The following words when used in this article shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:
"Agricultural production." As defined in Section 3 of the act of June 30, 1981 ( P.L. 128, No.43), known as the "Agricultural area security law."
"Association." A general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership or any other form of unincorporated enterprise, owned or conducted by two or more persons other than a private trust or decedent's estate.
"Conservancy." A corporation or association that possesses a tax-exempt status pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) ) and which has as its primary purpose preservation of land for historic, recreational, scenic, agricultural or open-space opportunities.
"Corporation." A corporation, joint-stock association, business trust or banking institution which is organized under the laws of this Commonwealth, the United States, or any other state, territory, or foreign country, or dependency.
"Department." The Department of Revenue of this Commonwealth.
"Document." Any deed, instrument or writing which conveys, transfers, devises, vests, confirms or evidences any transfer or devise of title to real estate in this Commonwealth, but does not include wills, mortgages, deeds of trust or other instruments of like character given as security for a debt and deeds of release thereof to the debtor, land contracts whereby the legal title does not pass to the grantee until the total consideration specified in the contract has been paid or any cancellation thereof unless the consideration is payable over a period of time exceeding thirty years or instruments which solely grant, vest or confirm a public utility easement. "Document" shall also include a declaration of acquisition required to be presented for recording under section 1102-C.5 of this article.
"Family farm business." A corporation or association of which at least seventy-five per cent of its assets are devoted to the business of agriculture and at least seventy-five per cent of each class of stock of the corporation or the interests in the association is continuously owned by members of the same family. The business of agriculture shall include the leasing to members of the same family or the leasing to a corporation or association owned by members of the same family of property which is directly and principally used for agricultural purposes. The business of agriculture shall not be deemed to include:
(1) recreational activities such as, but not limited to, hunting, fishing, camping, skiing, show competition or racing;(2) the raising, breeding or training of game animals or game birds, fish, cats, dogs or pets or animals intended for use in sporting or recreational activities;(4) stockyard and slaughterhouse operations; or(5) manufacturing or processing operations of any kind. "Living trust." Any trust, other than a business trust, intended as a will substitute by the settlor which becomes effective during the lifetime of the settlor, but from which trust distributions cannot be made to any beneficiaries other than the settlor prior to the death of the settlor.
"Members of the same family." Any individual, such individual's brothers and sisters, the brothers and sisters of such individual's parents and grandparents, the ancestors and lineal descendents of any of the foregoing, a spouse of any of the foregoing and the estate of any of the foregoing. Individuals related by the half blood or legal adoption shall be treated as if they were related by the whole blood.
"Ordinary trust." Any trust, other than a business trust or a living trust, which takes effect during the lifetime of the settlor and for which the trustees of the trust take title to property primarily for the purpose of protecting, managing or conserving it until distribution to the named beneficiaries of the trust. An ordinary trust does not include a trust that has an objective to carry on business and divide gains, nor does it either expressly or impliedly have any of the following features: the treatment of beneficiaries as associates, the treatment of the interests in the trust as personal property, the free transferability of beneficial interests in the trust, centralized management by the trustee or the beneficiaries, or continuity of life.
"Person." Every natural person, association, or corporation. Whenever used in any clause prescribing and imposing a fine or imprisonment, or both, the term "person" as applied to associations, shall include the responsible members or general partners thereof, and as applied to corporations, the officers thereof.
"Qualified beginner farmer." A person that:
(1) Has demonstrated experience in the agriculture industry or related field or has transferable skills as determined by the Department of Agriculture.(2) Has not received federal gross income from agricultural production for more than the ten most recent taxable years.(3) Intends to engage in agricultural production within the borders of this commonwealth and to provide the majority of the labor and management involved in that agricultural production.(4) Has obtained written certification from the department of agriculture confirming qualified beginner farmer status. "Real estate."
(1) Any lands, tenements or hereditaments , including, without limitation, buildings, structures, fixtures, mines, minerals, oil, gas, quarries, spaces with or without upper or lower boundaries, trees and other improvements, immovables or interests which by custom, usage or law pass with a conveyance of land, but excluding permanently attached machinery and equipment in an industrial plant.(3) A tenant-stockholder's interest in a cooperative housing corporation, trust or association under a proprietary lease or occupancy agreement. "Real estate company." A corporation or association which meets any of the following:
(1) Is primarily engaged in the business of holding, selling or leasing real estate ninety per cent or more of the ownership interest in which is held by thirty-five or fewer persons and which: (i) derives sixty per cent or more of its annual gross receipts from the ownership or disposition of real estate; or(ii) holds real estate, the value of which comprises ninety per cent or more of the value of its entire tangible asset holdings exclusive of tangible assets which are freely transferable and actively traded on an established market.(2) Ninety percent or more of the ownership interest in the corporation or association is held by thirty-five or fewer persons and the corporation or association owns, as ninety percent or more of the fair market value of its assets, a direct or indirect interest in a real estate company. An indirect ownership interest is an interest in a corporation or association, ninety percent or more of the ownership interest which is held by thirty-five or fewer persons whose purpose is the ownership of a real estate company. "Title to real estate."
