Free Arkansas Rent-to-Own Agreement Template

Last reviewed September 2026

Written by LawLease Editorial

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Arkansas Rent-to-Own Agreement

This Rent-to-Own Agreement is built with Arkansas as the governing state. These are the Arkansas landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.

Arkansas rules at a glance

Arkansas rules for a Rent-to-Own Agreement
Security deposit limit	2 months’ rent (landlords with ≤5 self-managed units are exempt)Ark. Code §§18-16-303, -304
Deposit return	60 days, with a written itemization of any deductionsArk. Code §18-16-305
Deposit double damages	Wrongfully withholding a deposit exposes a covered landlord to twice the amount withheld plus attorney’s fees (§18-16-306).
Rent-increase notice	No specific statute; month-to-month uses the 30-day periodic noticeArk. Code §18-17-704
Rent control	Prohibited statewideArk. Code §§14-54-1409, 14-16-601
Rent increases	There’s no rent-increase notice statute. Rent can’t change during a fixed term unless the lease allows it; for month-to-month, give at least the 30 days needed to end the tenancy (§18-17-704).

Security deposits in Arkansas

Arkansas caps the security deposit at two months’ periodic rent (§18-16-304) and gives landlords 60 days to return it (§18-16-305). But those rules come with an exemption found nowhere else: the entire deposit statute doesn’t apply to a landlord who — together with a spouse and minor children, and entities they control — owns five or fewer dwelling units, unless a third party is paid to manage them, including collecting rent (§18-16-303).

Who’s covered — Landlords with six or more units, and any landlord (even with one unit) who uses a paid property manager. Exempt landlords are still bound by whatever deposit terms the lease itself states.
What can be deducted — Accrued unpaid rent and damages the landlord suffered because of the tenant’s noncompliance with the lease, itemized in a written notice (§18-16-305).
60-day return — The deposit balance and itemized notice are due within 60 days of the end of the tenancy. Mailing both by first-class mail to the tenant’s last known address satisfies the requirement (§18-16-305(b)).
Double damages — A landlord who fails to comply can owe the money due plus twice the amount wrongfully withheld, costs and reasonable attorney’s fees — reduced to costs and the sum withheld if the landlord proves a good-faith dispute over the amount or an error despite reasonable procedures (§18-16-306).

Rent, late fees & rent increases

Arkansas has no statute capping residential late fees or requiring a grace period. A late fee should be written into the lease and kept to a reasonable estimate of the landlord’s loss.

Rent increases — There’s no rent-increase notice statute. Rent can’t change during a fixed term unless the lease allows it; for month-to-month, give at least the 30 days needed to end the tenancy (§18-17-704).
Rent control — Cities and counties can’t enact or enforce any ordinance controlling the amount of rent on private residential property (§§14-54-1409, 14-16-601).
No rent withholding — Even where the 2021 habitability standards are breached, a tenant may not offset or withhold rent (§18-17-502).

Tenant protections that apply

Arkansas has no general statute barring retaliatory eviction or rent increases, which sets it apart from nearly every other state.

Court process required — Possession is recovered through an unlawful-detainer action in court after the required notice (§18-60-304) — landlords should not use lockouts or utility shut-offs to force a tenant out.
Deposit double damages — Wrongfully withholding a deposit exposes a covered landlord to twice the amount withheld plus attorney’s fees (§18-16-306).
Habitability exit — The 2021 minimum standards are implied by law into every lease entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021 (other than lease-to-purchase agreements), along with the tenant’s right to terminate if a failure isn’t fixed within 30 days after written notice sent by certified mail (§18-17-502).

Arkansas Rent-to-Own Agreement FAQs

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Arkansas?

Up to two months’ rent (Ark. Code §18-16-304) — but only if the deposit statute applies to you. A landlord who, with family and controlled entities, owns five or fewer units and manages them without a paid third party is exempt from the deposit rules entirely (§18-16-303).

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Arkansas?

Sixty days after the tenancy ends, with a written itemization of any deductions for unpaid rent or damage (§18-16-305). A wrongful withholding can cost the landlord twice the amount withheld plus attorney’s fees (§18-16-306).

How much notice is required to end a month-to-month lease in Arkansas?

Thirty days’ written notice from either party; a week-to-week tenancy needs 7 days (§18-17-704). There’s no separate rent-increase statute, so the same 30 days is the practical minimum to change rent on a month-to-month tenancy.

Rent-to-Own Agreement in other states

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