Little Rock Deed Records
Little Rock deed records are filed and maintained by the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk's Real Estate Department, which serves as the official recorder for all property in Little Rock and the surrounding county. Whether you need to search past transfers, request copies of recorded instruments, or record a new deed, the Pulaski County office is the place to start. The county has both an online search portal and in-person access at the courthouse on West Markham Street.
Little Rock Deed Records Overview
How Little Rock Deed Records Work
Little Rock sits entirely within Pulaski County. That means every deed, mortgage, lien, and property instrument for a Little Rock address must be filed with the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk's Real Estate Department. The Circuit Clerk is the ex-officio county recorder under Arkansas law. When you file a deed, that office stamps it, assigns an instrument number, and indexes it by grantor name and grantee name. The record becomes part of the permanent public archive from the moment it is filed.
Under Arkansas Code § 14-15-404, recording a deed gives constructive notice to the world. Arkansas is a race-notice state. That means the buyer who records first, without knowledge of a prior competing claim, generally wins a title dispute. If two people claim the same property, the one who recorded first is likely to prevail in court. Title attorneys advise recording the same day you close whenever possible. Delays create risk, especially in an active real estate market like Little Rock.
The Pulaski County Real Estate Department is separate from the Little Rock City Clerk's office. The City Clerk at 500 West Markham Street handles city ordinances, resolutions, council minutes, and cemetery deeds for Oakland and Fraternal Cemetery. That office does not maintain general property deed records. All real property transfers, mortgages, and related instruments go to the county, not the city.
Pulaski County maintains one of the more active recording departments in the state. The volume of filings in Little Rock is higher than most Arkansas counties. That tends to mean faster turnaround on recorded documents and more robust online search tools compared to smaller counties. The county also accepts electronic recording through approved vendors.
Pulaski County Circuit Clerk - Real Estate Department
The Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk's Real Estate Department handles all deed recording for Little Rock properties. The office is located at 401 West Markham Street, Suite 100, Little Rock, AR 72201. You can reach the Real Estate Department directly at (501) 340-8433. The main office line is (501) 340-8500. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clerk is Terri Hollingsworth.
When you visit in person, bring the original document or a certified copy. Xerox copies are not accepted for recording. All signatures must be original. The first page needs a 2.5-inch blank margin at the top right for the recorder's stamp. Come prepared to pay the recording fee and any applicable transfer tax. The office accepts checks made out to the Circuit Clerk. Confirm accepted payment methods before your visit by calling ahead.
For mail requests, include the instrument type, grantor and grantee names, the approximate date of recording, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Prepay estimated copy costs. Allow extra time for mail turnaround compared to in-person visits. The office's dedicated real estate portal, pulaskideeds.com, is the best way to confirm whether a document has already been recorded before making a trip to the courthouse.
The Pulaski County deed search portal at pulaskideeds.com lets you search recorded instruments for Little Rock properties by grantor, grantee, instrument type, or date range. Document images are available for many recorded instruments.
Online Search Tools for Little Rock Property Records
The Pulaski County Deed Search at pulaskideeds.com is the primary online tool for Little Rock deed records. This portal covers deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, leases, and other recorded instruments. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, instrument number, or date range. Document images are available for many filings. This is the right tool when you need the actual recorded document rather than just parcel data.
The Pulaski County Clerk's Real Estate page at pulaskiclerkar.gov provides direct access to the county's recording department. The page gives office details, links to the deed search portal, and information on recording procedures. If you are not sure which tool to use, start here. The clerk's site is the official source and links out to the correct search systems for Pulaski County.
For broader property data including assessed values and parcel maps, ARCountyData pulls information from the county assessor. It is free to use and lets you search by owner name, parcel number, or address. ARCountyData is a good starting point when you need general ownership information before running a full title search through the clerk's portal. The two tools work well together.
When you need to check for judgment liens, foreclosure cases, or probate proceedings that could affect a Little Rock property's title, the Arkansas Judiciary Case Search covers circuit court cases statewide. These court records don't appear in the deed index but can affect title just as much as recorded instruments do. Always check both the deed index and the case search when doing thorough research.
The Pulaski County Circuit Clerk's Real Estate Department at pulaskiclerkar.gov is the official source for all deed recording and index access in Little Rock and throughout Pulaski County.
Recording Requirements and Fees
Pulaski County follows the state fee schedule under Arkansas Code § 21-6-306. The recording fee is $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page. A two-sided document counts as two pages. Copies of recorded documents cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00. These fees apply to deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, releases, powers of attorney, plats, and most other recorded instruments.
The Real Property Transfer Tax applies to most sales. The rate is $3.30 per $1,000 of actual consideration on any transaction above $100. The clerk collects this tax at the time of recording. Exemptions include gifts between close family members, transfers between spouses, living trust transfers, and certain divorce-related property transfers. If you are unsure whether an exemption applies, ask the clerk at the time of filing or consult a licensed attorney before you arrive.
Formatting rules matter. Documents must be on 8.5 x 11 inch paper. The first page needs a 2.5-inch blank margin at the top right corner for the recorder's stamp. Side and bottom margins must be at least half an inch. The last page needs a 2.5-inch margin at the bottom. When a homestead is being conveyed, both spouses must sign the deed. Missing that requirement can void the transfer. Under Act 752, effective August 5, 2025, individuals filing deeds in person must present a valid photo ID. Licensed attorneys, real estate brokers, bank representatives, and government employees are exempt.
Electronic recording is available for Pulaski County through approved vendors including Simplifile, CSC eRecording Solutions, eRecording Partners Network, and Indecomm Global Services. Title companies and closing attorneys use these services routinely for same-day recording without an in-person courthouse visit.
Little Rock City Resources Related to Property
The Little Rock City Clerk's Office is located at 500 West Markham Street, Room 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. The phone number is (501) 371-6803. Allison Segars serves as City Clerk. That office maintains Oakland and Fraternal Cemetery deed books and handles annexation petitions and improvement district requests. It does not hold general property deed records, which stay with the county.
The Little Rock City Clerk at City Hall handles cemetery records, annexation files, and official city records. Real property deed records for Little Rock addresses go to Pulaski County, not to this office.
The Little Rock Planning and Development Department is at 723 West Markham Street, phone (501) 371-4790. Zoning inquiries go to (501) 371-4844. Building permit questions go to (501) 371-4832. This department handles land use controls, permitting, code enforcement, and historic preservation. While it does not maintain deed records, its plat files and subdivision records are relevant when researching property boundaries or development restrictions on Little Rock parcels.
The Little Rock Planning and Development Department administers zoning, permitting, and land use controls for properties within the city. Plat and subdivision records held there supplement the deed index at the county clerk's office.
State-Level Resources for Little Rock Deed Research
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands maintains records on tax-delinquent property statewide, including properties in Little Rock. If a parcel has unpaid taxes, it may have been certified to the Land Commissioner. The COSL's online auction platform lists upcoming tax sales and post-auction properties. Buyers at those sales receive a limited warranty deed from the state. Check the COSL site before pursuing any property with signs of a tax lien.
For older historical deed records, the Arkansas State Archives Digital Collections hold digitized land records that go back to the territorial period. Pulaski County, as the home of the state capital, has an especially rich archive of early property records. The State Archives also maintains forfeited deeds, swamp land patents, and other historical conveyance documents that don't appear in the county deed index. This is the right place to look for records predating the modern county filing system.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search covers court cases that affect title, including judicial foreclosures, judgment liens, and probate proceedings. These records are filed with the court rather than the recorder, so they require a separate search. Always check both sources when doing a full title examination on any Little Rock property. The case search is free and covers all circuit courts statewide.