cure 20/20, statewide tenant protections 30/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for Arkansas: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: states.json · states.csv.
- Notice periodsecondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Court deadlinessecondary sourcea.arlawhelp.org ↗
- Judgment to lockoutsecondary sourcea.arlawhelp.org ↗
- Appealofficial sourceopinions.arcourts.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcelaw.justia.com ↗
- Service feeunverifiednone found
- Lockout feeunverifiednone found
- Right to curesecondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
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