§ 47-18.1.  Registration of certificate of entity name change, merger, consolidation, or conversion.

(a) If title to real property in this State is vested by operation of law in another entity upon the name change, merger, consolidation, or conversion of an entity, the vesting is effective against lien creditors or purchasers for a valuable consideration from the entity formerly owning the property, only from the time of registration of a certificate as provided in this section, in the county where the land lies, or if the land is located in more than one county, then in each county where any portion of the land lies to be effective as to the land in that county.

(b) The Secretary of State shall adopt uniform certificates of name change, merger, consolidation, or conversion, to be furnished for registration, and shall adopt fees as necessary for the expense of these certifications. If the entity involved is not a domestic entity, a similar certificate by any competent authority in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization may be registered in accordance with this section.

(c) A certificate of the Secretary of State prepared in accordance with this section shall be registered by the register of deeds in the same manner as deeds, and for the same fees, but no formalities as to acknowledgment, probate, or approval by any other officer are required. The name of the entity formerly owning the property shall appear in the "Grantor" index, and the name of the entity owning the property by virtue of the merger, consolidation, or conversion shall appear in the "Grantee" index. (1967, c. 950, s. 3; 1991, c. 645, s. 2(b); 1999-369, s. 5.1; 2022-64, s. 1.)