Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 893 - Limitations of commencement of actions and proceedings; procedure for claims against governmental units.
893.29 - No adverse possession by or against the state or political subdivisions.

893.29 No adverse possession by or against the state or political subdivisions.
(1) Except as provided in sub. (2) (b), no title to or interest in real property belonging to the state or a city, village, town, county, school district, sewerage commission, sewerage district or any other unit of government within this state may be obtained by adverse possession under s. 893.25, 893.26, or 893.27 or by continuous adverse use under s. 893.28.
(1m) Except as provided in sub. (2) (d), no city, village, town, county, school district, sewerage commission, sewerage district, or any other unit of government within this state may obtain title to private property, as defined in s. 943.13 (1e) (e), by adverse possession under s. 893.25, 893.26, or 893.27.
(2)
(a) Subsection (1) applies to a claim of title to or interest in real property based on adverse possession or continuous adverse use that began on or after March 3, 1996.
(b) Subsection (1) does not affect title to or interest in real property obtained on or before March 3, 2016, by adverse possession under s. 893.25, 893.26, or 893.27 or by continuous adverse use under s. 893.28.
(c)
1. Subsection (1m) applies to a claim of title to real property based on adverse possession under s. 893.25 that began after March 3, 1996.
2. Subsection (1m) applies to a claim of title to real property based on adverse possession under s. 893.26 that began after March 3, 2006.
3. Subsection (1m) applies to a claim of title to real property based on adverse possession under s. 893.27 that began after March 3, 2009.
(d) Subsection (1m) does not affect title to real property obtained on or before March 3, 2016, by adverse possession under s. 893.25, 893.26, or 893.27.
History: 1979 c. 323; 1983 a. 178; 1983 a. 189 s. 329 (16); 1997 a. 108; 2015 a. 219.
This section does not apply to a railroad. A railroad right-of-way is subject to adverse possession, the same as other lands. Maiers v. Wang, 192 Wis. 2d 115, 531 N.W.2d 54 (1995).
In the absence of an express provision to the contrary, one who adversely possesses under an earlier version of the adverse possession statute may continue possession under the terms of that statute even after its repeal and re-creation. DNR v. Building & All Related or Attached Structures, 2011 WI App 119, 336 Wis. 2d 642, 803 N.W.2d 86, 10-2076.
Under former sub. (2) (c), 1987 stats., the claimant was barred from adversely possessing any real property of a highway, including property held by the town for highway purposes. The parcel in question, although not improved as a highway, was dedicated as a street on a subdivision plat that was recorded in 1986. As such, under s. 236.29 (1), the recorded subdivision plat vested fee simple ownership of the disputed parcel in the town, which held that parcel in trust for use as a street. Under those circumstances, the disputed parcel was held by the town for highway purposes and was not subject to adverse possession. Casa De Calvo v. Town of Hudson, 2020 WI App 67, 394 Wis. 2d 342, 950 N.W.2d 939, 19-1851.

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