Polk County Deed Records
Polk County deed records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk at the courthouse in Mena, Arkansas. All property transfers, mortgages, and liens for land in Polk County are filed with this office and available as public records. This page covers how to search those records, where to find online resources, and what fees and requirements apply to recordings in Polk County.
Polk County Deed Records Overview
Accessing Polk County Property Records
The Polk County Circuit Clerk's office handles all deed recording for land in Polk County. The courthouse is in Mena, Arkansas, and the clerk's office phone is (479) 394-8100. Records are indexed by grantor and grantee name, which lets you trace the chain of title forward or backward from any known owner. In-person research is available Monday through Friday during regular courthouse hours.
Online resources for Polk County deed research include NETR Online and the Arkansas Digital Archives. The NETR Online Polk County page provides mapping and GIS data access, as well as links to the primary online sources for Polk County property records. The screenshot below shows the NETR Online interface for this county.
The NETR Online Polk County page is a useful reference for locating official property record sources, GIS mapping data, and online access points for Polk County, Arkansas deed records.
Polk County Circuit Clerk Office
The Polk County Circuit Clerk serves as the ex-officio recorder for the county. The office is at the Polk County Courthouse in Mena, AR. Phone: (479) 394-8100. All deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other instruments that affect title to real property in Polk County are recorded here. Once filed, each document is assigned a book and page number or instrument number and indexed for public access.
For property tax matters, the Polk County Collector handles billing and collection. The collector's office is at (479) 394-8111, with fax at (479) 394-1975. Free public property tax searches are available through the collector's office. The Polk County Assessor at (479) 394-8121 maintains property valuations, assessment records, and homestead exemption applications. Both offices work alongside the Circuit Clerk to maintain the full picture of a property's status in Polk County.
Remote access to Polk County deed records can be done through mail request by contacting the Circuit Clerk's office. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with any mail request for copies. For complex title searches going back many years, an in-person visit or hiring a local title professional is often the most efficient approach.
Polk County is located in the Ouachita Mountains in western Arkansas near the Oklahoma border. The area has a mix of forested land, farms, and rural parcels. Land ownership here sometimes involves timber rights, hunting easements, and mineral reservations that may appear separately in the deed records. Any thorough search of Polk County deed records should check for these types of instruments in addition to the main ownership transfers.
Recording Fees and Requirements
Polk County follows the statewide recording fee schedule under Arkansas Code § 21-6-306. The base fee is $15 for the first page of any instrument. Each additional page costs $5. Two-sided pages each count as a separate page. Documents containing multiple instruments may carry a base fee for each additional instrument, up to a limit of $300 for some instrument types such as mortgage assignments and releases.
The Real Property Transfer Tax applies to most property sales in Polk County. The rate is $3.30 per $1,000 of the actual sale price on transactions over $100. Common exemptions include transfers between spouses, gifts to close family members, conveyances to or from a living trust, and certain divorce-related transfers. The clerk collects the transfer tax at the time the deed is filed.
Documents filed in Polk County must meet the standard Arkansas formatting rules. Paper must be 8.5 by 11 inches. The top right corner of the first page needs a 2.5-inch blank margin for the recorder's stamp. Side margins are at least half an inch throughout. The last page needs a 2.5-inch blank margin at the bottom. The first page must include the document title, grantor and grantee names, and the preparer's name and address. Deeds must be signed before a notary public or two disinterested witnesses.
Starting August 5, 2025, individuals filing deeds in Polk County must present valid photo ID under Arkansas Act 752. Licensed attorneys, real estate brokers, bank representatives, and government employees in official roles are exempt.
Types of Records Recorded in Polk County
The Polk County Circuit Clerk records warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, special warranty deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, release deeds, powers of attorney, plat maps, and survey plats. The office also files mechanic's liens, federal and state tax liens, medical liens, and lis pendens notices. Each of these instruments can affect the title to a parcel, and all must be checked in a complete title search for Polk County property.
Plat records are important when buying lots in subdivisions or planned communities in Polk County. The surveyor certifies the plat and it must be filed with the Circuit Clerk under Arkansas Code § 14-18-101. A copy goes to the county assessor. Without checking the recorded plat, you cannot fully verify boundary lines or any shared easements that may affect a lot's use or value.
Historical deed records for Polk County go back to the mid-1800s. The Arkansas Digital Archives holds a collection specifically for Polk County, including a General Index to Deeds in Books 1 and 2. For older deeds before the modern indexing system, FamilySearch has digitized some Polk County deed books that researchers can access online.
Additional Resources for Polk County
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands handles tax-delinquent properties in Polk County. COSL records and parcel maps can help you check a property's tax history. You can browse upcoming and past auctions at auction.cosl.org. Winning bidders at these auctions receive a limited warranty deed from the Commissioner.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search covers circuit court cases in Polk County including foreclosures, judgment liens, and probate proceedings that can affect property title. Always check court records alongside the deed index for a complete title search. This free tool covers cases from Polk County circuit courts.
For business entities holding Polk County property, the Arkansas Secretary of State is the right place to verify entity status and get certified organizational records. An LLC or corporation's name on a deed requires verification that the entity exists and is authorized to conduct business in Arkansas before any transaction involving that property.
Nearby Arkansas Counties
Polk County is in western Arkansas in the Ouachita Mountain region. Deed records for neighboring counties are kept by those counties' Circuit Clerks.