What are squatters’ rights in Maryland?
In Maryland, an action to recover possession of land must be filed, or entry on the land made, within 20 years from the date the cause of action accrues. A person who holds possession of real property without the right of possession commits wrongful detainer, and anyone claiming possession may file a written complaint in the District Court of the county where the property is located. The court must summon the occupant immediately and hold the hearing within 10 business days after the complaint is filed; if the complainant is entitled to possession, the court directs the sheriff or constable to deliver it. The procedure does not apply where a landlord-tenant remedy under Title 8 is available. Until that period has run, a person occupying property without permission has no claim to its title. This is Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-103; Md. Code, Real Prop. § 14-132.
| What | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Adverse possession period | 20 years |
| Removing an unauthorized occupant | Through a court proceeding, after notice |
Source
Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-103; Md. Code, Real Prop. § 14-132
Read the statute in the Maryland Code (Maryland General Assembly): mgaleg.maryland.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.
Guides on this rule
- Squatters’ Rights by State: Adverse Possession and Removal — How long adverse possession takes in 51 states, what the statutes require, and which states let law enforcement remove a squatter without an eviction case.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii