Wyoming Statewide Rule

Wyoming Squatter's Rights & Adverse Possession

Some RestrictionsApplies statewide across Wyoming (2026)

Key Facts

Adverse possession period: 10 years
Statute: Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-103
Required use: Open, continuous, exclusive, hostile
Removal of squatters: Forcible entry & detainer (§ 1-21-1001+)

Last verified: August 21, 2026

Summary

Wyoming requires ten years of adverse possession to claim title to real property. Under Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-103, an action to recover title or possession of land must be brought within ten years after the cause of action accrues, which is the limitation period that lets a continuous, open, hostile occupant ripen into ownership.

1-3-103. Recovery of real property; generally. An action for the recovery of the title or possession of lands, tenements or hereditaments can only be brought within ten (10) years after the cause of such action accrues.

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Full Breakdown

Wyoming's adverse possession period runs through its real-property limitations statute. Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-103 provides that 'an action for the recovery of the title or possession of lands, tenements or hereditaments can only be brought within ten (10) years after the cause of such action accrues.' Once that ten-year window passes, the record owner is time-barred and a possessor whose use has been actual, open and notorious, exclusive, continuous, and hostile for the full period may perfect title. A mere squatter without these elements has no rights and is removed through the forcible entry and detainer process (Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-21-1001 et seq.). The ten-year clock and common-law elements set a high bar for any claim.

Violations & Penalties

No specific statutory penalty. A squatter who does not meet all common-law elements for the full ten years acquires no title and may be removed as a holdover or trespasser through a forcible entry and detainer action.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long must a squatter occupy property to claim it in Wyoming?

Ten years. Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-103 bars an action to recover land after ten years, the period needed for a continuous, open, hostile occupant to claim adverse possession.

How does a Wyoming owner remove a squatter?

Through the forcible entry and detainer process under Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-21-1001 et seq., using the three-day notice to quit and a court judgment for possession.

Sources

Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-103 (Recovery of real property — 10 years)

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