Adverse possession in Georgia requires 20 years of possession under O.C.G.A. § 44-5-163, or just 7 years under written 'color of title' under § 44-5-164. The possession must be public, continuous, exclusive, uninterrupted, peaceable, and under a claim of right (§ 44-5-161). A squatter lacking that is a trespasser, removable through the dispossessory process.
O.C.G.A. § 44-5-163 provides that possession meeting the § 44-5-161 requirements 'for a period of 20 years shall confer good title by prescription' against everyone except the state. Section 44-5-164 shortens this to 7 years where the claimant holds 'under written evidence of title' (color of title), unless that writing is forged or fraudulent and the claimant had actual notice. Under § 44-5-161, possession 'must be public, continuous, exclusive, uninterrupted, and peaceable' and 'accompanied by a claim of right'; it cannot originate in fraud, and 'permissive possession cannot be the foundation of a prescription.' A mere squatter lacking these elements is a trespasser, removable via the dispossessory action or charged under criminal trespass law (§ 16-7-21).
Possession that is permissive, secret, interrupted, or shorter than the statutory period confers no title. A squatter who never meets §§ 44-5-161, 44-5-163, or 44-5-164 is a trespasser and may be removed through the dispossessory process and may face criminal trespass charges under O.C.G.A. § 16-7-21.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lawrenceville, GA
Abandoned vehicles regulated under GA Code §40-11-1+ (10 days on public property). Lawrenceville Code Enforcement investigates property maintenance violation...
Lawrenceville, GA
Commercial vehicles over 1-ton rating or with commercial lettering prohibited from overnight parking in residential zones. Semi-trucks and trailers banned in...
Lawrenceville, GA
Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fences prohibited in residential zones. Chain-link restricted from front yards. Historic district requires tradition...
Lawrenceville, GA
Retaining walls over 4 ft (measured from bottom of footing) require building permit and engineered design. Walls in setbacks must not affect drainage onto ne...
Lawrenceville, GA
Front yard fences max 4 ft; side and rear yard fences max 6 ft in residential zones. Fences over 6 ft require building permit. Corner lot sight-triangle rest...
Lawrenceville, GA
Pool barriers must be minimum 48 inches tall per GA Residential Code Appendix G (IRC). Self-closing, self-latching gates required. Openings cannot exceed 4 i...
See how Lawrenceville's squatter's rights & adverse possession rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.