The Strip You Have Been Mowing
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.010 — ten years to recover land
In Missouri, no action to recover lands or their possession may be commenced or maintained unless the plaintiff, or someone the plaintiff claims under, was seized or possessed of the premises within ten years before the action.
Who it binds. The section applies to any person, whether citizen, alien, resident or nonresident of the state.
The statute sets the time. What kind of possession counts beyond what the statute itself says comes from Missouri court decisions, which this page does not quote. Whether a particular strip of land has changed hands, and how to bring or answer an action over it, are questions for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.010 — Actions for recovery of lands commenced, when
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.