What type of taking occurs when the government occupies private land for a public purpose?

The concept of physical taking occurs when the government directly occupies or takes possession of private land for public use, which is often associated with the exercise of eminent domain. This action requires just compensation to be provided to the landowner, as mandated by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Physical taking is characterized by the actual physical invasion or appropriation of private property, such as through the construction of highways, schools, or public utilities.

This is distinct from other forms of taking, such as regulatory taking, where laws or regulations impose restrictions on the use of property without physical possession, potentially diminishing its value without a direct occupation. Similarly, escheat refers to the state acquiring property when there are no heirs, and taxation relates to the government's collection of revenue rather than taking property for public use. Hence, when focusing on the direct occupancy of land, physical taking is the correct term to define the government's action in this context.