Michigan
Michigan Squatters Rights and Adverse Possession Laws (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 18, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 18, 2026. How we verify our legal content
In Michigan, a squatter must occupy property openly and continuously for 15 years before filing an adverse possession claim under Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5801(4). Property owners can remove unauthorized occupants through summary proceedings in district court under MCL 600.5701 et seq.
Information last verified on May 27, 2026. This article provides general legal information, not legal advice.
Jurisdiction scope: This page covers Michigan state law. For a state-by-state comparison, see the national squatters rights guide.
Adverse Possession in Michigan: Period and Elements
Michigan's adverse possession framework is codified in the Revised Judicature Act. Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5801(4) sets the catch-all limitation period at 15 years. A claimant who seeks title to land through adverse possession must satisfy every element below for the entire 15-year period.
Actual possession. The squatter must physically occupy and use the land in a manner consistent with its character. Fencing, cultivating, landscaping, or maintaining a structure on the parcel all satisfy this element. Courts look for use that an owner would typically make of that type of property.
Open and notorious. Possession must be visible and obvious, giving the true owner constructive notice that someone is asserting a claim. Concealed or secretive occupation does not satisfy this element. Michigan courts require that a reasonable inspection of the land would reveal the adverse claimant's presence.
Hostile and under claim of right. Hostile means without the owner's permission and in a manner inconsistent with the owner's title. If the owner grants a license or lease, the hostile element is broken and the 15-year period stops running. The claimant does not need subjective bad intent; objective possession that ignores the owner's rights is sufficient.
Exclusive. The squatter must possess the property without sharing control with the general public or with the true owner. Co-occupation with the owner defeats this element.
Continuous for 15 years. Possession must be uninterrupted for the full 15-year period. Seasonal use may satisfy continuity if it mirrors how an owner would use that property type. Michigan courts permit "tacking," which allows a claimant to add the possession time of a prior adverse possessor to their own period, as long as there is privity of possession between the two occupants.
No tax-payment requirement. Unlike some states, Michigan does not require an adverse possession claimant to pay property taxes during the 15-year period. Tax payment is relevant to two defenses available to defendants: a 10-year period applies where the defendant holds title through a tax deed (MCL § 600.5801(2)), and a 5-year period applies where the defendant claims under a court-ordered sale (MCL § 600.5801(1)). Neither of those is a separate claimant track; they protect defendants who hold title through those specific instruments.
Color of title. Michigan does not provide a shortened limitation period for claimants who hold a defective deed or other color of title. Holding an imperfect instrument may help a claimant demonstrate claim of right, but it does not reduce the 15-year requirement.
Public land is off limits. No amount of occupation ripens into title against government land. MCL § 600.5821(1) provides that an action for the recovery of any land to which the state is a party "is not subject to the periods of limitations, or laches." Subsection (2) extends the same protection to a municipal corporation, a political subdivision of the state, or a county road commission for land including a public highway, street, alley, easement, or other public ground, and it expressly bars "a claim for adverse possession, acquiescence for the statutory period, or a prescriptive easement." Occupying a city park strip, an unopened road right-of-way, or state forest land for 15 years produces no claim at all.
Once all elements are satisfied, the adverse possessor must bring a quiet title action in Michigan circuit court to obtain a court judgment confirming their ownership. Possessing the land for 15 years alone does not automatically transfer title; a judgment is required to clear the record.
How to Remove a Squatter in Michigan
Michigan property owners do not need to wait 15 years to act. The law provides a clear removal pathway through summary proceedings under MCL § 600.5701 et seq. Summary proceedings are civil actions filed in district court to recover possession of property.
Step 1: Confirm no tenancy exists. Before starting summary proceedings, verify that the occupant never paid rent and does not hold any lease or license. If the occupant is a former tenant, different notice requirements under Michigan landlord-tenant law may apply.
Step 2: Demand to vacate. Although Michigan law does not prescribe a specific pre-suit notice period for pure trespassers entering without any possessory interest, providing a written demand to vacate creates a clear record and documents the owner's refusal to consent. Deliver the notice in person or by posting it on the property.
Step 3: File in district court. Under MCL § 600.5714(1)(f), a property owner may bring summary proceedings when the occupant entered the premises by forcible entry or trespass and has no legal possessory interest. File the complaint in the district court for the judicial district where the property is located. Michigan has 104 district court locations covering all 83 counties.
Step 4: Serve the occupant. The occupant must be served with the summons and complaint. Michigan court rules govern service methods; personal service is preferred, but substituted service and posting may be available when the occupant cannot be located.
