{"id":373417,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:19","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/kansas-law\/kansas-adverse-possession-laws.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T19:51:07","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T00:51:07","slug":"kansas-adverse-possession-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/kansas-law\/kansas-adverse-possession-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Kansas Adverse Possession Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Kansas Adverse Possession Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Adverse possession is the legal concept of essentially trespassing continuously on someone else\u2019s property until you make it your own. Sometimes, this can happen when a farmer puts a fence<\/a> around land she believed was hers, but in reality, belonged to the neighbors. This can also happen when a person discovers a seemingly abandoned property and decides to live on it as a squatter.<\/p>\n

Adverse Possession in Kansas<\/h2>\n

To adversely possess a property in Kansas, you must have openly, exclusively, and continuously been in possession of the real property, either knowingly adversely or under an inaccurate belief of ownership of that property, for at least 15 years.<\/p>\n

The following chart further details the adverse possession<\/a> laws in Kansas.<\/p>\n\n
Code Sections<\/b><\/td>\nKansas Statutes Sections 60-503: Adverse Possession<\/a> and 58-2208: Adverse Possession – Interest May be Conveyed<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>
Occupation Time Period Required for Adverse Possession<\/b><\/td>\nAs stated above, Kansas law requires you to be in actual possession of the property for at least 15 years continuously.<\/td>\n<\/tr>
Time Limit for Landowner to Challenge and the Effect of Landowner\u2019s Disability<\/b><\/td>\nIf a person is considered to have a legal disability, such as being under 18 years old, incapacitated (such as in a coma or confined to a mental hospital), or is incarcerated for less than his or her natural life, then the person can bring an action to recover their property within two years after the disability is removed<\/a>. This means a 20 year old can recover the property stolen from him as a child, even though it\u2019d been more than 15 years.
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\nHowever, the maximum amount of time a real property action such as adverse possession can be waylaid is 23 years. Therefore, if you\u2019re in prison for 30 years, someone living in your property since you left can bring the legal action before you have gotten out so you would need to hire representation from prison or potentially lose your property.
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\nAlso, if a person under a legal disability dies during this required time period, the heirs can bring a claim for the property within two years of his or her death.<\/td>\n<\/tr>
Prohibited Adverse Possession <\/b><\/td>\nKansas law encourages landowners to allow people to enter their land<\/a> for recreational purposes, such as:
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