Pennsylvania § 12704 - Real estate registry.

§ 12704. Real estate registry.

(a) Registration requirement.--For the purpose of procuring accurate information on the ownership of all real estate, council may provide, by ordinance, for a real estate registry in accordance with the act of October 9, 2008 (P.L.1400, No.110), known as the Uniform Municipal Deed Registration Act. If required by the ordinance, every owner, subsequent purchaser, devisee or person acquiring title by partition, or otherwise, to real estate in the city shall furnish, at the designated city office, descriptions of their respective properties upon blanks to be furnished by the city and, at the same time, present their conveyance to be stamped by the designated city official or employee, without charge, as evidence of its registration. A person who fails to register real estate as required by this chapter shall be liable for a penalty established by ordinance, with costs of suit, in the name and for the use of the city, as penalties for the violation of city ordinances are recoverable.

(b) Registry.--A registry established in accordance with this section shall be in the form provided by council and may include books, maps and plans. The registry shall show the location and dimensions of each property in the city, as well as the street number of and the name of the owner of the properties, and shall allow for the inclusion of the names of future owners and dates of future transfer of title.

(c) Access to records by city officials.--A city official or employee charged with acquiring information necessary to establish and maintain the registry shall have free access, without charge, to any of the public records where the information may be obtained. The official or employee may also search in any other place for documentary or other evidence of title not reported to the city official or employee pursuant to this section if it is necessary for the completion of the registry.

(d) Preservation of registry.--The registry shall be preserved in the manner council shall designate in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 13 Subch. F (relating to records).

(e) Certified copies of registry.--The city official or employee charged with the duty of maintaining the registry shall provide certified copies of any entries to the registry, and the copies shall be received in evidence in the same manner as the original registry would be admissible. Certified copies also shall be furnished to any person for a reasonable fee.

(f) Properties sold at judicial sales.--The sheriff of the county in which the city is situated shall present for registry the deeds of all properties within the city limits sold by the sheriff at judicial sales, whether by execution, in partition or otherwise.

(g) Use of registry as source of owners' names.--A city's registry may be used as the lawful and proper source of property owners' or reputed owners' names for all lawful purposes, including the filing of municipal claims.

(h) Municipal and tax claims.--Nothing in this section shall invalidate any municipal or tax claim by reason of the fact that the claim is not assessed or levied against the registered owner.