Adverse possession in Florida requires 7 years of actual, continued, exclusive possession plus paying all taxes within a year and filing a return with the property appraiser (Fla. Stat. § 95.18). Separately, the 2024 anti-squatter law HB 621 (Fla. Stat. § 82.036) lets owners have a sheriff remove unauthorized occupants within hours, without a lawsuit.
Under § 95.18, a person claiming title without a written instrument must hold 'actual continued possession of real property for 7 years under a claim of title exclusive of any other right,' pay all outstanding taxes within 1 year of entering possession, keep paying taxes, and file an adverse-possession return with the county property appraiser within 30 days; the property must be enclosed or 'cultivated, maintained, or improved in a usual manner.' The return 'does not create any interest enforceable by law.' HB 621 (effective July 1, 2024) created § 82.036: an owner or agent files a verified complaint and the sheriff 'shall, without delay, serve a notice to immediately vacate' on unlawful occupants who are not current or former tenants or family.
Under § 82.036, removed occupants who are actually lawful may sue for wrongful removal and recover actual damages, triple the fair market rent, costs, and fees. Squatters who present fraudulent documents face a first-degree misdemeanor, and those who intentionally cause $1,000 or more in damage face a second-degree felony.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Palm Coast, FL
Solar installations in Palm Coast require a building permit through the Palm Coast Building Division (386-986-3780) and must comply with the Florida Building...
Palm Coast, FL
Florida Statute § 509.102 forbids Palm Coast from prohibiting food trucks 'within the entirety of the entity's jurisdiction,' which preempts citywide bans an...
Palm Coast, FL
Florida Statute § 509.102 (enacted as HB 1193 in 2020) preempts local regulation of mobile food dispensing vehicle licenses, registrations, permits, and fees...
Palm Coast, FL
U.S. airspace is federally regulated by the FAA (Part 107 for commercial; 49 U.S.C. § 44809 for recreational flyers). Florida Statute § 330.41 (the Unmanned ...
Palm Coast, FL
Under Chapter 16 (Businesses, Business Regulations), Article V (Garage Sales) of the Palm Coast Code of Ordinances, each property is limited to no more than ...
Palm Coast, FL
Palm Coast applies the same property-maintenance standards to vacant and occupied lots: grass, weeds, and underbrush may not exceed 10 inches in height under...
See how Palm Coast'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.