New Arkansas law requires photo ID for deed recording starting August 5

Property owners in Arkansas will face new identification requirements when recording deeds beginning Aug. 5, 2025, following the passage of Act 752 by the Arkansas General Assembly.

The law mandates that anyone presenting a deed for recording in person or by mail must be either a grantor named in the deed or an individual who signed the deed on behalf of a grantor. Additionally, they must provide valid government-issued photo identification.

According to a release from Independence County Circuit Clerk Greg Wallis, those recording deeds in person must present a valid government-issued photo identification card or driver’s license along with the deed. For mail-in recordings, a photocopy of valid identification must be enclosed with the deed.

“Deeds recorded in person or by mail that are not accompanied by an identification card or driver’s license proving the identity of the grantor or person who signed the deed on behalf of the grantor will be rejected,” the release said.

The new requirements do not apply to deeds submitted through the county’s electronic recording system. Several categories of professionals and entities also are exempt from the identification requirement, including:

• Attorneys
• Real estate brokers and agents
• Representatives of banks, mortgage companies or lending institutions
• Title insurance agents, agencies or affiliated persons
• The Commissioner of State Lands
• Representatives of the state or political subdivisions
• The state itself, Arkansas municipalities or political subdivisions

Property owners with questions about Act 752 are encouraged to contact their county recorder’s office for clarification on the new requirements.