No plan may be accepted for recording unless all of the following criteria are met. The plan must:

1. Materials. Be drawn upon strong linen cloth or polyester film with archival photographic image;

2. Seals. Be embossed, sealed or both, with the seal of an architect, professional engineer or registered land surveyor;

3. Signature. Contain the signature and address of the person who prepared the plan;

4. Recording information. Provide a space 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. The register shall permanently file the original and maintain the 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. 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 register shall maintain an index of all plans on records 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.

Sec. 3. 33 MRSA §653, as repealed and replaced by PL 1983, c. 15, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§653. Time of recording; verification