Sec. 5.5. (a) Before an owner records a transfer of an ownership interest in a parcel of real property that is created after the person became owner of the real property and is created either from a larger previously existing parcel or a combination of previously existing smaller parcels, the owner must submit, except as provided in section 9 of this chapter, the instrument transferring the real property to the county auditor to be entered for taxation.

(b) The county auditor, except as provided in section 9 of this chapter, shall endorse on the instrument "duly entered for taxation subject to final acceptance for transfer" or another endorsement authorized under section 4 of this chapter.

(c) A lien for and the duty to pay property taxes that are due and owing is not released or otherwise extinguished if a county auditor endorses an instrument of transfer under this section. Property taxes that are due and owing on the affected parcel of property may be collected as if the county auditor had not endorsed the instrument of transfer.

(d) Except as provided in section 9 of this chapter, before the county auditor may enter or transfer real property described in subsection (a) on the last assessment list, enter lots or parcels described in a plat under section 3 of this chapter, consolidate parcels under section 16 of this chapter, or apportion the assessed value of the real property among the owners the owner must pay or otherwise satisfy all property taxes for which the due date has passed as of the date of transfer on each of the parcels of real property from which the platted, consolidated, or transferred property is derived by paying the property tax to the county treasurer of the county in which the real property is located. The county auditor, subject to section 9 of this chapter, may not apportion delinquent taxes described in this subsection among the owners.

As added by P.L.51-1997, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.38-1998, SEC.1; P.L.113-2010, SEC.19.