Squatter’s Rights in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, squatters can claim legal ownership through adverse possession after continuously occupying a property for 20 years. This legal concept allows someone to gain ownership without purchasing the property if they meet specific requirements while occupying abandoned, vacant, or unimproved land.

To establish a valid adverse possession claim in Wisconsin, squatters must meet several key requirements: continuous occupation for 20 years (using the property as an owner would, though brief absences are permitted), hostile possession (occupying without permission and against the rights of the actual owner), open and notorious possession (obvious occupation that puts the legal owner on notice), and payment of property taxes for the last 5 continuous years of the 20-year occupancy period.

There are important exceptions and challenges to claiming squatter’s rights in Wisconsin. Squatters cannot adversely possess government-owned land at any level (municipal, state, or federal). If a property owner is a minor or has a legal disability, the 20-year adverse possession period doesn’t begin until the disability is removed. Additionally, squatters often struggle to prove 20 years of truly continuous possession with sufficient evidence.

Property owners who discover squatters should follow the legal eviction process: filing an eviction lawsuit in civil court, serving an eviction notice, attending a court hearing to obtain an eviction order, and if necessary, calling the sheriff to physically remove the squatters after the court-ordered deadline. After removal, owners should immediately secure the property by changing locks, repairing damage, and posting no trespassing signs. To prevent squatting, owners should conduct regular inspections, secure all entry points, post no trespassing signs, and consider hiring property management for extended vacancies.