General info, not legal advice. Details

Arkansas Late fees

Last reviewed 2026-10-15

Can a landlord charge a late fee in Arkansas, and how much?

Ch. 18-17 sets no cap on late fees. Late charges are treated as part of 'rent'. If rent is not paid within 5 days of the due date, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement.

Verified Source: A.C.A. §§ 18-17-301(10), 18-17-701(b) · last checked 2026-10-15

What this means for landlords

A late fee is meant to cover the cost of rent coming in late, not to punish the tenant. The verified rule above sets out what Arkansas allows. A fee that breaks the rule may not be collectable, and it can hurt you in an eviction case.

Step by step

  1. Put the late fee, the due date and any grace period in the written lease.
  2. Check that the amount fits the rule above.
  3. Apply the fee the same way to every tenant.
  4. Show late fees as separate line items on the tenant ledger.
  5. Give the tenant a written notice of the fee when you charge it.

Common mistakes to avoid

This is general information, not legal advice. The verified rule and source above control. Check the source or a local attorney for your situation.

Related Arkansas rules

Late fee grace period

Ch. 18-17 sets no grace period before a late fee may be charged. It does give the tenant 5 days after the due date before the landlord may terminate for nonpayment.

Verified Source: A.C.A. § 18-17-701(b) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Arkansas late fee grace period page

Eviction notice (nonpayment)

A tenant who fails to pay rent when due forfeits the right to stay. Under the criminal failure-to-vacate statute, after 10 days' written notice to vacate a tenant who willfully refuses commits a misdemeanor (fine $1 to $25 per day). For civil unlawful detainer, the Arkansas Attorney General says 3 days' written notice to vacate is required (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304, statute text not reviewed by us).

Verified Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-101; Arkansas Attorney General summary (§ 18-60-304, unverified) · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Arkansas eviction notice (nonpayment) page

Application fees & screening

Local governments may not cap rental application fees (Ark. Code Ann. § 14-16-601(b)(1)(B)). No state cap on application fees was found in the chapters reviewed by full-text search.

Verified Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 14-16-601(b)(1)(B) · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Arkansas application fees & screening page

Same topic in neighboring states

All Arkansas landlord-tenant law · Arkansas landlord FAQ · Security deposit limit · Deposit return deadline · Notice to enter · Required lease disclosures · Required disclosures (mold, lead, radon, bedbug, asbestos, flood zone)

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