§ 18-11-106 - Adverse possession.
18-11-106. Adverse possession.
(a) To establish adverse possession of real property, the person and those under whom the person claims must have actual or constructive possession of the real property being claimed and have either:
(1) (A) Held color of title to the real property for a period of at least seven (7) years and during that time paid ad valorem taxes on the real property.
(B) For purposes of this subdivision (a)(1), color of title may be established by the person claiming adversely to the true owner by paying the ad valorem taxes for a period of at least seven (7) years for unimproved and unenclosed land or fifteen (15) years for wild and unimproved land, provided the true owner has not also paid the ad valorem taxes or made a bona fide good faith effort to pay the ad valorem taxes which were misapplied by the state and local taxing authority; or
(2) Held color of title to real property contiguous to the real property being claimed by adverse possession for a period of at least seven (7) years and during that time paid ad valorem taxes on the contiguous real property to which the person has color of title.
(b) (1) The requirements of subsection (a) of this section with regard to payment of ad valorem taxes shall not apply to a person or entity exempt from the payment of ad valorem taxes by law.
(2) For the person or entity exempt from the payment of ad valorem taxes to establish adverse possession of real property, the person or entity must have:
(A) Actual or constructive possession of the real property being claimed and held color of title to the real property for a period of at least seven (7) years; or
(B) Actual or constructive possession of the real property being claimed and held color of title to the real property contiguous to the real property being claimed by adverse possession for a period of at least seven (7) years.
(c) The requirements of this section are in addition to all other requirements for establishing adverse possession.
(d) (1) This section shall not repeal any requirement under existing case law for establishing adverse possession but shall be supplemental to existing case law.
(2) This section shall not diminish the presumption of possession of unimproved and unenclosed land created under 18-11-102 by payment of taxes for seven (7) years under color of title or the presumption of color of title on wild and unimproved land created under 18-11-103 by payment of taxes for fifteen (15) consecutive years.