(1) Any interest in real estate which endures for a period of time, the termination of which is not fixed or ascertained by a specific number of years, including, without limitation, an estate in fee simple, life estate or perpetual leasehold; or(2) any interest in real estate enduring for a fixed period of years but which, either by reason of the length of the term or the grant of a right to extend the term by renewal or otherwise, consists of a group of rights approximating those of an estate in fee simple, life estate or perpetual leasehold, including, without limitation, a leasehold interest or possessory interest under a lease or occupancy agreement for a term of thirty years or more or a leasehold interest or possessory interest in real estate in which the lessee has equity. "Transaction." The making, executing, delivering, accepting, or presenting for recording of a document.
"Value."
(1) In the case of any bona fide sale of real estate at arm's length for actual monetary worth, the amount of the actual consideration therefor, paid or to be paid, including liens or other encumbrances thereon existing before the transfer and not removed thereby, whether or not the underlying indebtedness is assumed, and ground rents, or a commensurate part thereof where such liens or other encumbrances and ground rents also encumber or are charged against other real estate: Provided, That where such documents shall set forth a nominal consideration, the "value" thereof shall be determined from the price set forth in or actual consideration for the contract of sale;(2) in the case of a gift, sale by execution upon a judgment or upon the foreclosure of a mortgage by a judicial officer, transactions without consideration or for consideration less than the actual monetary worth of the real estate, a taxable lease, an occupancy agreement, a leasehold or possessory interest, any exchange of properties, or the real estate of an acquired company, the actual monetary worth of the real estate determined by adjusting the assessed value of the real estate for local real estate tax purposes for the common level ratio of assessed values to market values of the taxing district as established by the State Tax Equalization Board, or a commensurate part of the assessment where the assessment includes other real estate;(3) in the case of an easement or other interest in real estate the value of which is not determinable under clause (1) or (2), the actual monetary worth of such interest; or(4) the actual consideration for or actual monetary worth of any executory agreement for the construction of buildings, structures or other permanent improvements to real estate between the grantor and other persons existing before the transfer and not removed thereby or between the grantor, the agent or principal of the grantor or a related corporation, association or partnership and the grantee existing before or effective with the transfer."Veterans' service organization." A not-for-profit organization that has been chartered by the Congress of the United States to service veterans or is a member of the Pennsylvania State Veterans' Commission under 51 Pa.C.S. Ch. 17 (relating to State Veterans' Commission and Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans' Affairs).
"Volunteer emergency medical services agency." The term shall have the same meaning as given to the term "volunteer ambulance service" in 35 Pa.C.S. § 7802 (relating to definitions).
"Volunteer fire company." As defined in 35 Pa.C.S. § 7802 (relating to definitions).
"Volunteer rescue company." As defined in 35 Pa.C.S. § 7802 (relating to definitions).
Amended by P.L. TBD 2019 No. 13, § 10.5, eff. 7/1/2019.Amended by P.L. TBD 2017 No. 43, § 29, eff. 10/30/2017.Amended by P.L. TBD 2016 No. 84, § 16.3, eff. 7/13/2016.Amended by P.L. 270 2013 No. 52, § 24, eff. 7/9/2013.Amended by P.L. 751 2012 No. 85, § 9, eff. 7/2/2012.1971, March 4, P.L. 6, No. 2, § 1101-C, added 1981, May 5, P.L. 36, No. 14, § 4, imd. effective. Amended 1982, Dec. 9, P.L. 1047, No. 246, § 6, effective July 1, 1983; 1985, Dec. 19, P.L. 356, No. 102, § 2, effective in 60 days; 1985, Dec. 20, P.L. 489, No. 115, § 2, imd. effective; 1986, July 2, P.L. 318, No. 77, § 8, imd. effective; 1994, June 16, P.L. 279, No. 48, § 27, effective July 1, 1994; 1997, May 7, P.L. 85, No. 7, § 17, effective July 1, 1997; 1998, April 23, P.L. 239, No. 45, § 13, effective July 1, 1998.