Indiana Squatters and Adverse Possession Rules

Indiana's adverse-possession period comes from IC 34-11-2-11, the 10-year statute of limitations governing an action 'for the recovery of the possession of real estate.' On top of the common-law elements, IC 32-21-7-1 requires that 'possession... is not adverse to the owner... unless the adverse possessor pays all taxes and special assessments that the adverse possessor reasonably believes in good faith to be due... during the period' of possession; it 'does not relieve any adverse possessor from proving all the elements of title by adverse possession required by law.' Indiana courts require possession actual, open and notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous for the full 10 years. A squatter lacking these, or who has not paid the taxes, is a trespasser removed through the courts, not self-help.

Possession that is permissive, secret, interrupted, shorter than 10 years, or unaccompanied by payment of the property taxes under IC 32-21-7-1 confers no title. A squatter who never satisfies these requirements is a trespasser and is removed through the court eviction or ejectment process, with no self-help permitted.