Access Woodruff County Deed Records
Woodruff County deed records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Augusta, who serves as the ex-officio recorder for all real property instruments filed in the county. Deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and related land documents are kept at the Augusta courthouse and are part of the public record under Arkansas law. Woodruff County is a smaller rural county in eastern Arkansas, and deed research there typically involves a visit to the courthouse or a request through the county service portal.
Woodruff County Deed Records
Woodruff County Circuit Clerk Contact and Office
The Woodruff County Circuit Clerk is Lori Grisham. The office phone number is (870) 347-2391. The County Clerk, Jackie Meredith, is located at 500 North Third Street, Augusta, AR 72006, and can be reached at (870) 347-2871. The courthouse in Augusta is the official location for all Woodruff County deed recordings. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. If you plan to visit in person, it is worth calling ahead to confirm current hours and to ask about the best way to look up a specific instrument.
The clerk's office maintains the grantor and grantee index for all recorded instruments in Woodruff County. You can search by the name of the party who sold the property (grantor) or by the name of the party who received it (grantee). Staff can help you locate the right index book or find an instrument number once you have a name and approximate date. In-person searches during business hours are free. Copies of documents carry a per-page fee, and certified copies cost more.
Mail requests are accepted when you know the specific instrument you need. Include the book and page number or instrument number, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for the expected fee. The clerk will return the copies once payment is confirmed. For older records not yet available in any online format, a mail request or in-person visit is the only option.
Online Search Tools for Woodruff County Property Records
Woodruff County deed research can get a head start online through the CountyService.net portal. This platform provides access to county property data and lets you search assessment records before calling or visiting the clerk's office. It is a useful first step when you want to confirm basic ownership information or get a legal description for a Woodruff County parcel.
The Woodruff County page on CountyService.net provides online access to county assessment data and property records. It is a good starting point for researching deed-related information before contacting the courthouse.
DataScoutPro also covers Woodruff County and gives online access to land ownership and tax record data. Title companies and real estate researchers use this platform to review recorded instrument information without making a trip to Augusta.
The DataScoutPro Woodruff County page provides online access to property records and recorded instrument data for Woodruff County. This tool is used by title professionals and researchers who need quick online access to county land records.
The ARCountyData portal draws on county assessor data across Arkansas, including Woodruff County. Basic searches are free and can confirm current ownership, parcel numbers, and legal descriptions. This is a helpful supplement when you need a quick property overview before ordering certified deed copies from the clerk's office.
Recording Fees and Document Requirements
Woodruff County follows the standard Arkansas recording fee schedule under Arkansas Code § 21-6-306. The first page of any recorded document costs $15. Each additional page is $5. A document printed on both sides counts as two pages for fee purposes. If a single filing includes multiple instruments, each instrument after the first may carry its own $15 base fee, up to a $300 maximum for that submission.
The Real Property Transfer Tax applies to most Woodruff County deed recordings at $3.30 per $1,000 of stated consideration on transactions above $100. This tax is collected by the Circuit Clerk at the time of recording. The deed is stamped and indexed only after the recording fee and transfer tax have both been paid. Exemptions include transfers between spouses, gifts to close family members, transfers to or from a revocable trust where the grantor is also the beneficiary, and property transfers made under a divorce decree.
Documents filed for recording in Woodruff County must meet the formatting standards in Arkansas Code § 14-15-403. Use 8.5 by 11 inch paper. The top right of the first page must have a 2.5-inch blank margin for the recorder's stamp. All pages need at least a half-inch margin on the sides and bottom. The last page must leave a 2.5-inch margin at the bottom. The first page must show the document title, the names of the grantor and grantee, and the name and address of the preparer. The grantee's mailing address must be included so tax statements reach the new owner after recording.
Deeds must be executed before two disinterested witnesses or acknowledged before a notary public under Arkansas Code § 18-12-104. Homestead property deeds require both spouses to sign. Beginning August 5, 2025, individuals who file deeds must present a valid photo ID under Act 752. Exceptions apply to attorneys, brokers, lenders, and government employees acting in official roles.
Historical Woodruff County Deed Records
Woodruff County has a meaningful set of historical deed records available through FamilySearch. Deed records from 1861 to 1887 are digitized, and deed and mortgage indexes covering 1861 to 1948 are accessible online. A Plat Book for the Southern District from 1842 to 1843 is part of that collection as well, along with Original Land Entries dating from approximately 1831 to 1869. These early records are valuable for tracing property ownership back to the original federal land grants in the Woodruff County area.
Woodruff County was formed in 1862 from portions of Jackson and Monroe counties. Land records from the predecessor counties may cover parcels that later fell within Woodruff County boundaries, so tracing early chains of title sometimes requires searching both Jackson and Monroe county records for periods before 1862.
The Arkansas State Archives Digital Collection holds statewide historical land records including swamp land patents, land donation applications, and forfeited deed records. For Woodruff County parcels that passed through the Commissioner of State Lands process in the 19th century, the State Archives can provide records that fill gaps in the county deed books. Federal land patents for the original government land entries in Woodruff County are searchable through the BLM GLO Records portal.
Arkansas Resources for Property Research
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands manages tax-delinquent property across all 75 Arkansas counties. When property taxes go unpaid in Woodruff County, the county tax collector can certify the parcel to the Land Commissioner. After notice to the owner and any known lienholders, the property may be sold at public auction. The COSL auction site lists upcoming and past Woodruff County tax sales. If you are researching a parcel that may have unpaid taxes, the COSL records are worth checking early in the process.
The Arkansas Judiciary Case Search lets you search court cases statewide and is an important supplement to the deed index for Woodruff County property research. Judgment liens, foreclosure filings, and probate proceedings all affect title and do not appear in the deed books. Running a court case search is standard practice when checking the full title picture for any Woodruff County parcel.
The Arkansas Secretary of State Business and Commercial Services Division is useful when a business entity appears in a Woodruff County deed. LLCs and corporations holding Arkansas real estate must be in good standing to convey valid title. The Secretary of State's free online search tool confirms entity names, registered agent information, and standing status quickly.
For electronic filing, most Arkansas counties now accept e-recorded documents through vendors such as Simplifile and CSC eRecording Solutions. Call the Woodruff County Circuit Clerk at (870) 347-2391 to ask which e-recording vendors are currently active. Electronic filing speeds up the recording process and reduces the need for in-person or mail submissions. The full recording statute text is at Arkansas Title 14, Chapter 15.