An Act To Change the Requirements for Recording Plans at the County Registries of Deeds
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1393
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: HIGGINS, DAVIS
Amends: 33 MRSA §652

Legislative Document
No. 1393
H.P. 1007
House of Representatives, March 26, 2019
An Act To Change the Requirements for Recording Plans at the 
County Registries of Deeds
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative HIGGINS of Dover-Foxcroft.
Cosponsored by Senator DAVIS of Piscataquis.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  33 MRSA §652, as amended by PL 2003, c. 55, §2, is further amended to 
read:
§652.  Recording plans
The county commissioners shall provide, at the expense of the several counties, 
suitable storage for plans with a minimum size of 12 by 18 11 by 17 and a maximum of 
by 36 inches in dimension, for the preservation of such plans.
No A plan may not be accepted for recording unless all of the following criteria are 
met.  The plan must:
1.  Materials.  Be  For a plan dated before January 1, 2020, be drawn upon strong 
linen cloth or polyester film with archival photographic image or white 20-pound paper.  
For a plan dated on or after January 1, 2020, be submitted on white 20-pound paper;
2.  Seals.  Be embossed, sealed or both, with the seal of an architect, professional 
engineer or registered professional land surveyor;
3.  Signature.  Contain the signature and address of the person who prepared the 
plan;
4.  Recording information.  Provide a space register's block no smaller than 3 by 3 
inches for recording the county, date, time, plan book and page or file number and 
register's attest; and
5.  Title.  Provide a title block containing the name of the plan, the record owner's 
name and address, the location by street and town and the date of the plan.
Original plans must be recorded with a paper copy  Paper plans submitted for 
recording must be rolled and not folded.  The register may return plans that are not 
legible for recording and archival purposes and the processing of which may damage 
county equipment or resources.  The register shall permanently file the original and 
maintain a copy for public inspection in at least one of the following media: paper, 
microfilm, microfiche or digital image stored on magnetic or optical media form.  
Suitable arrangements must be made for the preserving of original plans while affording 
the public reasonable opportunity to examine either the original or a reproduction.  No 
additional fee is required for recording the copy Each plan must be microfilmed for 
archival purposes.  Each register shall maintain an index of all plans on records record in 
the register's office.
The several registers shall establish, and thereafter adhere to, reasonable standards for 
the implementation of reproducing copies of original plans as recorded.  Reproduction 
must be on a scale of one to one and must be accomplished with the least possible error 
and distortion. Methods of reproduction must be to standards in keeping with accepted 
engineering and survey practices.
SUMMARY
This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing recording plans in a 
registry of deeds.
1.  It reduces the minimum paper size for plans.
2.  It requires that plans be submitted on white 20-pound paper.
3.  It specifies that paper plans be rolled and not folded.
4.  It authorizes the register of deeds to return plans that are not legible for recording 
and archival purposes and the processing of which may damage county equipment or 
resources.
5.  It specifies the size of the block that the register uses to record certain information.
6.  It changes the requirements for the handling of originals and copies by the 
register.
7.  It requires each plan be microfilmed for archival purposes.
8.  It eliminates the requirement for a register to establish standards for making copies 
of original plans.