Skip to content
Oakclause

Adverse Possession Laws in Indiana

In Indiana, an action to recover possession of real estate must be brought within 10 years, the adverse possessor must pay the taxes they believe in good faith are due, and a 2025 law lets owners have squatters removed by law enforcement.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Indiana at a glance

Standard period
10 years
Property taxes required
Yes
The possessor must pay all taxes and special assessments they reasonably believe in good faith to be due during the possession period.
Squatter removal law
Yes, affidavit to law enforcement (2025)
Under IC 32-31-12 (SEA 157, effective July 1, 2025), police must dispatch officers to remove a squatter within 48 hours of receiving the owner's affidavit, unless public safety requires later.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Indiana

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

Standard period in Indiana: 10 years.

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

Yes. Property taxes required in Indiana: yes. The possessor must pay all taxes and special assessments they reasonably believe in good faith to be due during the possession period.

Does Indiana have a special law for removing squatters?

Yes, affidavit to law enforcement (2025). Squatter removal law in Indiana: yes, affidavit to law enforcement (2025). Under IC 32-31-12 (SEA 157, effective July 1, 2025), police must dispatch officers to remove a squatter within 48 hours of receiving the owner's affidavit, unless public safety requires later.

Where do the Indiana adverse possession laws come from?

The rules above come from Ind. Code 34-11-2-11, Ind. Code 32-21-7-1 and Ind. Code 32-31-12-4. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

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.