Squatters Rights in Maryland: 20-Year Adverse Possession Law
Maryland requires 20 continuous years of open, notorious, hostile, exclusive possession. A 2025 law dramatically sped up the 'wrongful detainer' process used to remove unauthorized occupants, though it has drawn controversy over due-process concerns.
Last reviewed July 8, 2026 — statutes and case law independently verified against official sources
Maryland 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
- 15 years
- Tax Payment Required
- No
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Standard process
- Statutory Period
- 10 years
- Tax Payment Required
- No
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Yes 2024–2025
- Statutory Period
- 21 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 Maryland
A visual summary of what a claimant must complete, start to finish.
How Adverse Possession Works in Maryland
To claim ownership of property through adverse possession in Maryland, a claimant must possess the land for 20 years while meeting the legal requirements established under state law.
Legal Basis and Statutory Period
Maryland’s adverse possession law is codified under Md. Code, Real Property § 14-108; SB 46 of 2025. The standard statutory period is 20 years of continuous, open, and hostile possession.
Property Tax Requirements
Maryland's adverse possession statute does not offer a tax-based reduction.
Color of Title Rules
Maryland does not require color of title for its 20-year adverse possession claim.
Key Legal Requirements
- Actual possession
- Open and notorious possession
- Hostile possession
- Exclusive possession
- Continuous possession for 20 years
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Recent Law Changes in Maryland
2025: Senate Bill 46, enacted April 22, 2025 and effective October 1, 2025, requires courts to hear wrongful detainer cases within 10 business days of filing, updates service-of-process rules to allow alternative notification methods, and creates a fraud offense for knowingly claiming a right to possess property one does not own. Critics have noted the expedited timeline gives occupants little time to prepare a defense, including in cases involving genuine disputes rather than clear-cut squatting. This is a removal-process change and does not alter the 20-year adverse possession period.
Maryland Adverse Possession Procedures
Making an Adverse Possession Claim
To establish adverse possession in Maryland, a claimant must satisfy the 20-year statutory period and prove every element in a quiet title action under Md. Code, Real Property § 14-108.
- File a quiet title action in the circuit court for the county where the property is located
- Prove possession was actual, open, notorious, exclusive, hostile, under claim of title, and continuous for the full 20 years
- If claiming under 'color of title' (a defective deed or similar document) together with payment of property taxes throughout the period, the required period can be reduced to 10 years
- Present supporting evidence such as surveys, tax receipts, photographs of improvements, and witness testimony
- Obtain a court judgment and record it with the county land records to establish clear title
Maryland's 20-year period is longer than the 7-to-10-year 'color of title' periods used in many other states; ordinary adverse possession without color of title still requires the full 20 years.
Defending Against Squatters
Maryland property owners can take practical steps to prevent an adverse possession claim from ever maturing.
- Regularly inspect vacant, rural, or investment property
- Post 'No Trespassing' signs at property boundaries
- Maintain current surveys and boundary documentation
- Grant explicit written permission for any use you allow -- permissive use defeats the hostility element
- Keep property tax payments current
- Act promptly against unauthorized occupants; waiting out the full 20 years allows a claim to ripen
Any interruption of continuous possession, including a successful eviction, resets Maryland's 20-year clock.
Removing Squatters
Maryland gives property owners both civil and, since 2025, expanded criminal tools to remove unauthorized occupants.
- For trespassers with no claim of tenancy, contact local law enforcement and provide proof of ownership
- File a wrongful detainer action or ejectment/summary ejectment proceeding in the District Court for the county where the property is located
- Attend the scheduled hearing and obtain a judgment for possession
- Have the sheriff execute the warrant of restitution to remove the occupant
- For residential property, consider Maryland's new criminal fraud provision under SB 46 (2025), effective October 1, 2025, which makes it a crime to knowingly occupy or claim a right to residential real property without lawful possession or ownership, with intent to defraud
Maryland law prohibits 'self-help' evictions such as changing locks or shutting off utilities; owners must use the court process even against squatters with no legal claim.
