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.
Plant City, FL
Plant City does not cap the number of cats or dogs per household in agricultural and standard residential zones. Hillsborough County requires commercial kenn...
Plant City, FL
Plant City honors posted No Soliciting signs. Solicitors who ignore clear signage face citation under city code and possible trespass charges under FL 810.09.
Plant City, FL
Residential holiday decorations and lighting unrestricted on private property subject to general sign and nuisance rules. No maximum duration ordinance. Glar...
Plant City, FL
Temporary garage sale signs allowed on private property during sale; off-site directional signs restricted and must be removed within 24 hours of sale end. N...
Plant City, FL
No snow-clearing ordinance. Plant City is in USDA Zone 9b with no snowfall. Sidewalk maintenance focuses on debris, overhanging vegetation, and structural re...
Plant City, FL
Plant City adopted the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). Blighted conditions including peeling paint, broken windows, rotting wood, rodent harb...
See how Plant City'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.