Dallas County Deed Records
Dallas County deed records are filed and maintained by Circuit Clerk Dori Keeton in Fordyce, who serves as the ex-officio recorder for all real property instruments in the county. Dallas County offers online access to deed records through a dedicated portal with indexed data and document images dating back to September 1997, making it one of the more accessible rural Arkansas counties for remote searches.
Dallas County Deed Records
Searching Dallas County Deed Records Online
Dallas County deed records are searchable online through a dedicated portal at arcountyrecords.com/search/dallas. This system provides indexed data and document images for instruments recorded from September 1997 to present. New records are added in real-time, so recently filed deeds, mortgages, and other instruments appear in the portal without significant delay.
The portal supports several search options. You can search by party name using "Last, First" format for individuals or by business name for entities. The system also allows you to filter by party type, instrument type, and recorded date range. For legal description searches, the portal supports queries by quarter section, township, range, addition, block, and lot. A book list feature lets you browse instruments by book number. Plat maps are also available through this system.
All revenue from printing copies through the arcountyrecords.com portal goes directly to support Dallas County operations. This means that using the online copy feature is both convenient and a direct contribution to the county's record system. If you need a certified copy rather than a standard print, you will need to contact the Circuit Clerk's office directly to request a certified version.
The arcountyrecords.com portal provides online access to Dallas County deed records with indexed data and images from 1997 forward.
The Dallas County records search portal at arcountyrecords.com gives real-time online access to deed records and plat maps with indexed data and images from September 1997.
Circuit Clerk Contact Information
Circuit Clerk Dori Keeton maintains the land record index and recording office for Dallas County. The office is located at 206 W. Third Street, Fordyce, AR 71742, at the corner of Third and Oak Streets. The phone number is (870) 352-2307. Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. This is a slightly later opening time than many Arkansas county courthouses, so plan your visit accordingly.
In-person searches are available during business hours. Mail requests are also accepted. For a mail request, include the names of the parties involved, the approximate recording date, and the type of instrument you need. Send a check for the estimated copy fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return delivery. The clerk's staff can search the deed index by grantor name, grantee name, book and page number, instrument type, and recording date.
Dallas County had a population of 6,482 at the 2020 census, making it one of the four least populous counties in Arkansas. The county was formed on January 1, 1845, as the 49th county in Arkansas. Its smaller size means the clerk's office handles a lower volume of recordings than urban counties, which can make in-person searches faster and easier than in larger county courthouses.
The ARCountyData portal provides assessor-based property data for Dallas County that can supplement deed index searches.
The ARCountyData Dallas County page provides owner name and parcel searches for property assessment data in Fordyce and the surrounding county.
Additional Online Access and Tools
Beyond the arcountyrecords.com portal and ARCountyData, the CountyService portal for Dallas County provides another web-based option for property data. This portal aggregates land record and property information from county systems and is accessible without visiting the courthouse. The combination of three online tools makes Dallas County more accessible remotely than many similarly sized Arkansas counties.
The CountyService portal for Dallas County offers web-based access to county property and land record information from the clerk's office in Fordyce.
The CountyService portal for Dallas County gives users a web-based option for searching property data filed with the county, supplementing the dedicated deed search at arcountyrecords.com.
For court cases that may affect property title in Dallas County, the Arkansas Judiciary Case Search is free and covers all Arkansas circuit courts. Judgment liens entered in Dallas County circuit court can attach to any real property owned by the debtor in the county, so this check should be part of any thorough title search alongside the deed index.
Recording Fees and Document Requirements
Dallas County applies the standard Arkansas recording fee schedule. The base fee is $15 for the first page of any recorded instrument and $5 for each additional page. Two-sided documents count as two pages. Multiple instruments in a single submission each carry a $15 base fee after the first, with the total capped at $300. The Real Property Transfer Tax is $3.30 per $1,000 of stated consideration on transactions over $100. The clerk collects both the recording fee and the transfer tax before stamping and indexing the deed.
All documents submitted for recording in Dallas County must meet formatting standards under Arkansas Code ยง 14-15-403. The paper must be 8.5 by 11 inches. The top right corner of the first page must have a 2.5-inch blank margin for the recorder's stamp. Side and bottom margins on all pages must be at least half an inch. The last page must have a 2.5-inch margin at the bottom. Documents failing these standards may be returned unfiled or subject to a non-compliance fee.
The first page of every deed must include the document title, the grantor's and grantee's names, and the preparer's name and address. The grantee's mailing address must be clearly shown so that future tax statements go to the new owner. Deeds must be signed before two disinterested witnesses or acknowledged by a notary public. Homestead property requires both spouses to join in the conveyance regardless of how title is held.
Common exemptions from the Real Property Transfer Tax include spousal transfers, family gifts, divorce-related property transfers, and certain transfers to or from a revocable living trust. If an exemption applies, a brief written statement or a completed exemption certificate should accompany the deed at the time of recording.
Note: Starting August 5, 2025, individuals filing deeds in Dallas County must present a valid photo ID under Act 752. Licensed attorneys, brokers, bank representatives, and government employees in official capacities are exempt.
Historical Dallas County Land Records
Dallas County was established on January 1, 1845, carved out of Clark and Bradley counties, making it one of the mid-era Arkansas counties. Land records from the earliest years of the county's existence are available through FamilySearch and the Arkansas State Archives. Federal land patents for original homestead and public land entries in the Dallas County area are searchable through the BLM General Land Office Records database, which covers the first transfers of federal land to private owners in this part of south-central Arkansas.
For title research going back before 1845, records would have been filed in Clark County or Bradley County depending on which part of those predecessor counties the land occupied. Knowing which predecessor county covered your specific parcel is important when doing a full chain of title search in Dallas County for older properties.
The Arkansas State Archives Digital Collection holds historical land records including swamp land applications and land patents relevant to south Arkansas. The Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives (SARA) serves 12 counties in the southern portion of the state and holds older records that may supplement what is available at the Fordyce courthouse or through online sources for Dallas County research.
State Resources for Dallas County Research
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands manages tax-delinquent property across all Arkansas counties. For Dallas County parcels with unpaid property taxes, the COSL may hold records of the delinquency, prior auction results, and current ownership or redemption status. The COSL auction site lists current and past tax sale properties in Dallas County and statewide.
The full Arkansas recording statutes governing all counties, including Dallas County, are at Arkansas Title 14, Chapter 15. These statutes set out the race-notice recording rule, the clerk's indexing duties, deed formatting standards, and the legal effect of recording. Understanding these rules is important for anyone buying or selling property in Fordyce or anywhere else in Dallas County.
Electronic recording for Dallas County deed filings may be available through approved Arkansas vendors. The four main e-recording vendors active in Arkansas are Simplifile, CSC eRecording Solutions, eRecording Partners Network, and Indecomm Global Services. Call the Dallas County Circuit Clerk at (870) 352-2307 to confirm whether e-recording is currently accepted at the Fordyce office and which vendors are active.
For business entities holding title to Dallas County real property, the Arkansas Secretary of State website provides a free entity search to confirm the legal name and good standing of any LLC, corporation, or trust that appears as a grantor or grantee in deed records.