(a) Requirements of county tax maps.--The governing body shall provide for a single agency which shall be the permanent depository of all county tax maps. The agency shall assign to each parcel a uniform parcel identifier which shall correspond with the county tax maps.

(b) Assignment of uniform parcel identifier.--At the request of an owner subdividing or amalgamating or otherwise affecting for future transfer, mortgage, release or other purpose any parcel or parcels already designated on a county tax map, the agency having custody of the county tax map shall assign a uniform parcel identifier to each parcel included in the proposed transfer, mortgage, release or other purpose. If the conveyance in the proposed transfer represents a change of size and a description of the real estate, the owner shall provide the officials with either a metes and bounds description based on a precise survey or a lot number and references to a recorded subdivision plan, which plan on its face shows metes and bounds, prepared by a professional land surveyor as required by the act of May 23, 1945 (P.L. 913, No. 367), known as the Professional Engineers Registration Law.¹ Any subdivision plan which was prepared prior to the effective date of the aforesaid act and which contains metes and bounds shall be acceptable for compliance with these provisions. This assignment of uniform parcel identifiers shall take place within one day of the presentation of the request for such assignment when accompanied by the survey or such subdivision plan. No metes and bounds description by survey or subdivision plan shall be required for any transfer, mortgage, release or other purpose involving a right-of-way, surface or subsurface easement, oil, gas or mineral lease or other interest, or any subsurface estate.