Hempstead County Deed Records Search
Hempstead County deed records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk in Hope, the county seat. The Circuit Clerk acts as the official recorder for all real property instruments in Hempstead County, including deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, and powers of attorney. Electronic filing is not currently accepted at this office, so all deed submissions must be made in person, by mail through USPS, or by courier service such as FedEx or UPS.
Hempstead County Deed Records Overview
How to Access Hempstead County Deed Records
The Hempstead County Circuit Clerk is Gail Wolfenbarger. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1420, Hope, AR 71802-1420. The physical location is at 200 E 3rd St, Hope, AR 71801. The main phone number for the Circuit Clerk's office is (870) 777-2241, and the fax is (870) 777-8400. The office records all instruments that affect real property title in Hempstead County and maintains them as public records available for inspection and copying.
For in-person searches, visit the courthouse in Hope during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Bring a grantor or grantee name, a parcel number, or a book and page reference to help narrow your search. The deed index is organized by grantor and grantee name. Staff can help you locate the right index books and pull deed images. They cannot conduct an official title search for you, but they can show you how the system works. Plain copies are $0.50 per page and certified copies are $5.00.
One key fact to know about Hempstead County: real estate documents cannot be filed electronically at this time. All deed filings must go in person to the courthouse in Hope, or be mailed via USPS, FedEx, or UPS. If you are closing a transaction that involves Hempstead County property, plan for the extra time that physical document delivery requires compared to e-recording counties. The office processes documents in the order received, so sending by a trackable courier service is the safest way to handle a time-sensitive recording.
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands website shown below is a useful resource for Hempstead County property research, particularly for tax delinquency history and surplus land information.
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands website covers tax-delinquent property across all 75 Arkansas counties including Hempstead, with parcel maps, auction schedules, and past sale results available at no cost.
Land Records Maintained in Hempstead County
The Hempstead County Circuit Clerk maintains a broad set of real property records. Deed recording in this county covers warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, releases, and all conveyances of land and buildings within Hempstead County. The office also keeps maps and plats of subdivisions and records from other counties concerning land sales or conveyances that affect title to Hempstead County property.
Additional instruments recorded include powers of attorney, liens on real property, soldiers' discharge papers (DD-214), leases, real estate fixture filing statements, performance bonds, and public official bonds. This is a more extensive list than many Arkansas counties specifically outline. When researching Hempstead County title, it is worth requesting a search of these ancillary instrument types, not just deed and mortgage books, if your transaction involves a commercial property, a leasehold interest, or a government contract.
The County Clerk office at 200 E 3rd St, Hope has a separate phone number: (870) 777-2241. Marriage and probate records are with the County Clerk. Land records date from 1900 at the County Clerk level, while older deed records may require checking the Circuit Clerk's historical collection or other research sources. The Circuit Clerk office handles court case records and the deed recording function separately from the County Clerk.
Note: Mail submissions for deed recording should be sent to the Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 1420, Hope, AR 71802-1420. Include your check for recording fees and the Real Property Transfer Tax, and a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want a copy returned to you. FedEx and UPS deliveries can go to the physical address at 200 E 3rd St.
Recording Fees and Document Requirements
Hempstead County follows the standard Arkansas 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. This covers deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, releases, powers of attorney, plats, survey plats, notary bonds, foreign judgments, and materialman's liens. Two-sided pages count as two pages.
The Real Property Transfer Tax is $3.30 per $1,000 of consideration on transactions above $100. The Circuit Clerk collects this at the time of filing. Transfers between spouses, family gifts, trust transfers, and divorce-related conveyances typically qualify for exemption. Note the exemption basis on the deed or provide supporting documentation when submitting the instrument for recording.
Document formatting requirements from Arkansas Code § 14-15-403 apply to all filings. Use 8.5 by 11 inch white paper. The first page must have a blank 2.5-inch margin at the top right corner for the recorder's stamp. Side and bottom margins must be at least half an inch. A 2.5-inch margin is required at the bottom of the last page. The first page must show the document title, grantor and grantee names, and the preparer's name and address. Grantee mailing address for future tax statements is required under Arkansas Code § 26-26-709.
Deeds must be notarized or executed before two disinterested witnesses under Arkansas Code § 18-12-104. Both spouses must sign when a homestead is being conveyed. The Act 752 photo ID requirement, effective August 5, 2025, applies in Hempstead County as it does statewide. Attorneys, brokers, bankers, and government employees acting in official capacity are exempt from that requirement.
Historical Hempstead County Deed Records
Hempstead County was created on June 1, 1819, making it one of the oldest counties in Arkansas. It was named for Edward Hempstead, a Missouri congressman. The county seat has always been Hope. Deed records in the county go back to near the county's founding, but there is a significant gap to know about: deed records prior to October 9, 1820 have been lost. Circuit court records prior to March 15, 1824 are also lost. Researchers should be aware that the very earliest land transactions from the first year of the county's existence are not available at the courthouse.
FamilySearch.org has digitized several collections from the early years of Hempstead County that can help fill research gaps. These include Deeds and Mortgages from 1819 to 1887, an Index covering 1819 to 1936, Direct and Reverse Index for Personal Property, Original Entries from 1821 to 1887, and Records and Plat Books. The 1819 to 1887 deed collection alone covers more than six decades of land transfers in this historically significant southwest Arkansas county.
The Arkansas Digital Archives holds land records from the Commissioner of State Lands going back to the territorial period. Because Hempstead County was formed so early, it is one of the counties whose land history intersects with some of the earliest federal land grants and swamp land patents in Arkansas. The Arkansas State Land Surveyor's Office plat records cover the original government survey of this area and can help confirm legal descriptions for parcels dating to the early statehood era.
The Arkansas recording statutes reference shown below outlines the legal framework that governs how Hempstead County deed records are kept and how they give notice to third parties.
The Arkansas recording statutes in Title 14, Chapter 15 govern deed formatting requirements, the county recorder's duties, and how recorded instruments create constructive notice, all of which apply to Hempstead County filings.
State Resources for Hempstead County Research
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands manages tax-delinquent property throughout Hempstead County. Given the county's age and rural character, COSL records can be particularly important for researching older parcels with complex tax histories. The COSL auction platform shows current and past Hempstead County tax sales and includes parcel maps. Before purchasing any Hope area or Hempstead County property, checking COSL records is a standard step in thorough title research.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search gives free access to Hempstead County circuit court cases. Judgment liens, mortgage foreclosures, and other court orders affecting property title are searchable here at no cost. Cross-referencing court records with deed index searches gives you a fuller picture of any title risks associated with a specific parcel.
The Arkansas Secretary of State provides certified entity records when businesses appear in Hempstead County property transactions. The Secretary of State's free corporation search tool confirms entity status quickly. For property held by a company, confirming the entity's legal standing at the time of a transfer is an important part of title verification.