Adverse Possession Laws in Alabama

In Alabama, statutory adverse possession takes 10 years and requires a recorded deed or color of title, 10 years of listing the land for taxes, or title by inheritance, and a 2024 law lets owners have squatters removed by law enforcement on a sworn affidavit.

Last checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Standard period: 10 years; Requires a deed or color of title recorded for 10 years, 10 years of listing the land for taxes, or title by descent or devise. These requirements do not apply to boundary disputes between neighbors.
With color of title: 10 years (one of three routes); Color of title is one of three alternative routes; it does not shorten the 10-year period.
Property taxes required: Only as one of three routes; Listing the land for taxation for 10 years is one way to qualify; a recorded deed or inheritance are the others.
Squatter removal law: Yes, affidavit to law enforcement (2024); Since June 1, 2024 (Act 2024-237), an owner can file a sworn affidavit with local law enforcement to remove an unauthorized individual from a dwelling.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in Alabama

How many years of possession are required for adverse possession in Alabama?

Standard period in Alabama: 10 years. Requires a deed or color of title recorded for 10 years, 10 years of listing the land for taxes, or title by descent or devise. These requirements do not apply to boundary disputes between neighbors.

Is the adverse possession period shorter with color of title in Alabama?

With color of title in Alabama: 10 years (one of three routes). Color of title is one of three alternative routes; it does not shorten the 10-year period.

Does the occupant have to pay property taxes to claim adverse possession in Alabama?

Only as one of three routes. Property taxes required in Alabama: only as one of three routes. Listing the land for taxation for 10 years is one way to qualify; a recorded deed or inheritance are the others.

Does Alabama have a special law for removing squatters?

Yes, affidavit to law enforcement (2024). Squatter removal law in Alabama: yes, affidavit to law enforcement (2024). Since June 1, 2024 (Act 2024-237), an owner can file a sworn affidavit with local law enforcement to remove an unauthorized individual from a dwelling.

Where do the Alabama adverse possession laws come from?

The rules above come from Ala. Code 6-5-200 and Ala. Code 35-9B-2. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Act 2024-237, effective June 1, 2024, also created the crime of fraudulent sale or lease of residential real property.

What this means in practice

Courts usually require possession that is actual, open, continuous, exclusive and hostile (without the owner's permission) for the full statutory period. The person claiming the land generally has to prove each element, and courts read these requirements strictly.

Owners can protect themselves by inspecting vacant or rural land regularly, keeping boundary lines marked, and responding quickly to fences, buildings or other uses that cross the line. Written permission, such as a simple license or lease, can make a neighbor's use permissive instead of hostile.

Adverse possession does not usually transfer title automatically. The occupant often needs a court judgment, such as in a quiet title action, before the new ownership can be recorded. Boundary disputes between neighbors are often settled with a survey and a recorded deed instead of a lawsuit.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.

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