Franklin County Property Deed Records
Franklin County deed records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk across two courthouse locations in Ozark and Charleston. The county has two judicial districts, which means the Circuit Clerk operates offices in both county seats. Property deed records, mortgages, liens, and other real property instruments for Franklin County are filed through this dual-seat system. Knowing which courthouse handles the specific property in your search saves a trip.
Franklin County Deed Records Overview
Searching Deed Records in Franklin County
Franklin County is one of a handful of Arkansas counties with two official county seats. Ozark serves as the primary seat, with the main courthouse at 211 W. Commercial in Ozark. Charleston is the second seat in the Mulberry River judicial district. The Circuit Clerk, Janice King, operates recording offices in both locations. If you are searching for a deed tied to property in the western part of the county near Charleston, you may need to visit or contact that office. Property closer to Ozark falls under the Ozark division.
The Circuit Clerk mailing address is P.O. Box 1112, Ozark, AR 72949. The Ozark phone is (479) 667-3818. The Charleston office can be reached at (479) 965-7332. Both offices record deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and related instruments as the ex-officio county recorder under Arkansas law. Records are indexed by grantor and grantee name just as in single-seat counties.
Online access to Franklin County property records is available through ARCountyData.com. The portal provides free property ownership data from assessor and clerk records. You can search by name, parcel number, or address. It is a good starting point before calling either courthouse to narrow down which location holds the instrument you need.
The CountyService portal for Franklin County offers an additional online option for viewing and searching property records tied to this county.
The ARCountyData search interface for Franklin County is shown below, giving a free online starting point for deed and ownership research.
The ARCountyData Franklin County portal provides free access to property ownership and parcel data for the Ozark and Charleston areas of Franklin County.
Dual Courthouse System Explained
Having two county seats is uncommon in Arkansas. Franklin County's split setup came from historical divisions within the county that were formalized over time. The practical effect today is that there are two sets of records offices. For deed recording, the key question is which judicial district the property falls in. If you are unsure which district applies to your property, call the Ozark office first at (479) 667-3818. Staff there can tell you whether to file or search in Ozark or redirect you to Charleston at (479) 965-7332.
The County Clerk, Tammy Sisson, also operates offices in both locations. The County Clerk handles marriage licenses, probate, and voter registration. The Circuit Clerk handles deed recording and court cases. Both offices maintain separate records and have staff in both Ozark and Charleston. For the County Clerk, the Ozark number is (479) 667-3607 and the Charleston number is (479) 965-2129.
Fax numbers: Circuit Clerk fax is (479) 667-5472. County Clerk fax is (479) 667-3611. For mail requests related to deeds, send to P.O. Box 1112, Ozark, AR 72949, and note which district the property falls in if you know it. Including the book and page or instrument number speeds up copy requests considerably.
The CountyService portal for Franklin County is shown below as a secondary online search option.
The CountyService portal for Franklin County supplements courthouse records with online access to property and assessment data for both judicial districts in the county.
Note: When filing a deed in Franklin County, confirm with the Circuit Clerk which office should receive the instrument based on the property's location within the county's two judicial districts.
Recording Fees and Requirements
Franklin County follows the standard Arkansas recording fee schedule. The fee to record any instrument is $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page under Arkansas Code § 21-6-306. This applies to all deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, releases, powers of attorney, plats, and most other recorded documents. Two-sided pages count as two pages.
The Real Property Transfer Tax of $3.30 per $1,000 of consideration applies to most property sales in Franklin County above $100. The Circuit Clerk collects this tax at the time the deed is submitted for recording. Transfers between spouses, gifts to immediate family members, transfers in or out of living trusts, and divorce-related transfers are among the most common exemptions. If your transfer qualifies, note the exemption basis on the deed before submitting.
Document formatting under Arkansas Code § 14-15-403 requires 8.5 by 11 inch white paper, a 2.5-inch blank margin at the top right of the first page, at least a half-inch margin on all sides, and a 2.5-inch clear margin at the bottom of the last page. The first page must show the document title, grantor name, grantee name, and the name and address of the person who prepared it. Under Arkansas Code § 26-26-709, the grantee's mailing address must also be provided for tax statement purposes.
Deeds must be signed in front of two disinterested witnesses or notarized under Arkansas Code § 18-12-104. When a homestead is being conveyed, both spouses must sign even if only one name appears on title. This homestead rule comes from the Arkansas Constitution and is enforced at both Franklin County courthouse locations.
Beginning August 5, 2025, Act 752 requires a valid photo ID from anyone filing a deed in Arkansas. Licensed attorneys, real estate brokers, bank representatives, and government employees acting in their official capacity are exempt from this requirement.
Historical Franklin County Deed Records
Franklin County has an unusually rich set of historical deed and survey records. FamilySearch.org has digitized original land grants, deed records from 1838 through 1895, a Franklin County Plat Book from 1855 to 1860, and Surveyor Records from 1839 to 1912. The Maxey Township Land Records from 1853 to 1896 are also available. An index covering deeds from 1837 to 1960 lets researchers trace ownership history back more than 180 years without leaving their desk. For older title research in Franklin County, these historical collections are genuinely useful.
The Arkansas Digital Archives holds additional materials that support Franklin County land history research. The Archives covers land donation applications, swamp land patents, forfeited deeds, and other records from the Commissioner of State Lands going back to the territorial era. The Arkansas State Land Surveyor's Office also maintains General Land Office plats and corner certificates that supplement the early deed record with survey documentation from the original government land surveys of this area.
Note: Franklin County's dual-seat structure means that historical deed records may be split between the Ozark and Charleston courthouse collections. When researching older instruments, it may be worth checking both locations or contacting the Circuit Clerk to confirm which set of books covers the township or range you are researching.
State Resources for Franklin County
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands tracks tax-delinquent properties throughout Franklin County. Any parcel where real estate taxes have gone unpaid can be certified to the COSL, which then notifies the owner and conducts a public auction. Buyers at these auctions receive limited warranty deeds. The COSL online auction platform lists current and past sales and includes parcel maps for research. Checking COSL status is an important part of any title search for Franklin County real estate.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search covers circuit court cases in both judicial districts of Franklin County. Judgment liens, foreclosures, and domestic relations orders affecting property in Ozark or Charleston both appear in this free state database. Always cross-check deed record searches with court case searches to get a complete picture of title status.
The Arkansas Secretary of State provides entity records when businesses appear in Franklin County deed transactions. Certified copies of entity documents confirm the legal standing of companies holding title to property in the county. The corporation search is free at the Secretary of State website.