Search Izard County Deed Records
Izard County deed records are filed with the Circuit Clerk's office in Melbourne, the county seat, where all property instruments including deeds, mortgages, and plats are recorded and kept as public records. Both online search tools and in-person access at the courthouse are available for researching Izard County property ownership and title history.
Izard County Deed Records
Deed Recording in Izard County
The Izard County Circuit Clerk maintains all official land records for the county. That includes deeds, liens, title documents, mortgages, plats, and other instruments tied to real property in Izard County. The clerk serves as the ex-officio county recorder under Arkansas state law. Under Arkansas Code § 14-15-404, a recorded instrument gives constructive notice to all future buyers and lenders from the moment it is filed. Recording promptly after closing is the standard practice.
Arkansas is a race-notice recording state. That means whoever records first without knowledge of a prior unrecorded transfer wins a title dispute. The law says no deed made after December 21, 1846 is valid against a later purchaser for value without actual notice, unless the earlier deed was duly recorded. Izard County follows this same rule, so same-day or next-day recording is strongly advised.
The Circuit Clerk's office is the starting point for all deed research in Izard County. The index runs by grantor name and grantee name, so you can trace ownership forward or backward from any person who has held title to a parcel. Staff can point you to the records but will not conduct searches on your behalf or give legal advice. For a thorough chain of title, a licensed title company or attorney is the right resource.
Izard County Circuit Clerk Contact
The Izard County Circuit Clerk's office is located at 80 E. Main St., Melbourne, AR 72556. The mailing address is P.O. Box 95, Melbourne, AR 72556. The main phone number is (870) 368-4316. The clerk's alternate contact, listed under the name Joe Cooper, can be reached at (870) 368-4328. The assessor's office is at (870) 368-7810 for property valuation and parcel questions. Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
When visiting the office, bring the grantor or grantee names you are searching along with a date range if you have it. Staff will assist you in finding the right index books or electronic records. If you need certified copies, plan to pay the per-page and certification fees at the time of your visit. For mail requests, write to P.O. Box 95, Melbourne, AR 72556 and include the document type, names involved, a date range, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Prepay estimated copy fees before submitting.
The ActDataScout portal below provides online access to Izard County property and assessment records, sponsored by the county assessor.
The ActDataScout Izard County portal is sponsored by the county assessor and provides free online access to real property records, assessment data, and land records for Izard County.
Online Tools for Izard County Deed Records
Izard County has two main online tools for property research. The first is ActDataScout, which is sponsored by the Izard County Assessor and provides free access to real property records and assessment data. This platform is commonly used in Arkansas counties that subscribe to the ActDataScout service, and it gives you searchable access to parcel data, ownership records, and related instruments.
The second free tool is ARCountyData, which also pulls from county assessor records and gives you property sales histories, building descriptions, and ownership information by name, parcel number, or address. Both tools draw primarily from assessor data rather than the full clerk deed index, but they are useful for confirming basic ownership and parcel details before a courthouse visit.
The ARCountyData Izard County page offers a free search tool drawing from county assessor data with property sales histories and ownership records.
For judicial proceedings that affect title, such as judgment liens and foreclosure actions, use the Arkansas Judiciary Case Search. That free statewide tool covers circuit court cases and will show you if there are any court actions that could cloud title to a specific Izard County parcel.
Recording Fees in Izard County
Izard County follows the standard fee schedule set by Arkansas Code § 21-6-306. Recording a deed, mortgage, deed of trust, lien, or other instrument costs $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page. Certified copies carry an additional $5.00 fee. Plain copies run $0.20 per standard page and $0.25 per oversized page. These rates are confirmed for Izard County and apply at the time of filing.
The Real Property Transfer Tax applies at $3.30 per $1,000 of consideration on transactions over $100. The clerk collects this at the time of recording. Common exemptions include gifts between family members, transfers between spouses, transfers to or from a living trust, and divorce-related conveyances. If an exemption applies, confirm it with the clerk before filing the deed.
All documents 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. Side and bottom margins must be at least half an inch. The last page must have a 2.5-inch margin at the bottom. The document must show a clear title, grantor and grantee names, and the preparer's name and address on the first page. Deeds must be notarized or signed before two witnesses. Homestead transfers require both spouses to sign even if only one holds title. Starting August 5, 2025, individuals filing in person must present a valid photo ID under Act 752.
Historical Deed Records in Izard County
FamilySearch holds digitized Izard County deed records covering the period from 1892 to 1909, along with indexes covering 1889 to 1945. Field notes from early government surveys are also available in that collection. These records can be valuable for tracing land ownership on older parcels or for genealogical research tied to property in the Melbourne area.
The Arkansas State Archives Digital Collections include land donation applications, swamp land patents, and forfeited deed records that may supplement Izard County research. For very early records or documents tied to the original government surveys of this area, the Arkansas State Archives and the plat retrieval tool at plat.arkansas.gov are both worth checking. The Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives (NEARA) serves counties in this part of the state and may have additional historical materials not yet available online.
State Resources for Property Research
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands oversees tax-delinquent property statewide. If a parcel in Izard County has unpaid taxes, it may appear in the COSL records. The COSL auction platform lists upcoming tax sales and post-auction properties with parcel maps. Buyers at those auctions receive a limited warranty deed from the state.
The Arkansas State Land Surveyor maintains historical plats and corner certificates useful when checking a legal description on an older Izard County parcel. Their online retrieval tool covers General Land Office notes and original government surveys across the state.
When a business entity appears in an Izard County deed, use the Arkansas Secretary of State Business Services portal to confirm the entity's legal name and current standing. The Arkansas recording statutes at Title 14, Chapter 15 cover all formatting, fee, and filing requirements that apply to Izard County deed filings.