Drew County Landlord-Tenant Law

Arkansas landlord guide — county ordinances, courthouse info & local rules

Drew County Rental Market Overview

Drew County occupies a distinctive ecological and economic position on the edge between the Arkansas Timberlands and the Mississippi Delta. Its western half is rolling Piney Woods pine flatwoods and uplands; its eastern half along Bayou Bartholomew — the longest bayou in the world, running the full length of the county’s eastern edge — is flat Delta bottomland with rice, cotton, and soybean agriculture. That geographical duality is mirrored in the county’s economy: timber production, boat manufacturing, university education, and healthcare dominate in and around Monticello, while row crop agriculture drives the eastern county.

Monticello (population ~8,175) is the county seat and the “largest town in southeast Arkansas south of Pine Bluff.” The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) — with 3,130 enrolled students and the state’s only School of Forest Resources — is the county’s dominant institutional employer. SeaArk Marine builds aluminum boats here. Drew Memorial Health System anchors healthcare. The county’s median gross rent is approximately $690/month, with a median household income in Monticello of about $27,963, reflecting the community’s university-town and working-class character. All evictions are filed in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court at 210 S. Main St., Monticello.

Drew County Ordinances & Local Rules

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Association of Arkansas Counties

Arkansas State Law Framework

⚡ Quick Overview

3

Days Notice (Nonpayment)

14

Days Notice (Violation)

15-30

Avg Total Days

$65-165

Filing Fee (Approx)

💰 Nonpayment of Rent

Notice Type 3-Day Notice to Quit (Civil unlawful detainer) / 10-Day Notice (Criminal failure to vacate)

Notice Period 3 days

Tenant Can Cure? No - 3-day civil notice is unconditional quit; tenant must vacate (landlord not required to accept late rent)

Days to Hearing 5-15 days

Days to Writ 1-5 days

Total Estimated Timeline 15-30 days

Total Estimated Cost $100-$350

⚠️ Watch Out

Arkansas historically had a criminal eviction statute allowing landlords to charge tenants with a misdemeanor for failure to vacate. This was struck down in 2023 but some counties still reference it. Civil unlawful detainer is now the primary path.

📜 Eviction Laws Main 📊 Compare This State

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📝 Arkansas Eviction Process (Overview)

1. Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
2. Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
3. File an eviction case with the Circuit Court (or District Court with concurrent jurisdiction). Pay the filing fee (~$65-165).
4. Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
5. Attend the court hearing and present your case.
6. If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
7. Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Arkansas eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice. Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections. For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Arkansas attorney or local legal aid organization.

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Underground Landlord

🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease: Arkansas landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding tenant screening in Arkansas — including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Arkansas's eviction process, proper tenant screening can help you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.

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Drew County Arkansas Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in Monticello, the Hub of Southeast Arkansas

Monticello styles itself as the “largest town in southeast Arkansas south of Pine Bluff,” and while that may be damning with faint praise in the eyes of city dwellers, it speaks to the genuine regional significance of Drew County’s county seat. Named in popular belief after Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia estate, Monticello has served continuously as a commercial, educational, and medical center for southeast Arkansas since the mid-1800s. Its foundation on timber, agriculture, and education has proven more durable than many south Arkansas towns whose single-industry economies collapsed when that industry contracted. Drew County today has a diversified local economy — the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Drew Memorial Health System, SeaArk Marine, the timber industry, and agriculture — that makes it more resilient than many comparable counties in the Delta.

UAM: The County’s Dominant Economic Institution

The University of Arkansas at Monticello was established in 1909 as the Fourth District Agricultural School and has grown into a full university with 30 baccalaureate and six master’s degree programs. With 3,130 enrolled students, UAM is an open-admission institution that draws students from across southeast Arkansas and six neighboring states — Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Tennessee — who qualify for Arkansas in-state tuition rates. UAM is home to the state’s only School of Forest Resources, a fitting distinction for a county built on timber.

