Standards

Ark Code 14-15-402
To be recorded by the county recorder for recording purposes, all documents shall:

1. Be on 8 ½” by 11” paper
2. Have a 2 ½” margin at the right top of the first page, ½” margin on the sides and bottoms of all pages, and a 2 ½” margin at the bottom of the last page;
3. Have an area reserved on the top right of the first page for the file mark of the recorder;
4. Contain the following information:
   1. The title of the document; and
   2. The name of the grantor and grantee, when applicable;
5. Be acknowledged or otherwise executed as permitted by §16-47-107 or §18-12-208;
6. Be legible.  (The document must be legible once scanned.)

Documents must have original signatures or be certified by a court or agency of competent jurisdiction.

If your original document does not meet the above standards, the recorder may waive the requirements for good cause and record your document for an additional $25.00. Said fee is in addition to the regular recording fees.

All deeds must have the following statement signed by the grantee or his or her agent, and the grantee’s address shall be clearly shown on the instrument:

“I certify under penalty of false swearing that documentary stamps or a documentary symbol in the legally correct amount has been placed on this instrument.”

An affidavit or compliance form from the Department of Finance and Administration or a receipt showing proof of tax paid is not required to be attached to an instrument that is exempt from the payment of the real property transfer tax if the instrument contains the following statement or a substantially similar statement, acknowledged in the same manner required under subdivision (b)(2)(B) of this section:

      “This instrument is exempt from the real property transfer tax.”

All deeds must have the address for the tax statement or the document will be returned.

We find that legal descriptions that have been faxed and then taped onto the document are not legible when reproduced. Legal descriptions that have been reduced to “fit” into the document are many times illegible. Try having those descriptions e-mailed. Or if you are sending it by fax to have it signed and then mailed, try making it an attachment on e-mail. Any font less than eleven (11) could cause the document to be illegible as well. A personal request is that you do not fold your documents when mailing to this office but instead mail them in large envelopes. The creases that are made when folding can result in blacked out lines across the document when scanned. This sometimes falls across the land description or the names of the parties, which is necessary information for proper indexing purposes. Non-textured 20 lb. bond paper is preferred for best scanning results. Enclose self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of documents. If your original document does not meet the above standards in allowing space for the File mark, you may add a cover sheet. Additional charges will apply. Cover sheet must have a top margin of 2 1/2″. List the type of document, grantor(s) and grantee(s) in the middle of the document. (Example: Death Certificate)

Re-recordings: This office is not re-recording instruments unless pre-approved. Especially under the new guidelines, it makes it difficult to re-record as once the 2 ½” margins have been filled; there is no more space available to put our recording information. If it is necessary to re-record, you may be required to add a cover page to your document with the information as to why it is being re-recorded and allowing additional space for the file mark as well as Certificate of Record at the end of the document. Certificate of Record printed on your forms is no longer needed as our office upon recording now prints it. Make sure that all deeds have the following affidavit signed: “I certify under penalty of false swearing that documentary stamps or a documentary symbol in the legally correct amount has been placed on this instrument.” Any variation from this statement will result in the return of the document without recording. No exceptions.