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Pulaski County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Pulaski County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Probate filings go to | Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk, Central Receiving, room 120, Pulaski County Courthouse, 401 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72201 |
| Probate filing phone | 501-340-8412 |
| Main office phone | 501-340-8500 |
| Fax | 501-421-0293 |
| [email protected] for Central Receiving; [email protected] for general inquiries | |
| Mailing address | 401 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72201 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; call Central Receiving to confirm any same-day filing cutoff |
| Filing fee | $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, made up of the $150.00 uniform filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, reprinted by 2013 Act 282, effective March 6, 2013, plus the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416, created by 2009 Act 328, approved March 9, 2009. A small estate affidavit costs $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, with certified copies at $5.00 each. |
| Local forms | The clerk links the Arkansas Judiciary official probate forms and statewide probate cover sheet, and also publishes a Pulaski-captioned Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask Central Receiving whether the court will register them to e-file; otherwise, the clerk accepts filings in room 120 or by USPS, FedEx or UPS. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad is free and does not require a login to search. The clerk publishes that Pulaski County probate case images go back to January 1, 2006, and lists the document types that are not viewable online. |
| Remote appearance | Whether a probate hearing can be attended by phone or video is set by the circuit judge and the Sixth Judicial Circuit's administrative plan under Administrative Order No. 14. Ask the clerk before making travel plans. |
| Website | pulaskiclerkar.gov |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Pulaski County, identify the assets, debts, title, beneficiaries and likely creditors. That determines whether estate settlement can stay outside a full court case, whether the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is possible, and whether a house sale or bank requirement means letters are needed.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions, which helps families see what is jointly owned, what is in the decedent's name alone and what already has a beneficiary. In Pulaski County, that work can be the difference between filing at Central Receiving in room 120 and not needing a court filing at all.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Pulaski County is filed at the Pulaski County Courthouse in Little Rock, in the probate division of the Pulaski County Circuit Court. Pulaski County sits in Arkansas's Sixth Judicial Circuit, which also includes Perry County, but a Pulaski County estate is filed at the Pulaski County Courthouse, not at another county's courthouse.
Venue follows A.C.A. § 28-40-102: file where the decedent resided at death; if the decedent was not an Arkansas resident, where the greater part in value of the Arkansas property is located; if there was no Arkansas residence or property but the death occurred in Arkansas, where the death occurred; or, if none of those applies, in any county where the personal representative could maintain a cause of action. The first legally commenced proceeding controls the Arkansas property, and a case filed in the wrong county is transferred rather than dismissed under A.C.A. § 28-40-102.
Pulaski County covers Little Rock, North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Sherwood, Maumelle, Cammack Village and Wrightsville. Alexander straddles the Pulaski and Saline county line, so confirm the decedent's residence and property location before filing.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, and a list of what the decedent owned and owed.
- Check the Arkansas outer limit. A will must be offered for probate and administration must be applied for within five years of death under A.C.A. § 28-40-103.
- Choose the route. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee may be available once 45 days have passed and the estate meets the value rules in A.C.A. § 28-41-101, including the exclusions for the homestead and statutory allowances under A.C.A. § 28-39-101. Otherwise, prepare for full administration.
- Prepare the petition on the Arkansas Judiciary official probate form that matches the situation, and add the statewide probate cover sheet that the Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk links from its forms page.
- File at Central Receiving, room 120, at the Pulaski County Courthouse, 401 West Markham Street, Little Rock. Attorneys file through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer files at the counter, by USPS, FedEx or UPS, or asks Central Receiving whether the court will register them to e-file.
- Pay $165.00 to open the estate, made up of $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416, or ask about a court order under Rule 72 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure if the filer needs to proceed in forma pauperis. Central Receiving accepts cash, check, money order or credit card in person, and personal checks and money orders must include the payer's full name, driver's license number and phone number.
- Handle notice and any hearing. A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or if a demand for notice has been filed, and is otherwise up to the court under A.C.A. § 28-40-110. Ask the clerk how the case is being set and whether any hearing can be attended by phone or video.
