Massachusetts requires 20 years of continuous adverse possession to claim title to land. Under M.G.L. c. 260 § 21, an action to recover land must be brought within 20 years after the right of action first accrued — after which the possessor's claim can ripen into ownership.
Massachusetts sets one of the longer adverse-possession periods in the nation. M.G.L. c. 260 § 21 provides that "An action for the recovery of land shall be commenced, or an entry made thereon, only within twenty years after the right of action or of entry first accrued." Once the true owner's 20-year window to recover the land has run, a possessor whose use was actual, open, notorious, exclusive, and adverse for the full 20 years may claim title by adverse possession. The statute excepts actions by a nonprofit land conservation corporation or trust for land held for conservation, parks, recreation, water, or wildlife protection. Squatters lacking the full 20-year adverse use have no ownership claim and may be removed through court process.
Adverse possession is a civil property doctrine, not a penalty; a possessor who fails to meet the full 20-year period and the common-law elements has no title and can be removed via summary process or an action to recover land.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge enforces numerical decibel limits: 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night at residential receptors, with a 5 dBA penalty for tonal or impulsive sounds.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge treats persistent barking as a noise violation under Chapter 8.16 and an animal nuisance under Chapter 6.04; owners of chronically barking dogs fac...
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge banned gas-powered leaf blowers in 2024, requiring all landscapers and residents to switch to electric models, with time and decibel restrictions r...
Cambridge, MA
Outdoor music events in Cambridge require a one-day entertainment license from the License Commission, with end times typically capped at 10 PM on weeknights...
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge enforces strict industrial and commercial noise limits: 60 dB days and 50 dB nights at residential property lines, aligned with MassDEP Policy 90-001.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge reserves designated EV charging station spaces for actively charging electric vehicles only, and new large developments must provide EV-ready parki...
See how Cambridge's squatter's rights & adverse possession rules stack up against other locations.
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