Article XIII. Limitations · Part 1. Real Actions · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceExempts land owned by the state or federal government, school and religious-society land, and other public-purpose land from the tax-payment ownership rules in Sections 13-109 and 13-110, and gives disabled adverse-title holders a 3-year window.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/13-111
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Sections 13-109 and 13-110 of this Act shall not extend to lands or tenements owned by the United States or of this State, nor to school and seminary lands, nor to lands held for the use of religious societies, nor to lands held for any public purpose. Nor shall they extend to lands or tenements when there is an adverse title to such lands or tenements, and the holder of such adverse title is a minor, person under legal disability, imprisoned, out of the limits of the United States, and in the employment of the United States or of this State. Such person shall commence an action to recover such lands or tenements so possessed, as above set out, within 3 years after the several disabilities herein enumerated cease to exist, and shall prosecute such action to judgment, or in case of vacant and unoccupied land, shall, within the time last set out, pay to the person or persons who have paid the same, all the taxes, with interest thereon, at the rate of 12% per annum, that have been paid on such vacant and unimproved land.
The exceptions provided in this Section shall not apply to the provisions of Sections 13-118 through 13-121 of this Act.
Plain-English Summary
The tax-payment routes to ownership in Sections 13-109 and 13-110 don't work against certain landowners. This section excludes land owned by the United States or the State of Illinois, school and seminary land, land held for religious societies, and land held for any public purpose.
It also protects a narrow class of private titleholders. If the true titleholder is a minor, under legal disability, imprisoned, or out of the country working for the state or federal government, that person gets 3 years after the disability ends to sue and pursue the case to judgment, or, for vacant land, to reimburse whoever paid the taxes, with 12% annual interest, within that same 3 years.
The last sentence draws a firm line: none of these exceptions apply to Sections 13-118 through 13-121, this Article's separate 40-year marketable-title provisions. Those sections run on their own terms regardless of these protections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a private party gain ownership of state-owned land by paying taxes on it?
No. Section 13-111 excludes land owned by the United States or the State of Illinois, along with school, seminary, religious-society, and other public-purpose land, from the tax-payment rules in Sections 13-109 and 13-110.
What relief does a disabled titleholder get under this section?
Three years after the disability, meaning minority, legal disability, imprisonment, or absence from the U.S. in government service, ends to sue and prosecute the case, or, for vacant land, to repay the taxes paid plus 12% annual interest.
What interest rate applies to reimbursing taxes paid on vacant land under this section?
12% per annum.
Do these exceptions apply to the 40-year marketable-title sections?
No. The statute expressly says the exceptions in this section don't apply to Sections 13-118 through 13-121.
What disabilities trigger the 3-year window described in this section?
Being a minor, under legal disability, imprisoned, or out of the United States in government employment.
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
Also known as:illinois state land exempt adverse possessiondisability exception illinois real property limitations12 percent interest vacant land taxes illinois