- The circuit judge admits the will and appoints the personal representative. After appointment and any required bond or acceptance, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the court's seal under A.C.A. § 28-48-102.
- Promptly publish the notice of appointment, then serve a copy on known heirs, devisees and creditors, including the Department of Human Services when required, within one month after first publication under A.C.A. § 28-40-111. The newspaper sets its own publication charge.
- File the inventory on the Judiciary's official form, then administer the estate, collect assets, manage claims and pay approved debts.
- Track the creditor deadline. Claims are forever barred six months after the date of first publication under A.C.A. § 28-40-111.
- File accountings and final papers with the Court Clerks unit in room 121, which handles existing Pulaski County cases, then distribute the remaining property after the court allows final distribution and discharge.
- Order certified copies of letters from County Records in room 103. Certified copies cost $5.00 each under A.C.A. § 21-6-413 and can be picked up or mailed, but the office states they cannot be emailed.
Executor duties
| Local task | What to do in Pulaski County |
|---|---|
| Use the right room after opening | Central Receiving in room 120 opens new cases. Once the estate is open, filings such as the inventory, accounting and final papers go through Court Clerks in room 121 on 501-340-8431. |
| Order letters early | Banks, transfer agents and government agencies often ask for certified copies of letters. In Pulaski County, County Records in room 103 issues them at $5.00 each under A.C.A. § 21-6-413. |
| Budget for publication | The notice of appointment must be published under A.C.A. § 28-40-111, and the newspaper sets the publication charge. The court does not publish a newspaper rate. |
| Bring legal questions to counsel | The clerk can accept filings and collect fees, but the office states that its staff is not allowed to give legal advice. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Pulaski County
The Arkansas Judiciary publishes official probate forms, and Pulaski County links those forms from the clerk's own site. For a decedent's estate, the commonly used statewide forms include the petition for appointment of an administrator, the petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative, letters testamentary, letters of administration, the designation of process agent, the inventory form and the Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Pulaski County also links the statewide probate cover sheet as its probate cover sheet. Include it with a petition or other opening filing.
The county-specific form is the Pulaski-captioned Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee. File that affidavit with Central Receiving in room 120, pay the $25.00 filing fee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, then obtain certified copies at $5.00 each for banks or transfer agents.
Fees
| Fee | Amount and authority |
|---|---|
| Open a decedent's estate | $165.00. Pulaski County's Court Filings Fee Schedule dated May 20, 2019 matches the statewide total: $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, reprinted by 2013 Act 282, effective March 6, 2013, plus $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416, created by 2009 Act 328, approved March 9, 2009. |
| Reopen a case | $50.00 under the Pulaski schedule and A.C.A. § 21-6-403. |
| Affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee | $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 and A.C.A. § 21-6-413. |
| Certified copies of letters | $5.00 each under A.C.A. § 21-6-413. County Records in room 103 provides them in person or by mail, and the office states they cannot be emailed. |
| Affidavit of claim against an estate | $5.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-413. |
| Filing and recording all accounts and settlements | $50.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-413. |
| Copy charges | The Pulaski Misc. Fee Schedule dated May 20, 2019 lists black and white copies at $0.03 per page, color copies at $0.20 per page and certified or authenticated copies at $5.00 per seal. |
For in-person payments at Central Receiving, the clerk accepts credit card, money order, cash or check. Personal checks and money orders must include the payer's full name, driver's license number and phone number. If the court allows an indigent filer to proceed in forma pauperis by order under Rule 72 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure, A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and A.C.A. § 21-6-416 waive the filing fee.
