Illinois adverse possession statute

West's Smith-hurd Illinois Compiled Statutes Annotated Currentness

Chapter 735. Civil Procedure

Act 5. Code of Civil Procedure

5/13-101. Twenty years--Recovery of land

§ 13-101. Twenty years--Recovery of land. No person shall commence an action for the recovery of lands, nor make an entry thereon, unless within 20 years after the right to bring such action or make such entry first accrued, or within 20 years after he, she or those from, by, or under whom he or she claims, have acquired title or possession of the premises, except as provided in Sections 13-102 through 13-122 of this Act.

5/13-102. Breach of condition subsequent

§ 13-102. Breach of condition subsequent. No person shall commence an action for the recovery of lands, nor make an entry thereon, by reason of the breach of a condition subsequent, unless within 7 years after the time that condition is first broken. Continuing, successive or recurring breaches shall not extend the time for commencing the action or making the entry. Possession shall be deemed to be adverse and hostile from and after the first breach of a condition subsequent, notwithstanding the occurrence of successive or recurrent breaches.

5/13-103. Termination of estate upon limitation

§ 13-103. Termination of estate upon limitation. No person shall commence an action for the recovery of lands, nor make an entry thereon, by reason of the termination of an estate upon limitation or of an estate upon conditional limitation, unless within 7 years after the termination.

5/13-104. Under mortgage or lease

§ 13-104. Under mortgage or lease. Nothing in Sections 13-102 and 13-103 of this Act affects the time for the enforcement of any right under or by virtue of a mortgage or lease.

5/13-105. Twenty years--Computation

§ 13-105. Twenty years--Computation. If such right or title first accrued to an ancestor or predecessor of the person who brings the action or makes the entry, or to any person from, by, or under whom he or she claims, the 20 years shall be computed from the time when the right or title so first accrued.

5/13-106. Accrual of right of entry or to bring action

§ 13-106. Accrual of right of entry or to bring action. The right to make an entry or bring an action to recover land shall be deemed to have first accrued at the times respectively hereinafter provided:

(a) When any person is wrongfully ousted from possession, his or her right of entry or of action shall be deemed to have accrued at the time of such wrongful ouster.

(b) When he or she claims as heir or legatee of an owner in possession who died, his or her right shall be deemed to have accrued at the time of such death, unless there is an estate intervening after the death of such ancestor or testator; in which case his or her right shall be deemed to accrue when such intermediate estate expires, or when it would have expired by its own limitations.

(c) When there is such an intermediate estate, and in all other cases when the party claims by force of any remainder or reversion, his or her right, so far as it is affected by the limitation herein prescribed, shall be deemed to accrue when the intermediate or precedent estate would have expired by its own limitation, notwithstanding any forfeiture thereof for which he or she might have entered at an earlier time.

(d) Paragraph (c) of this Section shall not prevent a person from entering when entitled to do so by reason of any forfeiture or breach of condition; but if he or she claims under such a title, his or her right shall be deemed to have accrued when the forfeiture was incurred or the condition was broken.

(e) In all cases not otherwise specially provided for, the right shall be deemed to have accrued when the claimant, or the person under whom he or she claims, first became entitled to the possession of the premises under the title upon which the entry or the action is founded.

5/13-107. Seven years with possession and record title

§ 13-107. Seven years with possession and record title. Actions brought for the recovery of any lands, tenements or hereditaments of which any person may be possessed by actual residence thereon for 7 successive years, having a connected title, deductible of record, from this State or the United States, or from any public officer or other person authorized by the laws of this State to sell such land for the non-payment of taxes, or from any sheriff, marshal, or other person authorized to sell such land for the enforcement of a judgment or under any order or judgment of any court shall be brought within 7 years next after possession is taken, but when the possessor acquires such title after taking such possession, the limitation shall begin to run from the time of acquiring title.

5/13-108. Right extended to heirs

§ 13-108. Right extended to heirs. The heirs, legatees and assigns of the person having such title and possession, shall have the same benefit of the preceding section as the person from whom the possession is derived.

