Arkansas Public Records
The Arkansas State Records mission is to provide every person with the right to obtain, preview, detect, and examine public records, ensuring residents of the state of Arkansas are provided access in accordance with the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
The main goal of this website is to provide a method to search for, obtain, and examine public records easily, efficiently, concisely, and without the requester having to specify a “need to know”.
Arkansas State Records contains information concerning criminal records, court records, and vital records and includes information on 25 million transparent public records.
Are Arkansas Records Public?
Yes, Arkansas public records are documents pertaining to official government functions or state citizenry. In Arkansas, records of government activity are public. Any citizen of the state who is not incarcerated for a felony may conduct a public data search for public records in line with the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act of 1967. Only those records that are exempted by law are closed to the public. The right to access records also extends to taking photographs or videos and receiving deliveries of the records.
The Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-105 recognizes the right of Arkansas state citizens to access Arkansas public records. The custodians of the records are to make them available to satisfy this right. Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-103(1) defines the custodian of a public record to be the person having administrative control of the record. It does not include persons who merely hold the record for storage, safekeeping, or data processing for another. Individuals in the state can send a Public Records Act request for a free public data search to any government department, either at the state or county level. In most cases, it will be the office of the County Clerk or Recorder. However, various records are held by different offices in Arkansas state counties. The custodian of the records must respond within the specified number of days.
What is Considered Public Information in Arkansas?
Arkansas public records that are generally available to the public include:
- Arkansas court records
- Arkansas incidence reports
- Arkansas inmate records
- Arkansas sex offender registry
- Arkansas criminal records
- Uncertified vital records (like death certificates or marriage records)
Also included are consumer reports, credit reports, and related documents as specified by the Fair Credit Reporting Act; however, their accessibility is to a certain degree. On the other hand, some records are completely exempted from public disclosure per public records law. Exempted records include income tax records, ongoing law enforcement investigations, personnel records such as an individual’s birth certificate, certified copies of some Arkansas vital records, adoption records, and so on.
How Do I Find Public Records in Arkansas?
Any qualified person can find public records in Arkansas state by identifying the state department that is the custodian of the record sought and making a request to the custodian. For instance, the Arkansas Department of Health maintains all vital records in the state. Therefore, public record requests concerning vital records should be directed to the department. Requests can be to either inspect the record or to obtain copies of the record. A records custodian is obligated under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act to make the record available promptly once a request is made for it. Any reason for a denial of access to records should be stated clearly. The reason for denial should be in writing if the request was made in writing. Also, the law relied upon for denial of access to the record should be stated. The following steps can be used to obtain public records in Arkansas.
- Decide on the type of public record to be requested
The requester would need to decide the kind of public record being sought. Any record to be obtained should be part of the Arkansas public records. A person who wishes to access public records may either inspect or copy the record. If the request is to obtain copies of the record, a form should be decided on. Either electronic copies or physical copies may be obtained. However, the custodian is only obligated to provide electronic copies if the records are maintained electronically. Otherwise, the custodian has the discretion and may charge fees if the records are to be converted to an electronic form to satisfy the request. - Identify the custodian of the record
Only the custodian of a public record can make the record available. The custodian is not just any person who has access to the record. Instead, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act limits it to the official with administrative control of the record. A request to any other person may not yield a fruitful result. Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-105(a)(3) provides that if a request is made to a person that is not the custodian of the record, that person should notify the requester of this and direct the requester to the custodian if they know who it is. Only the custodian is obligated to fulfil a request. - Make a request
Once the custodian has been identified, the requester may proceed with making the request. The request should clearly identify the record, either through a unique number or the name of the subject. As much information as possible should be given to help the custodian find the record. If the custodian cannot reasonably find the record with the information provided, they may decline the request. Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-105(a)(2B) allows requesters to make their requests in person, by telephone, by mail, by fax, by email, or through any other electronic means provided by the custodian.
For illustrative purposes, the following are the custodian offices of various public records in Pulaski County - these offices are primarily situated in Little Rock Arkansas:
Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk: This office maintains public records, vital records, court record information as well as records of appellate court proceedings within county limits. They also have a dedicated department that maintains property records. In person queries may be made to:
401 West Markham Street
Little Rock Ar 72201
Phone: (501) 340-8500
Pulaski County Sheriff: The County Sheriff’s office maintains and processes requests for criminal background check, jail records, sex offender information, criminal history information. Where the County Sheriff’s Office can not provide the required information, queries may be directed to the Arkansas State Police:
Pulaski County Sheriff
2900 South Woodrow
Little Rock Ar 72204
Arkansas State Police
One State Police Plaza Dr
Little Rock AR 72209
(501) 618-8000
Pulaski County Assessor: The county assessor office maintains information regarding real estate transactions within county limits:
Pulaski County Assessor's Office
201 S Broadway, Ste. 310
Little Rock AR. 72201
Phone: (501) 340-6170
Fax: (501) 340-6009
Pulaski County Treasurer: This office primarily maintains tax-record information of county residents:
Pulaski County Treasurer
P.O. Box 8101
Little Rock, AR 72203
At state level, inquirers may also make FOIA requests to the Arkansas Attorney General’s office or, to the concerned record custodian in Arkansas state, if known.
Attorney General of Arkansas
323 Center Street, Suite 200
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 682-2007
(800) 482-8982
For health or medically related FOIA requests, queries may be addressed to:
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 661-2609
Fax: (501) 661-2357
How Do I Look Up Public Records in Arkansas for Free?
Some public records in Arkansas state may be accessed for free. The office of the county clerk and/or county recorder in some judicial districts offers free public record searches for selected records. However, conducting a free public records search would depend on some factors, such as the person who makes the request, the custodian of the record, how the record is stored, and the record sought. Inspecting a record physically while it remains in the custodian’s possession attracts no cost. Additionally, the requester may take pictures and make videos of the record for free while it is in the custodian’s possession. Government entities that allow the inspection of records usually provide terminals and lobbies for the inspection. A requester may access these records during business hours when the custodian conducts business. Arkansas courts provide public access to free Arkansas court records. Some other free public records that may be examined physically include arrest records, incidence reports, sex offender registry, and inmate records. Electronic copies of records may also be made available at no cost. The requester does not need to be physically present to obtain electronic copies of records. A request can be made by telephone, email, or other electronic means. Some records, such as sex offender information, may be accessed free online.
Records that are not likely to be obtained for free include criminal history records or a criminal background check, certified copies of Arkansas vital records, including death records or a death certificate, birth certificate, marriage records, and divorce records. This is because of the extensive process required to obtain them. For instance, background checks (run by the Arkansas state police) typically require the consent and/or the fingerprint of the record holder. Similarly, to obtain certified copies of a vital record, the requester must provide a written and notarized consent form from the record holder, as well as the standard processing fee for certified copies.
Arkansas public records have been created since 1823 and usually include information from all 75 counties. In the past 30 years, digitalization of these records has become the new standard, and records are becoming increasingly available online through both government and third-party websites. This helps to ensure Arkansas abides by the commitment of the United States of America to remain a fair and just society for all.
