The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under Ark. Code Sections 18-16-301 to 18-16-305, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 60 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
Arkansas generally caps the deposit at 2 months' rent for covered landlords, though smaller landlords can fall outside that cap, and the landlord usually has 60 days to send the refund and itemized deductions.
This dispute type
Arkansas renters usually push back on carpet-cleaning deductions when the landlord appears to be charging for routine turnover rather than a tenant-caused problem. The timing, itemization, and bad-faith rules still matter even when the landlord says the carpet needed extra work.
Penalty leverage
If the withholding was wrongful or in bad faith, the exposure allowed under the statute is: You can recover up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees