Utah Statewide Rule

Utah Squatter's Rights and Adverse Possession

Heavy RestrictionsApplies statewide across Utah (2026)

Key Facts

Adverse possession period: 7 years continuous (Utah Code 78B-2-208, 78B-2-214)
Tax payment: Must pay all taxes levied during the 7 years (78B-2-214)
Color of title: Not required, but occupation must be continuous and adverse
Practical odds: Very low: tax requirement defeats most claims

Last verified: September 5, 2026

Summary

Utah adverse possession requires continuous occupation and claim of land for seven years AND payment of all taxes levied and assessed on it during that period (Utah Code 78B-2-208, 78B-2-214). Because squatters virtually never pay the property taxes, successful squatter claims are extremely rare.

Adverse possession may not be established unless it is shown that the land has been occupied and claimed continuously for seven years, and that the party and the party's predecessors and grantors have paid all taxes which have been levied and assessed upon the land according to law.

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Full Breakdown

Utah Code 78B-2-208 presumes the legal title holder has been in possession and that any occupation is subordinate to that title; the presumption is rebutted only 'by a showing that the property has been held and possessed adversely to the legal title for at least seven years.' Utah Code 78B-2-214 adds the tax requirement: adverse possession 'may not be established unless it is shown that the land has been occupied and claimed continuously for seven years, and that the party and the party's predecessors and grantors have paid all taxes which have been levied and assessed upon the land.' Both conditions must be met, so a claimant must occupy continuously for seven years and pay every property tax during that period, defeating nearly all squatter claims.

Violations & Penalties

No specific statutory penalty. A squatter who fails the seven-year-plus-taxes test acquires no title; the record owner recovers possession through an eviction or quiet-title action, and a holdover occupant may face unlawful detainer treble damages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long must a squatter possess Utah land to claim it?

At least seven continuous years of adverse possession under Utah Code 78B-2-208, and the claimant must also have paid all property taxes levied on the land during that period under 78B-2-214.

Do squatters have to pay property taxes in Utah?

Yes. Utah Code 78B-2-214 bars adverse possession unless the claimant and predecessors 'have paid all taxes which have been levied and assessed upon the land.' Without paying every tax, the seven-year occupation alone is not enough.

Can a Utah owner remove a squatter quickly?

An owner removes a non-paying occupant through eviction or a quiet-title action; because squatters almost never satisfy the seven-year-plus-taxes test, they rarely gain any legal claim to the property.

Sources

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