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Adverse Possession Laws in Kentucky

In Kentucky, an owner's action to recover land is barred after 15 years, or 7 years for an occupant with a connected record title, and since 2025 owners can ask police to remove unlawful occupants.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Kentucky at a glance

Standard period
15 years
With color of title
7 years
Applies to an occupant with a connected title of record deducible from the Commonwealth who actually settled on the land.
Property taxes required
No
The statute sets no property tax payment requirement.
Squatter removal law
Yes, police removal on owner petition (2025)
An owner can present a petition asking a law enforcement officer to remove a person who never was a tenant, effective June 27, 2025.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Kentucky

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

Standard period in Kentucky: 15 years.

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

With color of title in Kentucky: 7 years. Applies to an occupant with a connected title of record deducible from the Commonwealth who actually settled on the land.

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

No. Property taxes required in Kentucky: no. The statute sets no property tax payment requirement.

Does Kentucky have a special law for removing squatters?

Yes, police removal on owner petition (2025). Squatter removal law in Kentucky: yes, police removal on owner petition (2025). An owner can present a petition asking a law enforcement officer to remove a person who never was a tenant, effective June 27, 2025.

Where do the Kentucky adverse possession laws come from?

The rules above come from KRS 413.010, KRS 413.060 and KRS 383.290. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

KRS 383.290, created by 2025 Ky. Acts ch. 63 and effective June 27, 2025, does not apply to current or former tenants or anyone who once had an agreement to occupy.

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.