Arkansas Landlord Repair Duties & Habitability Rights (2026)

What a landlord must fix, and your options when they do not

At a glance

• Core duty: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 — 对 2021-11-01 起新建/续约的住宅租约，默示六项「implied residential quality standards」（冷热水/电/饮用水/排污管道/屋顶建筑围护/HVAC）。
• Notice before acting: 18-17-502(d)：租客须以 certified mail 书面通知缺陷，房东有 30 个日历日 cure；租客须保持租金无欠缴。
• Governing authority: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the landlord's duty to maintain a habitable home in Arkansas, and what you can do when repairs go unmade.

It does not cover commercial leases, or conditions you caused yourself (which are treated differently).

The landlord's duty

Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 — 对 2021-11-01 起新建/续约的住宅租约，默示六项「implied residential quality standards」（冷热水/电/饮用水/排污管道/屋顶建筑围护/HVAC）。

阿肯色历史上是唯一无默示适居性保证的州。Act 1052 of 2021（SB594）才引入六项最低标准，仅适用于 2021-11-01 后签订或续约的租约；此前签订且从未续约的租约回到「as-is」旧规。

Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a) ↗

What the duty covers in practice

Notice and time to cure

18-17-502(d)：租客须以 certified mail 书面通知缺陷，房东有 30 个日历日 cure；租客须保持租金无欠缴。

Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(d) ↗

Your remedies when repairs go unmade

Landlord entry rules

Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-602 — 无固定通知天数：租客不得无理拒绝房东为检查、维修、看房等合理目的进入；紧急情况可无通知进入。

Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-602 ↗

When the duty does not apply

房东对租客或经其同意的他人故意/过失造成的损害不负责任（18-17-502）。

Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502 ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)(1)-(6)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(a)(6)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(d)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(d)(2)(A)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502(d)(3)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Local code enforcement	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-602	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-502	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Arkansas guides

Arkansas Security Deposit Return · Arkansas Security Deposit Rules · Arkansas Eviction Process · Arkansas Rent Increase Rules · Arkansas Landlord Retaliation

→ All Arkansas tenant rights topics

Common questions