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.
Winter Park, FL
Winter Park requires property owners to maintain lots free of accumulated brush, dead vegetation, and combustible debris. Overgrown lots posing fire hazards ...
Winter Park, FL
Consumer fireworks are banned in Winter Park except on the three state-preempted holidays under FL Statute 791.08: July 4, December 31, and January 1. Sparkl...
Winter Park, FL
Open burning of yard waste is generally prohibited in Winter Park. Yard debris must be placed at curbside for municipal collection. Authorization from the Fl...
Winter Park, FL
Tree removal in Winter Park requires a permit for most trees 4 inches DBH or larger. Even with FL 163.045 preemption for dangerous trees, the city requires a...
Winter Park, FL
Winter Park property maintenance code requires lots to be kept free of noxious weeds, invasive species, and excessive ground cover. Brazilian pepper, air pot...
Winter Park, FL
Winter Park is within the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). Year-round landscape irrigation is limited to two days per week based on addres...
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