Polk County occupies the western edge of Arkansas, bordered by Oklahoma to the west and blanketed in Ouachita Mountain ridges and valleys, with nearly half its 863 square miles within the Ouachita National Forest. Named for President James K. Polk and formed in 1844, the county’s 19,221 residents are concentrated primarily in Mena (~5,600), a railroad town founded in 1896 by the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad and named after the wife of a Dutch investor who helped finance the line. The county seat stands near the foot of Rich Mountain — at 2,681 feet the second-highest peak in Arkansas and site of Queen Wilhelmina State Park, one of the most scenically dramatic parks in the state.
The county’s economy rests on lumber and wood products, tree farming, cattle and poultry (Tyson), light manufacturing, Mena Regional Health System, and outdoor recreation/tourism anchored by Queen Wilhelmina State Park, the 54-mile Talimena National Scenic Byway, and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail. The University of Arkansas Rich Mountain provides higher education and workforce training. Polk County was a dry county for many decades but voted to go wet in the 2022 mid-term election — a historically significant change for a traditionally conservative rural county. All evictions are filed in the 18th West Judicial Circuit Court. Polk County is now a wet county (since 2022).
🏰 Queen Wilhelmina State Park / Rich Mountain — 2,681-ft peak (2nd highest in AR); lodge named for Dutch Queen Wilhelmina 1898 (“Castle in the Sky”); Talimena National Scenic Byway eastern terminus; more plant species per sq mi than anywhere else on earth |
✈️ Mena Airport / Iran-Contra / Barry Seal — CIA arms flights + drug smuggling from Mena airport 1982–86; White House blocked investigation; subject of 2017 film American Made (Tom Cruise as Barry Seal) |
📻 Lum & Abner — beloved 1931–1955 radio comedy created by Chester Lauck & Norris Goff, both from Mena area |
🏢 Dorothy Shaver — Mena HS graduate 1910; became first female president of a US multimillion-dollar corporation (Lord & Taylor, 1946)
All evictions in Polk County are filed in the 18th West Judicial Circuit Court. Circuit Clerk: Michelle Heath Schnell — 507 Church Ave., Mena, AR 71953; Phone: (479) 394-8100; Fax: (479) 394-8170. The courthouse is a two-story buff-colored brick structure near the foot of Rich Mountain, with the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas over the entrance and a coffered ceiling with zig-zag decorative dado in the second-floor courtroom. File the Unlawful Detainer complaint after the required notice period expires without tenant compliance.
Rental Licensing
No county-level rental license required. Arkansas has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Verify with the City of Mena for any local rental registration, code enforcement, or STR permit requirements within city limits. Properties near Queen Wilhelmina State Park, the Talimena Scenic Byway, and the Ouachita National Forest have genuine STR opportunity; verify zoning before listing.
Rent Control
None. Arkansas has no statewide rent control statute and Polk County has no local ordinance. Landlords may raise rents freely at renewal or with 30 days’ written notice on month-to-month tenancies.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2 months’ rent (A.C.A. § 18-16-304). Applies to landlords renting six or more dwellings. Return with written itemized deductions within 60 days of termination (A.C.A. § 18-16-305).
Notice to Vacate — Nonpayment
Written 3-day notice to vacate required before filing for unlawful detainer for nonpayment. Best practice: wait until rent is at least 5 days past due before serving (A.C.A. § 18-17-901). Retain proof of service.
Lease Violation Notice
For non-rent violations, serve a written 14-day notice to cure or quit identifying the specific breach (A.C.A. § 18-17-701). If remedied within 14 days, the tenancy continues.
Month-to-Month Termination
30-day written notice required to terminate a month-to-month tenancy (A.C.A. § 18-17-704). Week-to-week tenancies require 7-day written notice.
Went Wet 2022 — Market Note
Polk County voted to go wet in the 2022 mid-term election, ending decades of alcohol prohibition. This is relevant market context: new alcohol-serving businesses (restaurants, bars) may open in Mena and the county, potentially affecting local retail and entertainment employment. It is not a lawful tenant screening criterion but reflects a changing local business environment.