Local nuance
Pulaski County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| One combined clerk's office | Pulaski County uses the Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk. In many Arkansas counties, families must determine which of two elected clerks keeps probate records. In Pulaski County, there is one office for that question. |
| Three rooms inside one office | New probate cases are opened at Central Receiving in room 120 on 501-340-8412. Existing cases are handled by Court Clerks in room 121 on 501-340-8431. Certified copies come from County Records in room 103 on 501-340-8766. |
| In-person filing is preferred | The clerk accepts USPS, FedEx and UPS filings, but states that in-person filing is preferred. If a mailed packet has to be returned for correction or missing payment, the filing date can be delayed. |
| Courthouse access and parking | The office states that the public entrance is on Markham Street across from the Doubletree Hotel. It also names metered street parking and a paid garage at the Doubletree Hotel across from the courthouse. |
| Pulaski-captioned small estate affidavit | The clerk publishes its own county-captioned affidavit for the small estate route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, in addition to linking the statewide probate forms and probate cover sheet. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Pulaski County's local layer for the small estate route is practical: the clerk publishes a Pulaski-captioned Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee, and it is filed with Central Receiving in room 120. The affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is a court filing, not a document handed straight to a bank.
The clerk's filing charge is $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, with certified copies at $5.00 each. After filing, a certified copy is what the distributee provides to a bank, transfer agent or other holder of property. If real property is included, the Arkansas statute adds a publication step under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Recent updates
| Update | Date | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide legal aid coverage | January 1, 2026 | Legal Aid of Arkansas became the statewide civil legal aid provider for all 75 counties, including Pulaski County. Its statewide intake number is 1-800-952-9243. |
| eFlex rejection policy | December 9, 2025 | The Arkansas Judiciary's Electronic Filing Rejection Policy took effect for filings through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov under Administrative Order No. 21. |
| eFlex subscription billing | June 5, 2026 | Subscription billing in eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov is being discontinued; the Judiciary states that other payment methods remain available. |
| Case lookup | No date published | The Arkansas Judiciary moved public case lookup to Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Persona | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by checking how the deed is titled. Property that passes by survivorship does not pass through the estate. If a filing is still needed in Pulaski County, open it at Central Receiving in room 120 with the Arkansas Judiciary petition and the probate cover sheet, paying $165.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and A.C.A. § 21-6-416. If the affidavit route is being considered, the homestead and statutory allowances under A.C.A. § 28-39-101 are part of the calculation rules in A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions so the spouse can see what is jointly held, what was in the decedent's name alone and what already has a beneficiary. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If 45 days have passed and A.C.A. § 28-41-101 fits, use the Pulaski-captioned affidavit and file it with Central Receiving in room 120. The filing is $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, and certified copies are $5.00 each. The clerk accepts mailed or couriered packets, but warns that errors or missing payment can cause a returned packet and delay the filing date. If letters are needed, ask the clerk about the designation of process agent form and whether any hearing can be attended by phone or video. | Sunset assembles account and asset information from a distance, helping the family avoid repeat trips to Little Rock during estate settlement. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The Arkansas affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 can include real property, but real property triggers publication and a creditor window. A sale and title company will often want letters, which means full administration filed at Central Receiving for $165.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and A.C.A. § 21-6-416. After appointment, the clerk issues letters under A.C.A. § 28-48-102, and certified copies come from County Records in room 103 at $5.00 each under A.C.A. § 21-6-413. | Sunset helps identify the mortgage, insurance, utilities and liens tied to the property, then connects the family with a vetted local probate attorney for the sale. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk, Central Receiving | Files all new probate cases in room 120 and publishes Pulaski's forms, fee schedules and image-availability summary. The office states its staff is not allowed to give legal advice. | 501-340-8412; [email protected]; pulaskiclerkar.gov/departments/central-receiving/ |
| Arkansas Judiciary official probate forms | Statewide probate forms and the probate cover sheet that the Pulaski clerk links for local filing. | arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms/probate-division/forms |
| Arkansas Law Help | Statewide public legal information, including a small estate packet that explains filing an affidavit with the probate clerk under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, the $25.00 filing charge and $5.00 certified copies. | arlawhelp.org |
| Search ARCourts | Free statewide case lookup at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad by party name or case number. The clerk publishes that Pulaski County probate case images go back to January 1, 2006, and lists the document types that are not viewable online. | caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Statewide civil legal aid provider for income-eligible Arkansans. It is a place to check eligibility, but its published priorities do not list estate administration, so it may not take an estate matter. | 1-800-952-9243; arlegalaid.org |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in Pulaski County when a petition is contested, a demand for notice has been filed, a home must be sold, a will's validity is in doubt, debts appear to exceed known assets, or a nonresident personal representative is managing a Little Rock filing from another state. The clerk can receive filings and collect fees, but the office states that staff cannot answer legal questions. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts and other assets before choosing a Pulaski County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Arkansas Judiciary official probate forms, the Pulaski-linked probate cover sheet and the supporting documents a family brings or mails to Central Receiving.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Little Rock filing involves a house sale, a dispute, creditor pressure or a nonresident personal representative, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the assets, organize the work and move through estate settlement without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Pulaski County, Arkansas?
