Adverse possession requires occupancy for a statutory period ranging from

• A. 5 to 30 years
• B. 1 to 3 years
• C. 31 to 50 years
• D. 40 to 60 years

Answer: (A)

Adverse possession hinges on possessing property in a way that meets the statutory time the law requires before title can vest in someone other than the owner. That time frame isn’t the same everywhere, but in many jurisdictions it falls in a broad range from five to thirty years. That’s why this option best matches what is typically required: it covers the common minimums and the more extended periods that some states use. The shorter range of one to three years is generally insufficient in most places, and the much longer ranges (thirty-one to fifty or forty to sixty years) exceed what is commonly required, even though a few jurisdictions might set longer periods.