Squatters Rights in Maine: 20-Year Adverse Possession Law
Maine requires 20 continuous years of open, notorious, exclusive, hostile possession — one of the longest periods in the country, with no tax-payment or color-of-title shortcut.
Last reviewed July 8, 2026 — statutes and case law independently verified against official sources
Maine vs Neighboring States: Quick Comparison
- Statutory Period
- 20 years
- Tax Payment Required
- No
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Yes 2024–2025
- Statutory Period
- 20 years
- Tax Payment Required
- No
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Yes 2024–2025
Data verified for 2026. Laws subject to change, verify with official state statutes.
The Path to Adverse Possession in Maine
A visual summary of what a claimant must complete, start to finish.
How Adverse Possession Works in Maine
To claim ownership of property through adverse possession in Maine, a claimant must possess the land for 20 years while meeting the legal requirements established under state law.
Legal Basis and Statutory Period
Maine’s adverse possession law is codified under Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 801. The standard statutory period is 20 years of continuous, open, and hostile possession.
Property Tax Requirements
Maine does not condition adverse possession on tax payment.
Color of Title Rules
Maine's statute does not offer a shortened period for color of title.
Key Legal Requirements
- Actual possession
- Open and notorious possession
- Hostile possession
- Exclusive possession
- Continuous possession for 20 years
What Are Your Legal Options in Maine?
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Recent Law Changes in Maine
No major legislative changes found in available research as of mid-2026. Unlike many neighboring states, Maine has not enacted an expedited or administrative squatter-removal process as of the most recent available research.
Maine Adverse Possession Procedures
Making an Adverse Possession Claim
To establish adverse possession in Maine, a claimant must generally satisfy the 20-year statutory period under 14 M.R.S. § 801 and prove every element in a quiet title or real action.
- File a real action (or action to quiet title) in the Superior Court for the county where the property sits
- Prove possession was actual, open, visible, notorious, hostile, under a claim of right, exclusive, and continuous for the full 20 years required by 14 M.R.S. § 801
- For uncultivated land in an incorporated place, also show payment of property taxes on the parcel throughout the claimed period, as required by 14 M.R.S. § 816
- If the claim rests on a mistaken boundary line, rely on 14 M.R.S. § 810-A, which allows a mistaken claimant to satisfy hostility without proving they knew the land wasn't theirs
- Present supporting evidence such as surveys, tax records, photographs of improvements, and witness testimony
- Obtain a judgment and record it with the county Registry of Deeds to clear title
Maine has one of the longest adverse possession periods in the country at 20 years, and unlike many states it does not offer a shortened period for claimants with 'color of title.'
Defending Against Squatters
Maine property owners can take a number of practical steps to prevent an adverse possession claim from ever ripening.
- Inspect vacant or rural property regularly, especially wild or wooded parcels
- Post 'No Trespassing' notices, which under 14 M.R.S. § 814 can also start the clock on removing trespassers from wild lands
- Keep surveys and boundary records current, particularly given Maine's mistaken-boundary rule under § 810-A
- Grant explicit written permission for any use you do allow -- permissive use defeats the hostility element
- Pay property taxes promptly, since unpaid taxes on wild land can strengthen a claimant's position under § 816
- Act before the 20-year period runs; once it expires, the record owner's right of entry is barred
Any interruption of continuous possession -- including a successful eviction or a landowner reasserting control -- restarts the 20-year clock.
Removing Squatters
Maine's exclusive civil remedy for removing an unauthorized occupant is the Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) process, handled in Maine District Court.
- Serve the occupant with a written demand to vacate (Maine allows a 7-day notice for someone who was never authorized to be on the property)
- File an FED complaint in the District Court for the county where the property is located ($100 filing fee)
- Attend the hearing, which the court must schedule as soon as practicable and generally no later than 10 days after the return day
- If the court rules for the owner, obtain a writ of possession, issued roughly 7 days after judgment absent an appeal
- Have a law enforcement officer execute the writ to remove the occupant
Maine law bars self-help evictions -- changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities -- even against a squatter with no legal claim whatsoever; owners must use the FED process.
