How long adverse possession takes, whether your state has a fast-track squatter removal law, and what you legally can and cannot do about an unauthorized occupant — for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with every claim cited to the statute.
More than a dozen states passed new squatter-removal laws in 2024–2026, and most guides on the internet predate all of them. The first question is always the same: is the person a squatter or a tenant? Get that wrong and the fast-track laws don't apply — find your state below.
| State | Adverse Possession | Removal Path |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 20 years (10 with recorded title/taxes) | Sheriff removal by affidavit (2024 law) |
| Alaska | 7 years (color of title); 10 boundary | No expedited law; trespass or FED action |
| Arizona | 10 years (3 with color of title) | Expedited forcible detainer (2026 law) |
| Arkansas | 7 years with color of title and taxes | Criminal 'unlawful squatting' charge (2025 law) |
| California | 5 years with all property taxes paid | No expedited law; UD or forcible detainer |
| Colorado | 18 years (7 with color of title+taxes) | Court injunction, sheriff removal within days |
| Connecticut | 15 years, no shortcuts | No expedited law; summary process only |
| Delaware | 20 years, no shortcuts | No expedited law; trespass or ejectment |
| Florida | 7 years, with taxes or color of title | Sheriff removal on verified complaint, § 82.036 |
| Georgia | 20 years; 7 with color of title | Criminal citation plus 3-day documentation window |
| Hawaii | 20 years, good faith, 5-acre limit | No expedited statute; court action required |
| Idaho | 20 years plus payment of taxes | Sheriff removal without court, § 6-310A |
| Illinois | 20 years; 7 with title and taxes | Police trespass removal since 2026, SB 1563 |
| Indiana | 10 years plus tax payment requirement | 48-hour law enforcement removal, IC 32-31-12 |
| Iowa | 10 years under claim of right | No expedited statute; trespass or FED action |
| Kansas | 15 years, adverse or good-faith belief | Sheriff affidavit removal since July 2026 |
| Kentucky | 15 years; 7 under color of title | Law enforcement petition removal, KRS 383.290 |
| Louisiana | Acquisitive prescription: 10 or 30 years | Occupant eviction plus criminal-trespass and injunction route |
| Maine | 20 years; no statutory shortcuts | Forcible entry and detainer; no expedited statute |
| Maryland | 20 years continuous, hostile, notorious possession | Wrongful detainer with 10-business-day hearing |
| Massachusetts | 20 years; registered land is immune | Summary process or ejectment; no fast lane |
| Michigan | 15 years; squatting itself is criminal | Self-help allowed against pure squatters since 2014 |
| Minnesota | 15 years plus five years of taxes | Eviction action and sheriff; no expedited statute |
| Mississippi | 10 years; 2025 law blocks squatters | Affidavit to police; removal without court writ |
| Missouri | 10 years hostile, open, exclusive possession | Ex parte removal order under Section 534.602 |
| Montana | 5 years plus payment of all taxes | Police may remove squatters under 2025 law |
| Nebraska | 10 years; no tax or title requirement | No expedited path; court eviction required |
| Nevada | 5 years with taxes paid; taxes indispensable | Criminal statutes plus swift civil surrender process |
| New Hampshire | 20 years adverse, exclusive, continuous possession | 48-hour hearing, immediate law-enforcement removal |
| New Jersey | 30 years; 60 for woodlands; longest tier | Superior Court ejectment; no expedited statute |
| New Mexico | 10 years, color of title, taxes required | No squatter statute; trespass or court action |
| New York | 10 years; 2008 reforms gut squatter claims | Ten-day notice, summary proceeding, court warrant |
| North Carolina | 20 years; 7 with color of title | Magistrate removal in roughly four days |
| North Dakota | 20 years; 10 with title and taxes | Felony trespass arrest or fast eviction action |
| Ohio | 21 years of exclusive, hostile possession | No expedited path; standard eviction required |
| Oklahoma | 15 years of hostile, continuous possession | Sheriff removal on verified complaint since 2024 |
| Oregon | 10 years plus honest belief of ownership | 24-hour notice, then expedited FED eviction |
| Pennsylvania | 21 years standard; 10 for small homes | Act 88: squatters excluded from eviction protections |
| Rhode Island | 10 years of open, exclusive possession | No fast lane; trespass or ejectment action |
| South Carolina | 10 years of continuous, hostile possession | Ex parte removal order since June 2026 |
| South Dakota | 20 years; 10 with color of title | No expedited statute; fast FED after 2024 |
| Tennessee | 7 years with color of title; 20 otherwise | Sheriff removal: residential 2024, commercial 2025 |
| Texas | Ladder of 3, 5, 10, or 25 years | Sheriff removal under new Chapter 24B |
| Utah | Seven years, but taxes must be paid | Police removal on complaint under SB 55 |
| Vermont | Fifteen years of open, hostile possession | No expedited path; ejectment lawsuit required |
| Virginia | Fifteen years; no statutory shortcuts | 72-hour notice, emergency hearing in 14 days |
| Washington | Ten years; seven with title and taxes | Police removal on a sworn declaration |
| Washington, D.C. | Fifteen years; claims rarely succeed | Court only; U.S. Marshals execute evictions |
| West Virginia | Ten years of hostile, continuous possession | Stop Squatters Act: law enforcement removal |
| Wisconsin | Twenty years; shorter with title papers | No expedited statute; eviction or trespass arrest |
| Wyoming | Ten years; no tax or title requirement | Sheriff removal under 2025 Article 14 |
The best squatter defense is paperwork that proves who belongs there.
Vantric keeps your leases, tenants, and payment records in one place, so "is this person an authorized occupant" is never an open question — built for landlords with 1–10 units.
Start Free TrialThese guides are general information, not legal advice. Squatter and trespass law changes fast and turns on facts — talk to a local attorney or law enforcement before acting.