Step 5: Attend the hearing. District court summary proceedings are designed to move quickly. The court schedules a hearing after service. If the squatter does not appear, the court may enter a default judgment for possession. If the squatter appears, the owner presents evidence that the occupant entered without right.
Step 6: Obtain and enforce the judgment. A judgment for possession authorizes issuance of a writ of restitution. A court officer (typically the county sheriff or a court officer) executes the writ and physically removes the occupant if they do not leave voluntarily.
Self-help is permitted against a true squatter, with limits. Michigan is one of the states that lets an owner retake possession without a court order when the occupant is a genuine squatter. MCL § 600.5711(2) normally requires any lawful entry to be made peaceably, but § 600.5711(3) switches that requirement off: if the occupant "took possession of the premises by means of a forcible entry, holds possession of the premises by force, or came into possession of the premises by trespass without color of title or other possessory interest," the owner, lessor, or licensor or an agent "may enter the premises and subsection (2) does not apply to the entry." MCL § 600.2918(5) closes the loop on liability, providing that an owner's actions "do not unlawfully interfere with an occupant's possession of premises" in those same circumstances. The lockout, door-and-window-removal, belongings-removal, and utility-shutoff provisions in § 600.2918(2) therefore do not reach a squatter. Both provisions were added by 2014 PA 223.
The limits are real, and getting them wrong is expensive. Section 600.5711(3) states that a forcible entry "shall not include conduct proscribed by chapter XI of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.81 to 750.90g," the assaultive-crimes chapter. An owner may not assault, batter, or threaten the occupant. The carve-out also depends entirely on the occupant being a true squatter: it does not cover a current or former tenant, anyone who has paid rent, or an occupant holding under color of title or any other possessory interest. An occupant who turns out to have a possessory interest can recover treble damages under MCL § 600.2918(1) or actual damages plus possession under § 600.2918(2). Where the occupant claims a lease, produces any document, or is likely to resist, the district court route is the safer path and ends in a writ a court officer will enforce.
No new 2024-2025 expedited squatter act, but Michigan already has squatter-specific law. Several other states passed expedited squatter-removal legislation in 2024. As of May 2026, Michigan's legislature had not followed with a comparable standalone bill during the 2023-2024 or 2025-2026 sessions. That does not mean Michigan lacks squatter-specific law. 2014 PA 223 built it into the existing chapters: the self-help carve-out at MCL § 600.5711(3) and § 600.2918(5) described above, and the dedicated summary-proceeding ground at MCL § 600.5714(1)(f) for an occupant who entered by forcible entry or by trespass without color of title. Summary proceedings under MCL § 600.5701 et seq. are the judicial removal route, not the only route.
Legal disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about Michigan adverse possession and squatter removal law. It is not legal advice. Laws change, and individual circumstances vary. Consult a licensed Michigan real estate attorney for advice about your specific situation.
For a full comparison of squatters rights across all 50 states, see the national squatters rights guide.
RecordingLaw.com provides legal information, not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by reading this page.
More Michigan Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a squatter have to be on property to claim rights in Michigan?
A squatter must occupy Michigan property for 15 continuous years while meeting all five adverse possession elements under MCL § 600.5801(4). No payment of taxes and no color-of-title period shortens this requirement for claimants.
Can a squatter claim adverse possession in Michigan without paying property taxes?
Yes. Michigan does not require a claimant to pay property taxes to establish adverse possession. Tax payment requirements in MCL § 600.5801(1) and (2) protect defendants who hold title through court-ordered sales or tax deeds; they are defenses, not elements a claimant must prove.
What court handles squatter removal in Michigan?
District court handles summary proceedings to recover possession under MCL § 600.5701 et seq. Michigan has 104 district court locations. File in the district court for the county where the property sits.
How quickly can a Michigan property owner remove a squatter?
Summary proceedings in district court can move relatively fast, often reaching a hearing within a few weeks of filing and service. Once a judgment and writ of restitution are issued, a court officer removes the occupant. Total timeline depends on the court's docket and whether the squatter contests the action.
Does Michigan allow self-help eviction of squatters?