5/13-109. Payment of taxes with color of title

§ 13-109. Payment of taxes with color of title. Every person in the actual possession of lands or tenements, under claim and color of title, made in good faith, and who for 7 successive years continues in such possession, and also, during such time, pays all taxes legally assessed on such lands or tenements, shall be held and adjudged to be the legal owner of such lands or tenements, to the extent and according to the purport of his or her paper title. All persons holding under such possession, by purchase, legacy or descent, before such 7 years have expired, and who continue such possession, and continue to pay the taxes as above set forth so as to complete the possession and payment of taxes for the term above set forth, are entitled to the benefit of this Section.

5/13-110. Vacant land--Payment of taxes with color of title

§ 13-110. Vacant land--Payment of taxes with color of title. Whenever a person having color of title, made in good faith, to vacant and unoccupied land, pays all taxes legally assessed thereon for 7 successive years, he or she shall be deemed and adjudged to be the legal owner of such vacant and unoccupied land, to the extent and according to the purport of his or her paper title. All persons holding under such taxpayer, by purchase, legacy or descent, before such 7 years expired, and who continue to pay the taxes, as above set out, so as to complete the payment of taxes for the such term, are entitled to the benefit of this Section. However, if any person, having a better paper title to such vacant and unoccupied land, during the term of 7 years, pays the taxes assessed on such land for any one or more years of the term of 7 years, then such taxpayer, his or her heirs, legatees or assigns, shall not be entitled to the benefit of this Section.

/13-111. State and United States

§ 13-111. State and United States. Sections 13-109 and 13-110 of this Act shall not extend to lands or tenements owned by the United States or of this State, nor to school and seminary lands, nor to lands held for the use of religious societies, nor to lands held for any public purpose. Nor shall they extend to lands or tenements when there is an adverse title to such lands or tenements, and the holder of such adverse title is a minor, person under legal disability, imprisoned, out of the limits of the United States, and in the employment of the United States or of this State. Such person shall commence an action to recover such lands or tenements so possessed, as above set out, within 3 years after the several disabilities herein enumerated cease to exist, and shall prosecute such action to judgment, or in case of vacant and unoccupied land, shall, within the time last set out, pay to the person or persons who have paid the same, all the taxes, with interest thereon, at the rate of 12% per annum, that have been paid on such vacant and unimproved land.

The exceptions provided in this Section shall not apply to the provisions of Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act.

/13-112. Minors and persons under legal disability

§ 13-112. Minors and persons under legal disability. If, at the time when such right of entry or of action upon or for lands first accrues, the person entitled to such entry or action is a minor, or person under legal disability, imprisoned or absent from the United States in the service of the United States or of this State, such person or any one claiming from, by or under him or her, may make the entry or bring the action at any time within 2 years after such disability is removed, notwithstanding the time before limited in that behalf has expired.

The exceptions provided in this Section shall not apply to the provisions of Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act.

5/13-113. Extension to heirs

§ 13-113. Extension to heirs. If the person first entitled to make entry or bring such action dies during the continuance of any of the disabilities mentioned in Section 13-112 of this Act, and no determination or judgment has been had of or upon the title, right or action which accrued to him or her, the entry may be made or the action brought by his or her heirs or any person claiming from, by or under him or her at any time within 2 years after his or her death, notwithstanding the time before limited in that behalf has expired.

The exceptions provided in this Section shall not apply to the provisions of Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act.

5/13-114. Seventy-five year limitation

§ 13-114. Seventy-five year limitation. No deed, will, estate, proof of heirship, plat, affidavit or other instrument or document, or any court proceeding, order or judgment, or any agreement, written or unwritten, sealed or unsealed, or any fact, event, or statement, or any part or copy of any of the foregoing, relating to or affecting the title to real estate in the State of Illinois, which happened, was administered, or was executed, dated, delivered, recorded or entered into more than 75 years prior to July 1, 1872, or such subsequent date as the same is offered, presented, urged, claimed, asserted, or appears against any person hereafter becoming interested in the title to any real estate, or to any agent or attorney thereof, shall adversely to the party or parties hereafter coming into possession of such real estate under claim or color of title or persons claiming under him, her or them, constitute notice, either actual or constructive of any right, title, interest or claim in and to such real estate, or any part thereof, or be, or be considered to be evidence or admissible in evidence or be held or urged to make any title unmarketable in part or in whole, or be required or allowed to be alleged or proved as a basis for any action, or any statutory proceeding affecting directly or indirectly the title to such real estate.

