No person shall commence an action for the recovery of lands, nor make an entry thereon, unless within 20 years after the right to bring such action or make such entry first accrued, or within 20 years after he, she or those from, by, or under whom he or she claims, have acquired title or possession of the premises, except as provided in Sections 13-102 through 13-122 of this Act.
13-101.Twenty years - Recovery of land.
Article XIII. Limitations · Part 1. Real Actions · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSets Illinois's default 20-year limit for lawsuits to recover land or to enter onto land, running from when the right to sue or enter first arose, unless one of the shorter periods in the sections that follow applies.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/13-101
Plain-English Summary
This is the backstop limitations period for real-property recovery actions in Illinois. If nothing more specific applies, a person - or their successors - has 20 years from when the right to sue for the land, or to enter it, first arose to bring that claim.
The 20-year clock also runs from when someone earlier in the chain of title - "those from, by, or under whom" the current claimant claims - first got title or possession. A claimant can't reset the clock by taking a fresh conveyance; years already run against a predecessor carry forward.
The statute flags that Sections 13-102 through 13-122 carve out different rules for particular situations, including shorter periods for a broken condition, foreclosure, and tax-title claims. Section 13-101 is the rule you land on only when none of those more specific provisions fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does someone have to sue to recover land in Illinois?
Twenty years from when the right to bring the action or make the entry first accrued, under Section 13-101, unless a more specific rule elsewhere in this Article shortens that period.
Does the 20-year period restart when land changes hands?
No. Section 13-101 counts years back through everyone in the chain of title, so time that already ran against a predecessor's ownership carries forward to whoever holds the claim now.
What counts as an action for "recovery of lands" under this section?
A lawsuit seeking to regain possession of or title to real property, or a physical entry onto the land asserting that right.
Does Section 13-101 apply if a more specific limitations rule covers the same claim?
No. The text applies "except as provided in Sections 13-102 through 13-122," so a more specific provision in this Article controls over the general 20-year rule.
What happens once the 20 years run out?
The person loses the right to sue for the land or to enter it. The bar is complete, not a mere presumption that can be overcome.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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