File new probate matters with Central Receiving, room 120, at the Pulaski County Courthouse, 401 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. Central Receiving is part of the Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk's office and opens all new civil, domestic and probate cases. The phone number is 501-340-8412.
Is the probate clerk in Pulaski County the circuit clerk or the county clerk?
In Pulaski County, it is one combined office: the Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk. That means families use one office and one filing counter for the probate division of the Pulaski County Circuit Court.
What does it cost to open probate in Pulaski County?
It costs $165.00 to open a decedent's estate: $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 plus the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. The Pulaski clerk's Court Filings Fee Schedule dated May 20, 2019 prints the same total. A small estate affidavit is $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, with certified copies at $5.00 each. A fee waiver can be ordered under Rule 72 for a filer allowed to proceed in forma pauperis.
Can I e-file a Pulaski County probate case if I do not have a lawyer?
Attorneys file through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. The portal describes a self-represented litigant as appearing in a particular court, so ask Central Receiving on 501-340-8412 whether Pulaski County will register you. Otherwise, file at the counter in room 120 or send the papers by USPS, FedEx or UPS.
Does Pulaski County have its own probate forms?
The clerk links the Arkansas Judiciary official probate forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. Pulaski County also publishes its own county-captioned Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Will there be a hearing on my Pulaski County probate petition?
A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or if a demand for notice has been filed, and is otherwise up to the court under A.C.A. § 28-40-110. The county does not publish probate hearing days or waiting times, so ask the clerk what has been set in your case.
Can I attend a Pulaski County probate hearing by phone or video?
That is set by the circuit judge and the Sixth Judicial Circuit's administrative plan under Administrative Order No. 14. Ask the clerk's office or the judge's chambers before planning around a phone or video appearance.
How do I look up a Pulaski County probate case online?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. It is free and does not require a login to search by party name or case number. Pulaski County publishes that probate case images go back to January 1, 2006, and that some document types, including adoption records and a will deposited for safekeeping, are not viewable online.
How do I get certified copies of letters testamentary in Pulaski County?
Order them from County Records, room 103, at 401 West Markham Street, or call 501-340-8766. Certified copies cost $5.00 each under A.C.A. § 21-6-413. The office states they can be picked up or mailed, but cannot be emailed. Letters testamentary and letters of administration are issued by the clerk under the court's seal after appointment under A.C.A. § 28-48-102.
Do I have to travel to Little Rock to settle a Pulaski County estate?
Not for every step. Central Receiving accepts papers by USPS, FedEx or UPS, and certified copies can be mailed. The office says it prefers in-person filings and warns that a mailed packet returned for correction can delay the filing date. Whether any hearing can be attended by phone or video must be cleared with the clerk and the circuit judge.
How long do I have to open probate in Pulaski County?
Arkansas requires a will to be offered for probate and administration to be applied for within five years of death under A.C.A. § 28-40-103. Separately, after letters are granted and notice is published, creditor claims are forever barred six months after first publication under A.C.A. § 28-40-111.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.