Manufacturing & Industrial Workers
Mena’s industrial park hosts Nidec (motor manufacturing, expanding 2025), Brodix (performance engine components), Street & Performance (automotive), R&D plastics, and airplane refurbishment companies at the airport. These manufacturing employees are year-round W-2 earners. Verify with current pay stubs and prior-year W-2. Tyson Foods poultry workers: same approach. Aviation services workers at Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport: verify employment type (W-2 vs. contract).
Healthcare Workers
Mena Regional Health System (65-bed hospital) is one of the county’s most stable employers, serving western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Hospital W-2 employees: verify with pay stubs and prior W-2. Traveling nurses and agency clinical staff: verify contract length, daily rate, and agency W-2 documentation.
Timber & Agricultural Workers
Lumber and wood products are the county’s primary industry (Hatfield Lumber, Lewis Lumber, Smith Pallet). Timber mill W-2 employees: standard verification. Contract loggers and timber haulers: Schedule C two-year net average; ask about equipment debt. Tree farming operators: Schedule F. Cattle and poultry farm operators: Schedule F two-year net. Arabian horse breeders and specialty livestock operators: verify net farm income carefully; ask about operations scale and whether income is primary or supplemental.
Tourism & Outdoor Recreation Workers
Queen Wilhelmina State Park, the Talimena Scenic Byway, and the Ouachita National Forest generate hospitality and recreation employment. State park employees are government W-2 workers. Private lodging, restaurant, guide service, and outdoor outfitter staff may be seasonal. Screen on annual income; ask about year-round versus seasonal employment status.
No Warranty of Habitability (Default)
Arkansas does not impose a general implied warranty of habitability by default. Leases executed after October 2021 carry some statutory habitability protections unless waived in writing. Tenants have no repair-and-deduct remedy under Arkansas law.
Abandoned Property
Personal property remaining after lease termination is deemed abandoned and may be disposed of by the landlord without tenant recourse (A.C.A. § 18-16-108). Document with timestamped photos and video before disposal.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited. Do not attempt lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of belongings without a court order. Always use the lawful judicial process through the 18th West Judicial Circuit Court in Mena.
Late Fees & NSF Checks
No statutory cap on late fees in Arkansas. Specify amount and grace period in writing in the lease. For returned checks: $30 per check plus bank fees (A.C.A. § 5-37-307(c)(2)(B)).
Notice Type3-Day Notice to Quit (Civil unlawful detainer) / 10-Day Notice (Criminal failure to vacate)
Notice Period3 days
Tenant Can Cure?No - 3-day civil notice is unconditional quit; tenant must vacate (landlord not required to accept late rent)
Days to Hearing5-15 days
Days to Writ1-5 days
Total Estimated Timeline15-30 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.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Circuit Court (or District Court with concurrent jurisdiction). Pay the filing fee (~$65-165).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
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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AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Arkansas requirements.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Polk County market: 18th West Judicial Circuit; Circuit Clerk Michelle Heath Schnell, 507 Church Ave., Mena, (479) 394-8100. Wet county since 2022 (formerly dry). Manufacturing/industrial W-2: pay stubs + prior W-2; staffing agency workers — verify W-2 employer of record. Healthcare W-2: stable; traveling nurses: contract documentation. Timber/forestry: W-2 or Schedule C 2-yr net; ask about equipment debt. Farm operators: Schedule F 2-yr net. Tourism/hospitality: annual income basis.