The limitation of this Section, however, shall be deferred from and after the expiration of such 75 year period for an additional period of 10 years, if a claim in writing in and to real estate therein particularly described, incorporating the terms or substance of any such deed, will, estate, proof of heirship, plat, affidavit, or other instrument or document, or any court proceeding, order or judgment or any agreement, written or unwritten, sealed or unsealed, or any fact, event or statement, or any part or copy thereof in such claim, is filed in the office of the recorder in the county or counties in which such real estate is located:

1. within 3 years prior to the expiration of such 75 year period; or

2. after the expiration of such 75 year period, by a minor or a claimant under legal disability who became under such disability during such 75 year period and within 2 years after the disability of such minor or of the claimant under legal disability has been removed; or

3. after the expiration of such 75 year period, by a guardian of a minor or person who became legally disabled during such 75 year period and within 2 years after such guardian has been appointed for such minor or person under legal disability.

The provisions of this Section shall not apply to or operate against the United States of America or the State of Illinois or any other state of the United States of America; or as to real estate held for a public purpose by any municipality or other political subdivision of the State of Illinois; or against any person under whom the party or parties in possession during the period herein permitted for reassertion of title claim by lease or other privity of contract; or against any person who during the entire period herein permitted for reassertion of title, or prior thereto, has not had the right to sue for and protect his or her claim, interest or title.

/13-115. Foreclosure of mortgage

§ 13-115. Foreclosure of mortgage. No person shall commence an action or make a sale to foreclose any mortgage or deed of trust in the nature of a mortgage, unless within 10 years after the right of action or right to make such sale accrues.

5/13-116. Lien of mortgage, trust or vendor's lien

§ 13-116. Lien of mortgage, trust or vendor's lien. (a) The lien of every mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, and vendor's lien, the due date of which is stated upon the face, or ascertainable from the written terms thereof, filed for record either before or after July 16, 1941, which has not ceased by limitation before July 16, 1941, shall cease by limitation after the expiration of 20 years from the time the last payment on such mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, or vendor's lien became or becomes due upon its face and according to its written terms, unless the owner of such mortgage or vendor's lien, or the owner or trustee of such trust deed in the nature of a mortgage either

(1) Before July 16, 1941, and within such 20 year period has filed or caused to be filed for record an extension agreement showing the time for which the payment of the indebtedness is extended, and the amount remaining unpaid on such indebtedness; or

(2) After July 16, 1941, and within such 20 year period or within one year after July 21, 1947, provided the due date of the instrument was more than 19 years before July 21, 1947, files or causes to be filed for record, either (i) an affidavit executed by himself or herself or by some person on his or her behalf, stating the amount or amounts claimed to be unpaid on the indebtedness secured by such mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, or vendor's lien; or (ii) an extension agreement executed as hereinafter provided.

(b) The lien of every mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, and vendor's lien, in which no due date is stated upon the face, or is ascertainable from the written terms thereof, shall cease by limitation after the expiration of 30 years from the date of the instrument creating the lien, unless the owner of such mortgage or vendor's lien, or the owner or trustee of such trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, within such 30 year period or within one year after July 21, 1947, provided the date of the instrument was more than 29 years before July 21, 1947, files or causes to be filed for record either (1) an affidavit executed by himself or herself or by some person on his or her behalf, stating the amount or amounts claimed to be unpaid on the indebtedness secured by such mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, or vendor's lien; or (2) an extension agreement executed as hereinafter provided.

The filing for record of an affidavit provided for by this Section, within such 20 or 30 year period or one year period, as the case may be, shall extend the lien for a period of 10 years after the date on which such lien would cease if neither an affidavit nor extension agreement were filed, and no more, and a subsequent affidavit filed within the last 10 year period of the lien, as extended, shall extend the lien for an additional 10 year period, and no more, but successive affidavits may be filed, each extending the lien 10 years.