Yes, against a true squatter. MCL § 600.5711(3) lets an owner or an agent enter the premises without the usual peaceable-entry requirement when the occupant took possession by forcible entry, holds possession by force, or came into possession by trespass without color of title or other possessory interest. MCL § 600.2918(5) adds that the owner's actions in those circumstances are not unlawful interference, so the lockout, belongings-removal, and utility-shutoff rules that protect tenants do not apply. Two limits matter: the entry cannot involve conduct proscribed by chapter XI of the Michigan penal code, MCL 750.81 to 750.90g, the assaultive crimes; and the carve-out does not cover tenants, former tenants, anyone who paid rent, or an occupant holding under color of title or any other possessory interest, who can recover treble damages under MCL § 600.2918(1). If the occupant's status is disputed, use district court summary proceedings.
Can you adversely possess government land in Michigan?
No. MCL § 600.5821(1) exempts land to which the state is a party from the periods of limitations and from laches, and subsection (2) bars adverse possession, acquiescence for the statutory period, and prescriptive easement claims against a municipal corporation, a political subdivision, or a county road commission, including a public highway, street, alley, easement, or other public ground. Occupying public land for 15 years produces no claim.
Can tacking be used to meet Michigan's 15-year adverse possession period?
Yes. Michigan courts permit tacking, which allows an adverse possessor to add the prior possessor's time to their own, provided there is privity of possession between the two occupants. The combined period must total 15 years.
Does Michigan have a special expedited law for removing squatters passed in 2024 or 2025?
No standalone expedited-removal act passed in the 2023-2024 or 2025-2026 sessions. Michigan already has squatter-specific law, though: 2014 PA 223 added the self-help carve-out at MCL § 600.5711(3) and MCL § 600.2918(5) plus the dedicated summary-proceeding ground at MCL § 600.5714(1)(f). Summary proceedings under MCL § 600.5701 et seq. remain the judicial removal route, not the only route.
Updates
Corrected the self-help section to reflect that Michigan lets an owner retake possession from a true squatter under MCL 600.5711(3) and 600.2918(5), subject to the assaultive-conduct limit, and added the public-land exception under MCL 600.5821 to the adverse possession section.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Reviewed and approved by an editor
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Michigan Compiled Laws
§ 600.5801Limitation on actions; time periods; defendant claiming title under deed, court- ordered sale, tax deed, or will; other casesIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
No person may bring or maintain any action for the recovery or possession of any lands or make any entry upon any lands unless, after the claim or right to make the entry first accrued to himself or to someone through whom he claims, he commences the action or makes the entry within the periods of time prescribed by this section. (1) When the defendant claims title to the land in question by or through some deed made upon the sale of the premises by an executor, administrator, guardian, or testamentary trustee; or by a sheriff or other proper ministerial officer under the order, judgment, process, or decree of a court or legal tribunal of competent jurisdiction within this state, or by a sheriff upon a mortgage foreclosure sale the period of limitation is 5 years. (2) When the defendant claims title under some deed made by an officer of this state or of the United States who is authorized to make deeds upon the sale of lands for taxes assessed and levied within this state the period of limitation is 10 years. (3) When the defendant claims title through a devise in any will, the period of limitation is 15 years after the probate of the will in this state.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-08 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.mi.gov
Cited in 170 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Terlecki held § 600.5801(4)’s 15-year period governed an equitable claim to enforce a natural flowage easement or prevent a prescriptive flowage easement. The court still reversed because the complaint alleged no viable cause of action supporting an injunction.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Adams v. Adams (Michigan Court of Appeals 2007, 276 Mich. App. 704)✓A widow disputed a deed purporting to transfer her one-third interest to her husband’s trust. Applying § 600.5801(4), the court held her quiet-title claim accrued on notice of the adverse deed and was timely within 15 years; it reinstated the claim.