Arkansas key rules: 3-day notice (nonpayment), 14-day cure (violations), 30-day M-to-M termination, no rent control, 60-day deposit return, 2-month cap (6+ unit landlords), no habitability warranty by default, no repair-and-deduct.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Polk County Arkansas Landlord-Tenant Law: The Castle in the Sky, Barry Seal’s Mena Airport, Lum & Abner, and What Every Landlord Needs to Know
In 1897, Arthur Stilwell — the ambitious Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad executive who was laying track toward the Gulf of Mexico with Dutch investment money — decided to build a luxury lodge on the crest of Rich Mountain in what would become Mena, Arkansas. He named it the Wilhelmina Inn, in honor of the young Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, whose nation’s investors had financed his railroad. The 35-room lodge opened on June 22, 1898, with a 300-seat dining hall that doubled as a ballroom, an orchestra providing entertainment, and sweeping views across the Ouachita Mountains from an elevation of 2,681 feet — the second-highest point in Arkansas. It was called “the Castle in the Sky.” The business failed almost immediately. By 1905 the lodge was sold by lottery; by 1910 it was abandoned and occasionally used to house livestock.
The lodge that replaced it — Queen Wilhelmina State Park, established in 1957 and reopened with a new lodge in 1963 — became one of the most beloved state parks in Arkansas, still operating atop Rich Mountain with 40 guest rooms, the Queen’s Restaurant, 41 campsites, hiking trails, and the same panoramic view that dazzled Stilwell’s guests more than a century ago. The park sits at the eastern terminus of the 54-mile Talimena National Scenic Byway, which follows the crests of Rich and Winding Stair mountains to Talihina, Oklahoma, through what may be the most dramatic mountain drive in the mid-South. Rich Mountain’s single square mile contains more wild plant species than any comparable area in the world.
Mena, Barry Seal, and the Iran-Contra Affair
No account of Mena, Arkansas would be complete without the Barry Seal episode — the most nationally notorious chapter in the county’s history. In 1982, pilot Adler Berriman “Barry” Seal, who had been flying drugs from Central America to Louisiana and was now under investigation by Louisiana State Police, relocated his base of operations to Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport. That same year, CIA director William Casey began a covert operation to provide arms to the right-wing Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Seal became an informant and began flying missions from Mena as part of the Reagan administration’s Contra support program — allegedly flying Arkansas-made guns to Nicaragua and returning to Mena carrying cocaine. CIA-trained Contra pilots reportedly used an unlighted airstrip near Nella, north of Mena. The White House blocked state and federal investigations in 1988. The Polk County Sheriff grounded Seal’s aircraft at one point but said the DEA in Miami ordered him to stand down. The entire episode was the basis for the 2017 film American Made, directed by Doug Liman and starring Tom Cruise as Barry Seal.
Lum and Abner, Dorothy Shaver, and the County’s Cultural Legacy
Polk County has a notably rich cultural history for a rural Ouachita Mountain county. The beloved radio comedy Lum and Abner — which ran nationally from 1931 to 1955 and depicted two characters running the Jot ’Em Down Store in the fictional Pine Ridge, Arkansas — was created by Chester Lauck and Norris Goff, both from the Mena area. Dorothy Shaver graduated from Mena High School in 1910, went on to become president of Lord & Taylor in 1946, and is recognized as the first female president of a US multimillion-dollar corporation. Jazz pianist Bob Dorough, who created the Schoolhouse Rock “Multiplication Rock” series, also hailed from Polk County. Commonwealth College, a radical socialist labor school that operated near Mena from 1923 to 1940, trained labor organizers and left-wing activists from around the country and is one of the more unusual chapters in Arkansas educational history.
Arkansas Landlord-Tenant Law in Polk County
All residential rental relationships in Polk County are governed entirely by statewide Arkansas law. There is no local rent control, no just-cause eviction requirement, and no landlord licensing requirement in Mena or Polk County. For nonpayment, serve a 3-day notice to vacate after rent is 5+ days past due. For lease violations, serve a 14-day notice to cure. Month-to-month tenancies require 30 days’ written notice to terminate. Security deposits are capped at two months’ rent for landlords with six or more units, returned with itemized deductions within 60 days. No implied warranty of habitability by default; no repair-and-deduct remedy; self-help evictions prohibited. Polk County voted wet in 2022.
File evictions with Circuit Clerk Michelle Heath Schnell, 507 Church Ave., Mena, AR 71953, (479) 394-8100.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Arkansas attorney or contact the 18th West Judicial Circuit Court Clerk at (479) 394-8100 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page 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. Consult a licensed Arkansas attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
