Pope County Arkansas Deed Records
Pope County deed records are filed with the Circuit Clerk's office in Russellville, Arkansas. The clerk records all property transfers, mortgages, liens, and plats for land in Pope County. This page covers how to search those records online through ActDataScout and other tools, what fees apply, and how to contact the Pope County Circuit Clerk office for copies and in-person research.
Pope County Deed Records Overview
Searching Pope County Deed Records Online
Pope County offers online deed record access through ActDataScout. This platform provides searchable access to real property records and land records from the Circuit Clerk, including deed images, plats, and surveys. You can search by owner name, parcel number, or instrument type. ActDataScout is one of the more capable online deed research tools available for Arkansas counties that subscribe to it. Pope County is fully covered on this platform.
The Pope County Service Portal provides an additional online access point for property records and county services. The portal covers online assessment, property record search, and links to county officials. It is a good first stop if you are looking for a specific county contact or want to verify current ownership before digging into the full deed record history.
The ActDataScout interface for Pope County is shown below. It covers deeds, liens, plats, and other recorded instruments for property in Pope County.
The ActDataScout Pope County portal gives online access to real property records and land documents recorded with the Pope County Circuit Clerk, including images of recorded deeds and plat maps.
Pope County Circuit Clerk Contact Information
The Pope County Circuit Clerk is Rachel L. Oertling. The office is at 100 West Main Street, Russellville, AR 72801. The assessor's fax for property records inquiries is 479-968-4571. The clerk serves as the ex-officio recorder for Pope County under Arkansas law. All deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other instruments affecting title to real property in Pope County are recorded here and indexed by grantor and grantee name.
The Circuit Clerk's office records are available for public inspection during regular courthouse hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. In-person research is allowed at the clerk's office. You can also request copies by mail. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with any mail request. Certified copies cost $5.00. Plain copies run $0.25 to $0.50 per page.
Pope County is one of the larger counties in the Arkansas River Valley region. Russellville is a mid-sized city with a mix of urban and rural land. Pope County deed records cover both subdivided urban lots and larger rural parcels in the hills and river bottoms surrounding the city. Property research here can involve a wide range of deed types and legal descriptions.
The County Service Portal for Pope County is another way to access property information online. The screenshot below shows this portal.
The Pope County Service Portal offers online access to county property records, assessment data, and links to all Pope County departments and services.
Deed Recording Fees and Document Rules
Pope County recording fees follow the state schedule set by Arkansas Code § 21-6-306. The base fee is $15 for the first page and $5 for each page after that. Two-sided pages each count as a separate page. If a document contains multiple instruments, each additional instrument carries its own base fee. The maximum fee for multiple mortgage assignments or releases in one document is $300.
The Real Property Transfer Tax is collected at recording. The rate is $3.30 per $1,000 of the sale price on transactions over $100. Standard exemptions apply: gifts between close family members, transfers between spouses, conveyances to or from a living trust, and certain divorce-related transfers do not require the tax. The clerk must also get the grantee's mailing address when recording a deed so future tax statements reach the new owner.
All documents filed in Pope County must meet the standard Arkansas formatting rules under Arkansas Code § 14-15-403. Paper must be 8.5 by 11 inches. The top right of the first page needs a 2.5-inch blank margin for the recorder's stamp. Side margins are at least half an inch. The last page needs a 2.5-inch blank bottom margin. The first page must state the document title, grantor name, grantee name, and the preparer's name and address.
Deeds must be signed before a notary public or two disinterested witnesses. When a homestead is being conveyed, both spouses must sign the deed regardless of whose name appears on the title. This requirement comes from the Arkansas Constitution and applies throughout the state, including in Pope County.
Under Arkansas Act 752, effective August 5, 2025, individuals filing deeds in Pope County must present valid photo ID. Attorneys, real estate brokers, bank employees, and government workers in official roles are exempt from this requirement.
Property Instruments Recorded in Pope County
The Pope County Circuit Clerk records real estate, deed, and lien records. The full range of recordable instruments includes warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, special warranty deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, release deeds, powers of attorney, plats, survey plats, federal and state tax liens, mechanic's liens, medical liens, judgment liens, lis pendens notices, and other instruments affecting title to real property.
Plat records are especially important in Pope County given the mix of residential subdivisions around Russellville and rural parcels throughout the county. Under Arkansas Code § 14-18-101, recorded plats must be filed with the Circuit Clerk and a copy goes to the county assessor. Checking the recorded plat is an essential step when buying any lot in a Pope County subdivision.
Pope County also has electronic recording available. The county accepts e-filed documents through approved vendors including CSC eRecording Solutions at 1-855-200-1150, Simplifile at 1-800-460-5657, eRecording Partners Network at 1-888-325-3365, and Indecomm Global Services at 1-877-272-5250. Title companies and attorneys use these services to record documents without traveling to Russellville.
State Resources for Pope County Research
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands holds records on tax-delinquent properties in Pope County. If a parcel has gone delinquent on taxes, the COSL may have relevant auction and parcel information. Limited warranty deeds from COSL auctions show up in the Pope County deed index. You can browse these records at auction.cosl.org.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search covers foreclosures, judgment liens, and probate cases in Pope County. These court records can affect property title, and checking them alongside the deed index is an important part of any thorough title search for Pope County property.
The Arkansas Digital Archives holds historical land records from across the state. Pope County was formed in 1829, and some early land records from the territorial and early statehood period may be available through the archives or through FamilySearch digitized collections. When tracing a chain of title back more than a century, these sources can fill in gaps not covered by the courthouse deed books.
For business entities holding Pope County real property, the Arkansas Secretary of State can issue certified copies of entity records needed to confirm an LLC, corporation, or trust's authority to convey property.
Nearby Arkansas Counties
Pope County is in the Arkansas River Valley in central-western Arkansas. Deed records for neighboring counties are kept by their respective Circuit Clerks.