Notable Maryland Adverse Possession Cases
Blickenstaff v. Bromley (1966)
243 Md. 164, 220 A.2d 558 (1966)
The Maryland Court of Appeals held that 'hostile' possession does not require ill will or an intentional trespass -- it simply means the claimant used the land as an owner would, without recognizing the true owner's rights. This case is still cited as Maryland's core statement of the hostility element.
Costello v. Staubitz (1984)
300 Md. 60, 475 A.2d 1185 (1984)
The Court of Appeals held that a long-standing visible boundary line (such as a fence) can be evidence of adverse possession, and that it is immaterial whether the possessor thought the boundary was the true line or occupied it by mistake. On the facts, however, the Court found the particular fence at issue was erected by a predecessor merely to pen cattle, not to mark a claimed boundary, so it did not support the claim.
Goen v. Sansbury (1959)
219 Md. 289, 149 A.2d 17 (1959)
The Court of Appeals explained Maryland's 'color of title' doctrine: a defective deed or similar document can constructively extend a claimant's actual possession to the full boundaries described in that document, but only where the true owner is not already in actual possession of the disputed part of the tract.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maryland Adverse Possession
How long must someone occupy my property in Maryland to claim adverse possession?
Maryland requires 20 continuous years of actual, open, notorious, exclusive, and hostile possession under Md. Code, Real Property § 14-108. That period can shrink to 10 years if the claimant has 'color of title' (a defective deed or similar document) and has paid property taxes on the parcel throughout. The '30-day squatter's rights' claim is a myth.
What does 'hostile' possession mean in Maryland?
Under Blickenstaff v. Bromley (1966), 'hostile' does not mean ill will or an intentional trespass -- it simply means the claimant occupied the land as an owner would, without the true owner's permission. A good-faith but mistaken belief about a boundary line can still satisfy this element.
What is 'color of title' in Maryland adverse possession law?
'Color of title' means a written document, such as a defective deed, that appears to convey ownership but has a legal flaw. Under Goen v. Sansbury (1959), color of title can constructively extend a claimant's possession to the full area described in that document -- but not into any part the true owner is already actually possessing. Combined with tax payments, it reduces Maryland's adverse possession period from 20 years to 10.
Can I legally remove squatters from my property in Maryland?
Yes, but only through legal channels. For clear trespassing you can involve law enforcement, and for occupants claiming any right to stay you must use Maryland's court eviction process (wrongful detainer or ejectment). As of October 1, 2025, Maryland's SB 46 also makes it a crime to knowingly occupy residential property without lawful right, with intent to defraud. 'Self-help' evictions -- changing locks, removing belongings, cutting utilities -- remain illegal.
Can someone claim adverse possession against government-owned land in Maryland?
No. Maryland law does not allow adverse possession claims against land owned by the state, counties, municipalities, or the federal government. Public land stays public regardless of how long it is occupied.
Can trespassers gain rights to my property after 30 days in Maryland?
No. This is a nationwide myth with no basis in Maryland law. Adverse possession requires 20 years (or 10 with color of title and tax payment) of continuous, open, notorious, exclusive, and hostile possession -- occupancy of a few weeks or months creates no ownership interest.
Can law enforcement forcibly remove a squatter in Maryland, or do I need to go to court?
Police can arrest a true trespasser -- someone who broke in and has no claim of tenancy -- under Maryland's criminal trespass law (Md. Code, Crim. Law § 6-403), but they generally will not physically put an occupant's belongings out or hand you back the keys; that still takes a court order. For anyone claiming a right to stay, owners file a wrongful detainer action under Md. Code, Real Property § 14-132 in the District Court, and since Chapter 188 of the Acts of 2025 (SB 46, effective October 1, 2025) the court must hold that hearing within 10 business days, followed by a sheriff-executed warrant of restitution if the owner wins. SB 46 also created a new criminal fraud offense for knowingly occupying or claiming residential property without lawful right, but -- contrary to the bill as first introduced -- the enacted version does not let a sheriff remove someone on an owner's affidavit alone; it only sped up the required court hearing. Maryland still bars self-help evictions like changing locks or shutting off utilities.
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.