Arkansas Statewide Rule

Arkansas Late Rent Fees and Grace Period

Few RestrictionsApplies statewide across Arkansas (2026)

Arkansas imposes no statutory cap on late fees and sets no mandatory grace period for residential rent. Late-fee amounts are governed entirely by the lease. The only timing rule is for the criminal-eviction route, which requires rent to be unpaid before the landlord may give a 10-day notice to vacate.

Key Facts

Late-fee cap: None set by statute
Mandatory grace period: None
Source of late-fee terms: Lease agreement
Cure right before eviction: None (3-day notice, no pay-to-stay)

Last verified: 2026-06-27

Full Breakdown

No provision of the Arkansas Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 2007 (Ark. Code 18-17-101 et seq.) limits the size of a late fee or requires a grace period before one may be charged. A late fee is enforceable only if the written lease provides for it, and the lease terms control the amount and timing. Arkansas also does not require the landlord to give a tenant a chance to pay overdue rent before evicting: under the civil unlawful-detainer statute (Ark. Code 18-60-304) the landlord gives a flat 3-day notice with no cure right. Because the state sets no ceiling, an unconscionably high late fee could still be challenged in court, but there is no statutory dollar or percentage limit.

Violations & Penalties

No specific statutory penalty. There is no statutory late-fee cap or grace period to violate; an excessive fee would be contested as unconscionable under general contract law rather than under a dedicated statute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a maximum late fee in Arkansas?

No. Arkansas has no statute capping residential late fees. The amount is whatever the written lease specifies; only general unconscionability principles apply.

Does Arkansas require a grace period before charging late rent fees?

No statute requires a grace period. A late fee may be charged when and as the lease provides. Arkansas also gives no right to pay overdue rent to stop a civil eviction once a 3-day notice issues.

Sources

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