- Trentadue v. Buckler Automatic Lawn Sprinkler Company (Michigan Supreme Court 2007, 479 Mich. 378)“…the above provisions appear in the Revised Judicature Act, MCL 600.5801 et seq., in the chapter entitled “Limit…”
- Terlecki v. Stewart (Michigan Court of Appeals 2008, 278 Mich. App. 644)✓Landowners alleged a raised spillway flooded their property. The court held § 600.5801(4)’s 15-year period governed their potential equitable claim concerning flowage easements, but reversed because the complaint alleged no viable claim supporting an injunction.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 600.5714Summary proceedings to recover possession of premises; holding over by tenant or occupant of public housing or by tenant of mobile home parkIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) A person entitled to possession of premises may recover possession by summary proceedings in the following circumstances: (a) When a person holds over premises after failing or refusing to pay rent due under the lease or agreement by which the person holds the premises within 7 days from the service of a written demand for possession for nonpayment of the rent due. For the purpose of this subdivision, rent due does not include any accelerated indebtedness because of a breach of the lease under which the premises are held. (b) When a person holds over premises for 24 hours following service of a written demand for possession for termination of the lease pursuant to a clause in the lease providing for termination because a tenant, a member of the tenant's household, or other person under the tenant's control has unlawfully manufactured, delivered, possessed with intent to deliver, or possessed a controlled substance on the leased premises. This subdivision applies only if a formal police report has been filed alleging that the person has unlawfully manufactured, delivered, possessed with intent to deliver, or possessed a controlled substance on the leased premises.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.mi.gov
Cited in 43 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- De Bruyn Produce Co. v. Romero (Michigan Court of Appeals 1993, 202 Mich. App. 92)“…ditious manner. See MCL 600.5735; MSA 27A.5735. Pursuant to MCL 600.5714(1); MSA 27A.5714(1), a person entitled…”
- Ypsilanti Housing Commission v. O'Day (Michigan Court of Appeals 2000, 240 Mich. App. 621)“…see MCL 600.5735; MSA 27A.5735. Section 5714. of the act, MCL 600.5714; MSA 27A.5714, provides certain instanc…”
- Park Forest of Blackman v. Smith (Michigan Court of Appeals 1982, 112 Mich. App. 421)“…otice to terminate or the creation of a new tenancy. MCL 600.5714(1)(b)(iii); MSA 27A.5714(1)(b)(iii) per…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 600.5701DefinitionsIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
As used in this chapter: (a) "Summary proceedings" means a civil action to recover possession of premises and to obtain certain ancillary relief as provided by this chapter and by court rules adopted in connection therewith. (b) "Premises" includes lands, tenements, condominium property, cooperative apartments, air rights and all manner of real property. It includes structures fixed or mobile, temporary or permanent, vessels, mobile trailer homes and vehicles which are used or intended for use primarily as a dwelling or as a place for commercial or industrial operations or storage. (c) "Lease" includes a written or verbal lease or license agreement for use or possession of premises. (d) "District" means the judicial districts provided for in chapter 81.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.mi.gov
Cited in 59 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- People v. March (Michigan Supreme Court 2016, 499 Mich. 389)“…en before the purchaser can begin summary proceedings under MCL 600.5701 et seq. for immediate possession of t…”
- Gruskin v. Fisher (Michigan Supreme Court 1979, 405 Mich. 51)“…eedings to recover possession of realty act, 1972 PA 120 , MCL 600.5701 et seq.; MSA 27A.5701 et seq., has…”
- J.A.M. Corp. v. AARO Disposal, Inc. (Michigan Supreme Court 1999, 461 Mich. 161)“…ing possession of the property through summary proceedings. MCL 600.5701 et seq.-, MSA 27A.5701…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 600.2918Damages for forcible entry and detainer; damages for unlawful interference with possessory interest; exceptions; opening of probate estate; forcible entry or possession by occupant; action for possession; claim for injunctive relief; joinder; waiver; commencement of action; limitations; "owner" definedIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) Any person who is ejected or put out of any lands or tenements in a forcible and unlawful manner, or being out is afterwards held and kept out, by force, is entitled to recover 3 times the amount of his or her actual damages or $200.00, whichever is greater, in addition to recovering possession. (2) Any tenant in possession of premises whose possessory interest has been unlawfully interfered with by the owner is entitled to recover the amount of his or her actual damages or $200.00, whichever is greater, for each occurrence and, if possession has been lost, to recover possession. Subject to subsection (3), unlawful interference with a possessory interest includes 1 or more of the following: (a) Use of force or threat of force. (b) Removal, retention, or destruction of personal property of the possessor. (c) Changing, altering, or adding to the locks or other security devices on the property without immediately providing keys or other unlocking devices to the person in possession. (d) Boarding of the premises that prevents or deters entry. (e) Removal of doors, windows, or locks.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.mi.gov
Cited in 59 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- De Bruyn Produce Co. v. Romero (Michigan Court of Appeals 1993, 202 Mich. App. 92)“…e property and that it must resort to judicial process. See MCL 600.2918(1); MSA 27A.2918(1); 7…”
- Deroshia v. Union Terminal Piers (Michigan Court of Appeals 1986, 151 Mich. App. 715)“…the property. The court concluded that the antilockout law (MCL 600.2918; MSA 27A.2918) did not abrogate a landl…”