For landlords, UAM creates the classic university rental market dynamic. Near-campus properties draw undergraduate students who typically lack independent rental history and verifiable income. Require co-signers (creditworthy parents or guarantors) for undergraduate applicants without verifiable independent income. Use August-to-May lease terms to align with the academic year and budget for potential summer vacancy on near-campus units. UAM’s open-admission character means it draws a broader and more economically diverse student population than selective universities; co-signer requirements are not just advisable but genuinely necessary screening practice for this market. UAM faculty, professional staff, and graduate students with assistantship appointments are considerably more stable profiles — verify employment and income through UAM HR.

SeaArk Marine: Building Aluminum Boats in the Arkansas Timberlands

SeaArk Marine, Inc. is one of Monticello’s most distinctive manufacturers. The company — which grew from MonArk Boat Company, established decades ago — builds aluminum patrol boats, jon boats, work boats, and specialty watercraft for government agencies, law enforcement, military, and commercial customers. Aluminum boat manufacturing requires skilled fabricators and production workers with specialized training; SeaArk’s workforce is a stable, hourly W-2 manufacturing population. These workers are among the more reliable tenant profiles in Monticello’s manufacturing sector. Verify employment directly with SeaArk and qualify on base wage rather than overtime-inflated totals.

Timber, Forest Resources, and Independent Logging Contractors

Drew County’s Piney Woods economy is built on timber. J.P. Price Lumber Company — which describes itself as one of the largest wood-processing companies in the United States — is headquartered here. Georgia-Pacific’s forestry operations, Akin Industries (manufacturing furniture for healthcare customers), and dozens of smaller timber-adjacent businesses provide employment. Employed mill workers and manufacturing workers in this sector are W-2 earners; qualify on base wage with standard pay stub verification. Independent logging contractors, however, require a different approach: they are self-employed small business operators who are paid per load or per thousand board feet, with significant operating costs for equipment, fuel, insurance, and maintenance that must be deducted from gross receipts to arrive at actual personal income. For independent logging contractors, request the last two years of personal tax returns (Form 1040 with Schedule C) and qualify on net income after all business expenses — not gross revenue.

Bayou Bartholomew and the World’s Longest Bayou

Bayou Bartholomew runs along the eastern edge of Drew County and continues south into Louisiana — it is the longest bayou in the world, a distinction that rarely makes it into travel brochures but is genuinely remarkable. The bayou provides excellent fishing and hunting habitat in the county’s Delta bottomlands. The Saline River, forming the southwestern county boundary, has been designated a Natural and Scenic Waterway by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, recognizing its ecological value and recreation potential. Properties positioned along either of these waterways, or on hunting leases in the county’s bottomland timber, have genuine short-term rental potential for waterfowl hunters in fall and winter and sport fishers in spring and summer.

Arkansas Landlord-Tenant Law in Drew County

All Arkansas landlord-tenant law applies statewide with no local modifications in Drew County. The governing statutes are A.C.A. §§ 18-16-101 through 18-16-108 and the Arkansas Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 2007, A.C.A. §§ 18-17-101 et seq. Security deposits are capped at two months’ rent and must be returned within 60 days (applies to landlords with 6+ units). No habitability warranty by default; no repair-and-deduct. Abandoned property may be disposed of immediately on lease termination. No rent control anywhere in Arkansas.

All evictions are filed in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court, Circuit Clerk Beverly Burks, 210 S. Main St., Monticello, AR 71655, (870) 460-6250, fax (870) 412-1138. Filing fee: $165. Serve the 3-day notice for nonpayment (or 14-day cure notice for violations), file the Unlawful Detainer complaint, allow 5 days for the tenant to object, then proceed to hearing or default and Writ of Possession. Self-help evictions are prohibited.

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Arkansas landlord-tenant law is governed by the Arkansas Code Annotated and applies statewide, with no local rent control or just-cause eviction requirements in Drew County. Consult a licensed Arkansas attorney or contact the 10th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk at (870) 460-6250 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.