The filing for record of an extension agreement within such 20 or 30 year period or one year period, as the case may be, whether before or after July 16, 1941, shall extend the lien for 10 years from the date the final payment becomes due under such extension agreement, and no more, but subsequent extension agreements filed before the lien, as extended, ceases, shall extend the lien for an additional 10 year period from the date the final payment becomes due under such extension agreement, and no more. The filing of an extension agreement shall not be construed in any way to cause the lien to cease before it would cease if neither an extension agreement nor an affidavit were filed. Affidavits may be followed by extension agreements, and extension agreements may be followed by affidavits.

An extension agreement executed after July 16, 1941, to be effective for the purpose of continuing the lien of any mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, or vendor's lien shall show the time for which the payment of the indebtedness secured thereby is extended and the amount remaining unpaid on such indebtedness, and shall be executed and acknowledged by the owner of the mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, or vendor's lien, or someone on his or her behalf, and by one or more persons representing himself, herself or themselves to be the then owners of the real estate. The affidavit or extension agreement shall be effective only as to the lands within the county or counties wherein such affidavit or extension agreement, or a copy thereof, is filed for record.

When a corporation is the owner or trustee of any such mortgage, trust deed in the nature of a mortgage, or vendor's lien, the affidavit herein described shall be deemed effective for all purposes under this Section when it has been executed by any officer of such corporation, or by any person authorized by the corporation to execute such affidavit.

The Section shall apply to mortgages, trust deeds in the nature of mortgages, and vendor's liens on both registered and unregistered lands. "Filed for record" or "the filing for record" as used in Article XIII of this Act means filing in the office of the recorder in the county in which the lands are situated, if such lands are unregistered, or in the office of the registrar of titles for such county, if such lands are registered. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive the lien of any such instrument which has expired by limitation before July 16, 1941.

5/13-117. Limitation on mortgage

§ 13-117. Limitation on mortgage. The lien of every mortgage or trust deed in the nature of a mortgage of record on July 1, 1915, where more than 20 years have elapsed from the time the indebtedness secured thereby is due according to its written terms, or according to any extension agreement on record on July 1, 1915, is declared to have ceased by limitation unless the holder of the indebtedness secured thereby and the then owner of the real estate within 5 years after July 1, 1915, files in the office of the recorder where the mortgage or trust deed in the nature of a mortgage is recorded, an extension agreement showing the time for which the payment of the indebtedness is extended, the time when the indebtedness will become due by the terms of the extension agreement and the amount remaining unpaid on the indebtedness, then the mortgage or trust deed in the nature of a mortgage shall continue to be a lien upon the real estate described therein for a period of 10 years from the time the indebtedness will be due as shown by the extension agreement and no longer, unless some further extension agreement is filed of record. Such extension agreements shall be acknowledged and recorded in the same manner as mortgages and trust deeds in the nature of a mortgage are required by law to be acknowledged and recorded.

5/13-118. Forty year limitation on claims to real estate

§ 13-118. Forty year limitation on claims to real estate. No action based upon any claim arising or existing more than 40 years before the commencement of such action shall be maintained in any court to recover any real estate in this State or to recover or establish any interest therein or claim thereto, against the holder of the record title to such real estate when such holder of the record title and his or her grantors immediate or remote are shown by the record to have held chain of title to such real estate for at least 40 years before the action is commenced, unless such claimant, by himself or herself, or by his or her attorney or agent, or if he or she is a minor or under legal disability, by his or her guardian, trustee, either parent, or any other person acting in his or her behalf shall within 40 years after the claim upon which such action is based arises, file in the office of the recorder of the county wherein such real estate is situated, a verified statement definitely describing the real estate involved, the nature and extent of the right or interest claimed, and stating the facts upon which the same is based. However, the holder of the record title to such real estate shall not be entitled to the protection of Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act if the real estate is in the adverse possession of another.

For purposes of this Section an unborn or unascertained person may be a claimant and a verified statement may be filed on his or her behalf as provided in this Section.

