Quick answer: An Arkansas landlord covered by the deposit subchapter has 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession to return the deposit or mail an itemized notice of what it is keeping. A landlord that does not comply can owe two times the amount wrongfully withheld.
This Arkansas security deposit return deadline calculator applies Ark. Code 18-16-305 and 18-16-306. Say whether the subchapter applies, enter the date the tenancy ended and possession was delivered, and optionally the date of mailing and the amount kept: it shows the deadline, the days left, two times the amount wrongfully withheld and the 180-day date for a returned mailing. It does not decide whether a deduction is fair.
Arkansas security deposit return rules at a glance
| Rule | What Arkansas says |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession (Ark. Code 18-16-305(a)) |
| What to send | A written itemized notice of accrued unpaid rent and damages from the tenant’s noncompliance with the rental agreement, with the remainder (305(a)(2)) |
| How to deliver | First class mail to the tenant’s last known address counts as compliance (305(b)(1)) |
| If the mailing is returned | If the landlord cannot locate the tenant after reasonable effort, the payment becomes the landlord’s 180 days from the date mailed (305(b)(2)) |
| If the landlord does not comply | The tenant may recover the money due, two times the amount wrongfully withheld, costs and reasonable attorney’s fees (18-16-306) |
| Good faith defense | The landlord is liable only for costs and the sum withheld if it shows an error despite reasonable procedures or a good faith dispute (306(a)(2)) |
| Who is exempt | Owners of five or fewer units who manage them without a paid third party (18-16-303) |
| Successor landlord | The holder of the landlord’s interest at termination is bound (18-16-302) |
How does the Arkansas deposit return deadline work?
- The 60 days. See how long a landlord has to return a security deposit in Arkansas.
- What the landlord can keep, and how to itemize it. See Arkansas security deposit deductions.
- Where it is mailed and what the statute does not require. See the Arkansas rules on mailing the deposit and the move-out inspection.
What does this deposit deadline calculator check?
The calculator adds 60 calendar days to the date you enter. The statute does not say what happens when the 60th day falls on a weekend or holiday, so the calculator does not move the date. It treats the exemption in Ark. Code 18-16-303 as a yes-or-no question and shows no deadline for an exempt landlord. It does not know whether anything has been mailed or whether a deduction is proper. The cap on what a landlord may collect in the first place is a separate question: see the Arkansas security deposit limit calculator.
Related Arkansas landlord-tenant calculators
These four calculators cover the same tenancy from different angles. From here you can go to the Arkansas security deposit limit calculator for the most a landlord may ask for as a deposit, the Arkansas eviction notice calculator for the notice period before a lease can end and the Arkansas eviction timeline calculator for the earliest legal dates once an eviction case starts. Each one cites its own Arkansas statutes and shows only what the law says.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Arkansas?
Sixty days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession. The landlord may apply the deposit to unpaid rent and damages and must send an itemized written notice with the remainder.
Does the landlord have to hand-deliver the refund?
No. Mailing the written notice and any payment by first class mail to the tenant’s last known address counts as compliance.
What if the landlord does not return the deposit on time?
The tenant may recover the money due, damages of two times the amount wrongfully withheld, costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. The landlord is liable only for costs and the sum withheld if it shows an error despite reasonable procedures or a good faith dispute.
What if the refund is returned undelivered?
If the landlord cannot locate the tenant after reasonable effort, the payment becomes the landlord’s property 180 days from the date it was mailed.
Does the 60-day rule apply to every landlord in Arkansas?
No. The subchapter does not apply to units owned by an individual who, with family and related entities, owns five or fewer dwelling units, unless a third person manages them for a fee.
Does Arkansas require interest on a deposit?
The deposit sections we read say nothing about interest or a separate account.