Notable Maine Adverse Possession Cases
Preble v. Maine Central Railroad Co. (1893)
85 Me. 260, 27 A. 149 (1893)
This 19th-century decision originated the so-called 'Maine Rule,' holding that a person who occupies land beyond their true boundary line by mistake, without intending to claim land that isn't actually theirs, does not acquire it by adverse possession. It made a claimant's subjective intent central to the hostility requirement -- a rule Maine courts followed for over a century before it was legislatively and judicially abrogated.
Dombkowski v. Ferland (2006)
2006 ME 24, 893 A.2d 599
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court held that a 2003 statutory amendment (now 14 M.R.S. § 810-A) abolished the old 'Maine Rule' by eliminating the subjective-intent requirement for boundary-mistake cases: a claimant who mistakenly occupies land beyond the true line under a claim of right can satisfy hostility even without knowing the land wasn't theirs. The Court affirmed title by adverse possession for the claimant on this statutory basis.
Weeks v. Krysa (2008)
2008 ME 120, 955 A.2d 234
The Law Court reversed a trial court finding of adverse possession over an undeveloped waterfront lot, holding that occasional gardening and seasonal use were not enough to show the kind of open, notorious use that would put a true owner on notice of a hostile claim. The opinion also emphasized Maine's 'tradition of permissive use,' under which casual recreational use of unposted land is presumed permissive rather than adverse.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maine Adverse Possession
How long must someone occupy my property in Maine to claim adverse possession?
Maine requires 20 continuous years of actual, open, notorious, hostile, exclusive possession under a claim of right (14 M.R.S. § 801) -- one of the longest periods in the country. Unlike many states, Maine does not offer a shortened period for claimants who merely hold 'color of title.' The '30-day squatter's rights' claim circulating online is a myth.
What does 'hostile' possession mean under Maine law?
Maine used to require proof of the claimant's subjective intent to take land they knew wasn't theirs (the 'Maine Rule' from Preble v. Maine Central Railroad, 1893). A 2003 statutory change, 14 M.R.S. § 810-A, and the Law Court's decision in Dombkowski v. Ferland (2006 ME 24) eliminated that intent requirement for boundary-mistake cases, so a good-faith mistaken belief about a boundary line can still count as hostile possession.
Does casual or seasonal use of land count toward adverse possession in Maine?
Not necessarily. In Weeks v. Krysa (2008 ME 120), the Law Court held that occasional gardening and seasonal use of an undeveloped waterfront lot were insufficient, citing Maine's 'tradition of permissive use' -- recreational or casual use of unposted open land is presumed permissive, not adverse, unless the use is clearly inconsistent with the true owner's rights.
Do adverse possession claimants have to pay property taxes in Maine?
Generally no -- Maine's core 20-year statute (14 M.R.S. § 801) does not require tax payment. The exception is uncultivated land in an incorporated place, where 14 M.R.S. § 816 requires the claimant to have paid property taxes on the parcel throughout the claimed period.
Can I legally remove squatters from my property in Maine?
Yes, but only through the courts. Maine's Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) process is the exclusive civil remedy, even against someone with no colorable right to be there. Self-help measures like changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities are illegal in Maine and can expose the owner to civil liability.
Can trespassers gain rights to my property after 30 days in Maine?
No. This is a nationwide myth with no basis in Maine law. Adverse possession in Maine requires 20 years of continuous, open, notorious, hostile, and exclusive possession -- short-term occupation of any length under a month, or even several months, creates no ownership interest.
Will the sheriff remove a squatter for me in Maine?
Not directly in most cases: Maine has no expedited squatter-removal statute, so a sheriff generally cannot put someone out on your say-so alone. If someone has just broken in and has never had permission to be there, police can arrest them for criminal trespass under 17-A M.R.S. § 402, which covers entering or remaining in a dwelling or posted property without license or privilege or after being told to leave. But if the occupant claims any prior consent, a lease, or a colorable right to be there, police will treat it as a civil matter, and you'll need to bring a Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) action in District Court, obtain a judgment and writ of possession, and have a law enforcement officer execute that writ. Maine bars self-help removal such as changing locks, so the FED process is the only lawful way to physically remove an occupant who disputes your claim.
This information is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Adverse possession claims are highly fact-specific. Consult a licensed attorney in the relevant state before relying on this information.