- Grant v. Detroit Ass'n of Women's Clubs (Michigan Supreme Court 1993, 443 Mich. 596)“…lic policy buttresses our decision. The Legislature enacted MCL 600.2918; MSA 27A.2918, [10] commonly referred…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 600.5711EntryIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) A person shall not make any entry into or upon premises unless the entry is permitted by law. (2) Subject to subsection (3), if entry is permitted by law, the person shall not enter with force but only in a peaceable manner. (3) If the occupant took possession of the premises by means of a forcible entry, holds possession of the premises by force, or came into possession of the premises by trespass without color of title or other possessory interest, the owner, lessor, or licensor or an agent thereof may enter the premises and subsection (2) does not apply to the entry. However, any forcible entry shall not include conduct proscribed by chapter XI of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.81 to 750.90g.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.mi.gov
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2017
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Lamar Anderson v. Great Lakes Property & Investments Inc (Michigan Court of Appeals 2017)“…an expeditious proceeding.” Deroshia, 151 Mich App at 719. MCL 600.5711(1) provides that “[a] person shall not…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 600.5821Recovery of land or public ground; period of limitations; personal actions; maintenance, care, and treatment of persons in state institutionsIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) An action for the recovery of any land to which this state is a party is not subject to the periods of limitations, or laches. However, a person who could have asserted claim to title by adverse possession for more than 15 years is entitled to seek any other equitable relief in an action to determine title to the land. (2) In an action involving the recovery or the possession of land, including a public highway, street, alley, easement, or other public ground, a municipal corporation, political subdivision of this state, or county road commission is not subject to any of the following: (a) The periods of limitations under this act. (b) Laches. (c) A claim for adverse possession, acquiescence for the statutory period, or a prescriptive easement. (3) The periods of limitations prescribed for personal actions apply equally to personal actions brought in the name of the people of this state, in the name of any officer of this state, or otherwise for the benefit of this state, subject to the exceptions contained in subsection (4).
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.mi.gov
Cited in 42 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Joseph v. Auto Club Insurance Association (Michigan Supreme Court 2012, 491 Mich. 200)“…rule. The panel reasoned that the plain statutory text of MCL 600.5821(4) indicates that the Legislature inte…”
- Matthews v. Department of Natural Resources (Michigan Court of Appeals 2010, 288 Mich. App. 23)“…88, however, the Legislature, in 1988 PA 35 , *36 amended MCL 600.5821(1) and reinstated the common-law rule t…”
- Gorte v. Department of Transportation (Michigan Court of Appeals 1993, 202 Mich. App. 161)“…uted acreage. The circuit court held that the newly amended MCL 600.5821; MSA 27A.5821 did not bar plaintiffs’ a…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 750.81Assault or assault and battery; penalties; previous convictions; exception; assault of health professional or medical volunteer; enhanced penalties; definitionsIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who assaults or assaults and batters an individual, if no other punishment is prescribed by law, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both. If the victim of a violation under this subsection is a health professional or medical volunteer and the violation occurs while the victim is performing the victim's duties as a health professional or medical volunteer, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both. The enhanced fine under this subsection does not apply if the defendant is a patient who is receiving treatment from the victim.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.mi.gov
Cited in 617 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- People v. Cameron (Michigan Court of Appeals 2011, 291 Mich. App. 599)“…osecutor charged Cameron with domestic violence pursuant to MCL 750.81(2). 16 Then, to support the domestic v…”
- People v. Meissner (Michigan Court of Appeals 2011, 294 Mich. App. 438)“…right his convictions of second-offense domestic violence, MCL 750.81(3); first-degree home invasion, MCL 750…”
- In Re Rood (Michigan Supreme Court 2009, 483 Mich. 73)“…s, but pleaded guilty of domestic violence, second offense, MCL 750.81(3), and was sentenced to time served.…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
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Sources and References
- Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5801 - Periods of limitation; recovery of land possession(legislature.mi.gov)
- Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5701 - Summary proceedings; definitions(legislature.mi.gov)
- Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5714 - Summary proceedings; grounds for recovery of possession(legislature.mi.gov)
- Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute - Adverse Possession(law.cornell.edu)
- Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5711 - Entry; peaceable manner required, with an exception for occupants who entered by force or by trespass without color of title(legislature.mi.gov)
- Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.2918 - Forcible entry and detainer damages; unlawful interference with possession and the squatter exception(legislature.mi.gov)
- Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5821 - Land of the state, municipal corporations and county road commissions not subject to limitations, laches, or adverse possession(legislature.mi.gov)