Cleveland County Deed Records
Cleveland County deed records are held by the Circuit Clerk and County Clerk's office in Rison, which serves as the official recorder for all real property instruments filed in the county. Deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and related documents are part of the public record and can be accessed by anyone with a valid purpose.
Cleveland County Deed Records
Searching Deed Records in Cleveland County
Cleveland County deed records are available at the Circuit Clerk and County Clerk's office in Rison. The clerk, Brandy Herring, maintains the land record index for all instruments recorded in Cleveland County. The office is located at 20 Magnolia Street, Rison, AR 71665. The mailing address is P.O. Box 368, Rison, AR 71665. The phone number is (870) 325-6521, and the fax is (870) 325-6144.
Office visits allow you to search the deed index by grantor name, grantee name, instrument type, recording date, or book and page number. The clerk's staff can assist with locating documents once you have basic search information. Certified copies are available for a fee. If you are submitting a mail request, include the name of the grantor or grantee, the approximate recording date, and the type of instrument needed. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to get copies returned by mail.
For online access, ARCountyData's Cleveland County page provides property and assessment data. This free tool is a good first step before contacting the clerk's office, since it can confirm ownership details and parcel information without a formal records request.
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands site shows parcel mapping and tax delinquency data that supplements deed index research for Cleveland County properties.
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands maintains parcel maps and tax delinquency records that can help identify ownership gaps or tax issues affecting Cleveland County property.
County Offices and Contact Details
Cleveland County is a smaller Arkansas county with a population of roughly 8,000. The county seat is Rison. Several offices play a role in property records and related research. The Circuit Clerk and County Clerk (Brandy Herring, (870) 325-6521) records all land instruments and maintains court records. The County Judge (Don Triplett, (870) 325-6214) handles county administration, reachable at P.O. Box 348, Rison, AR 71665.
For tax and assessment information, the County Assessor (Barbara Reaves, (870) 325-6695) manages property valuations and can help confirm parcel ownership for properties that have been assessed. The County Collector (Patti Wilson, (870) 325-7254) handles property tax payments and can tell you if taxes are current on a parcel. The County Treasurer (Angie Kimsey-Sims, (870) 325-6681) manages county finances and related records.
These offices all work from the Cleveland County Courthouse in Rison. Standard courthouse hours apply, typically Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, though you should call ahead to confirm hours before visiting.
Note: Cleveland County does not currently list a dedicated online deed search portal. The ARCountyData tool provides some property data, but certified copies and full document searches require contacting the clerk's office directly.
Deed Recording Requirements and Fees
Cleveland County follows the state recording fee schedule under Arkansas Code ยง 21-6-306. The fee is $15 for the first page and $5 for each additional page. Two-sided documents count as two pages. If a single filing contains multiple instruments, each additional instrument after the first carries its own $15 base fee, capped at $300 total.
The Real Property Transfer Tax of $3.30 per $1,000 of consideration applies to most deed recordings in Cleveland County. Transactions under $100 are exempt. Other common exemptions include gifts between family members, transfers between spouses, divorce-related transfers, and deeds transferring property into or out of a revocable living trust when the grantor and beneficiary are the same person.
All deeds must be on 8.5 by 11 inch paper with a 2.5-inch blank margin at the top right of the first page for the recorder's stamp. The last page needs a 2.5-inch margin at the bottom. Side and bottom margins on other pages must be at least half an inch. The document must show the grantor's and grantee's names, the preparer's name and address, and the grantee's mailing address for tax statement purposes.
Deeds must be executed before two disinterested witnesses or acknowledged by a notary public. When the property is a homestead, both spouses must sign regardless of whose name appears on the deed. These rules apply statewide including in Cleveland County.
Electronic recording is available in many Arkansas counties. Check with the Cleveland County Circuit Clerk at (870) 325-6521 to confirm whether e-filing through vendors like Simplifile is currently active for this office.
Historical Cleveland County Land Records
Cleveland County has historical land records available through FamilySearch. Collections include Cleveland County plat maps from approximately 1825 to 1894 and land records from approximately 1836 to 1886. These older records give researchers access to early property transfers and survey plats that predate the modern deed index system.
Cleveland County was established in 1873, carved out of Dallas County. Land records before that date would have been recorded in Dallas County. Any title search going back to original settlement needs to cross-reference Dallas County records for the period before Cleveland County was formed.
The Arkansas State Archives Digital Collection holds swamp land applications and land patents relevant to the Arkansas Delta and south-central Arkansas region. These documents supplement county deed records for researchers tracing ownership back to the original federal land grants. The BLM General Land Office records database is another free source for federal patents in Cleveland County.
Arkansas Judiciary and State Land Resources
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search is an important complement to deed index research in Cleveland County. This free statewide portal covers circuit court cases including foreclosure actions, judgment liens, and probate proceedings. A judgment entered in Cleveland County circuit court becomes a lien on any real property owned by the defendant in the county. Checking the case search tool before closing on a property is a basic due diligence step.
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands administers tax-delinquent property sales statewide. If a Cleveland County parcel has unpaid property taxes, the COSL may have records of the delinquency, any past auction results, and the current ownership status. You can search the COSL auction site for current and past listings affecting Cleveland County properties.
For business entities that appear as grantors or grantees in Cleveland County deed records, the Arkansas Secretary of State website lets you verify the entity's legal name, registered agent, and good standing status. This step is often needed in commercial real estate transactions or when researching deeds involving LLCs, corporations, or trusts holding title to Arkansas land.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search portal lets you check for court-ordered liens or foreclosures affecting Cleveland County parcels before you commit to a purchase or conduct a title search.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search is free to use and covers circuit court cases statewide, including Cleveland County cases that may have created judgment liens or foreclosure actions affecting property title.