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Homestead Exemption Laws in Arkansas

Arkansas's constitutional homestead is capped at $2,500 in value, but a minimum of 80 acres in rural areas or one-quarter acre in a city or town is protected regardless of value, within limits of 160 acres rural or 1 acre urban.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Arkansas at a glance

Exemption amount
$2,500, but a minimum area is fully protected
The $2,500 cap cannot reduce a rural homestead below 80 acres or an urban one below one-quarter acre, so the core area is protected without regard to value.
Unlimited in value
Partly: minimum area only
80 acres rural or one-quarter acre urban are protected without regard to value.
Acreage limit
1 acre in a city or town, 160 acres elsewhere
Never reduced below 80 acres rural or one-quarter acre urban.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Arkansas

How much home equity does the homestead exemption protect in Arkansas?

Exemption amount in Arkansas: $2,500, but a minimum area is fully protected. The $2,500 cap cannot reduce a rural homestead below 80 acres or an urban one below one-quarter acre, so the core area is protected without regard to value.

Is the homestead exemption unlimited in value in Arkansas?

Partly: minimum area only. Unlimited in value in Arkansas: partly: minimum area only. 80 acres rural or one-quarter acre urban are protected without regard to value.

Is there an acreage limit on the homestead exemption in Arkansas?

Acreage limit in Arkansas: 1 acre in a city or town, 160 acres elsewhere. Never reduced below 80 acres rural or one-quarter acre urban.

Where do the Arkansas homestead exemption laws come from?

The rules above come from Ark. Const. art. 9, 3, Ark. Const. art. 9, 4 and Ark. Const. art. 9, 5. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The constitutional homestead applies to a resident who is married or the head of a family.

What this means in practice

The exemption applies to equity, not to the full value of the home. Equity is the market value minus the mortgages and other liens on the property. A lender that holds a mortgage on the home, and certain other claims such as taxes on the property, can usually still be enforced against it regardless of the exemption.

Check whether you need to take a step to claim the protection. Some states protect a home automatically once it is your residence, while others require you to record a homestead declaration with the county or to claim the exemption in court when a creditor tries to collect.

In bankruptcy, federal law can limit a state homestead exemption for a home bought within a set period before the filing, and residency rules decide which state's exemptions apply if you moved recently. Some states also let filers choose the federal bankruptcy exemptions instead of the state list. A bankruptcy attorney can confirm which rules apply to your situation.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.