For the purposes of Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act, any person who holds title to real estate by will or descent from any person who held the title of record to such real estate at the date of his or her death or who holds title by judgment or order of any court, or by deed issued pursuant thereto, i.e., by trustee's, trustee's in bankruptcy, conservator's, guardian's, executor's, administrator's, receiver's, assignee's, master's in chancery, or sheriff's deed shall be deemed to hold chain of title the same as though holding by direct conveyance.

5/13-119. Claim index

§ 13-119. Claim index. All claims filed in the office of the recorder as provided in Section 13-118 of this Act shall be recorded and indexed in the manner provided by law. In counties where the recorder is not required to keep a tract index, he or she shall index such claims in an index labelled "Claimant's Book". Such book shall be indexed under the name of the person filing the claim and under the name of the person against whom the claim is filed, if such person is named in the claim, followed in each instance by the document number of such claim (or the book and page wherein the same is recorded) and a description of the real estate involved.

5/13-120. Limitation on sections

§ 13-120. Limitation on sections. Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act shall not be applied:

1. to bar any lessor or his or her successor as reversioner of his or her right to possession on the expiration of any lease or any lessee or his or her successor of his or her rights in and to any lease; or

2. to bar or extinguish any interest created or held for any public utility purpose; or

3. to bar or extinguish any easement or interest in the nature of an easement, or any rights granted, reserved or excepted by any instrument creating such easement or interest, the existence of which such easement or interest either is apparent from or can be proved by physical evidences of its use, whether or not such physical evidences of its use are visible from the surface; or

4. to bar or extinguish any separate mineral estate or any rights, immunities and interests appurtenant or relating thereto; or

5. to bar any interest of a mortgagee or interest in the nature of that of a mortgagee where the due date of the mortgage is stated on the face, or ascertainable from the written terms thereof and is not barred by Section 13- 116 of this Act.

6. to validate any encroachment on any street, highway or public waters.

Nothing contained in Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act shall be construed to extend the period for the beginning of any action or the doing of any other required act under any statutes of limitation nor to affect the operation of any statutes or case law governing the recording or the failure to record any instruments affecting land.

No statement recorded or action filed pursuant to the provisions of Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act shall affect real estate registered under "An Act concerning land titles" approved May 1, 1897, as amended; [FN1] and real estate heretofore or hereafter registered under "An Act concerning land titles" shall be subject to the terms thereof and all subsequent amendments thereto.

Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act shall not be deemed to affect any right, title or interest of the United States unless the Congress shall assent to its operation in that behalf.

5/13-121. Construction

§ 13-121. Construction. Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act shall be liberally construed to effect the legislative purpose of simplifying and facilitating land title transactions by allowing persons to rely on a record chain of title as described in Section 13-118 of this Act, subject to such limitations as appear in Section 13-120 of this Act. The claims extinguished by Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act include any and all interests of any nature whatsoever, however denominated, whether vested or contingent, whether present or future, whether such claims are asserted by a person sui juris or under disability or might be asserted by a person not yet in being, whether such person be within or without the State, and whether such person be natural or corporate, or private or governmental.

Except as otherwise provided in Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act, the rule that the State of Illinois is not bound by acts of limitations shall not apply to Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act, and these Sections shall serve to bar any right, title, interest or lien in land which the State of Illinois or any department, commission or political subdivision thereof would otherwise have.

5/13-122. Posting of notice that right of access is by permission and subject to control of owner

§ 13-122. Posting of notice that right of access is by permission and subject to control of owner. No use of any land by any person or by the public generally, no matter how long continued, shall ever ripen into an easement by prescription, or be deemed to be an implied dedication, or be deemed to give rise to any other right, customary or otherwise, to be on, or to engage in activities on, such land, if the owner of such property for a continuous period posts at each entrance to the property or at intervals of not more than 200 feet along the boundary a sign reading substantially as follows: "Right of access by permission, and subject to control of owner".

If the entrances or boundaries of the property sought to be protected are paved, the sign referred to in this Section may be embedded in the pavement, provided that the inscription is legible and in letters at least as large as 24 point type.

The procedure provided in this Section does not constitute the exclusive method of preventing the use of land from creating an easement by prescription, an implied dedication or any other right to be on or to engage in activities on the land, but is in addition to any other methods now or hereafter provided by law. This Section shall not be applied retroactively to events which took place before October 1, 1975.