NC
North Carolina prescriptive easement law
N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 1-40, 1-38
Prescriptive period
20 years
Adverse possession
7 years
What actually decides a claim here
- Twenty years of adverse use; seven years applies where possession is under color of title.
- North Carolina presumes use of another's land is permissive, so the claimant must prove hostility.
Related terms
General educational reference only. Prescription periods and their exceptions change, and several states set the period by case law rather than by statute. Read the linked official code and consult a licensed attorney in that state before relying on any of it.
Sponsored by Easements.comAnalyze my title report
Know your easements before you close
Upload your title commitment and get a plain-English easement audit in minutes.