The Strip You Have Been Mowing
Va. Code 8.01-236 — fifteen years to enter on or sue for land
In Virginia, no person may make an entry on, or bring an action to recover, any land except within fifteen years after the right to do so first accrued to that person or to someone through whom the person claims.
Unlawful entry or detainer. An action for unlawful entry or detainer is brought within three years after the entry or detainer.
The statute sets the time. What kind of possession counts beyond what the statute itself says comes from Virginia 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 Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Va. Code 8.01-236 — Limitation of entry on or action for land
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.