In order to be accepted for recordation, an original of any primary or secondary document must:
(a) Be in writing and executed by the parties to the document, and acknowledged or verified either in a form:
(1) Authorized by the law of the state, territory, district or possession where executed for the acknowledgement or verification of deeds of land; or
(2) Substantially as follows:
Individual Form of Acknowledgement
I, (name of signor), certify that I am the person described in and who executed the foregoing instrument and that I acknowledge that I executed the same as my free act and deed. I further declare (certify, verify or state) under penalty of perjury (“under the laws of the United States of America” if executed outside the United States) that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on (date).
Signature.
or;
Corporate Form of Acknowledgement
I, (name of signor), certify that I am (title of office) of (name of corporation), that the seal affixed to the foregoing instrument is the corporate seal of said corporation, that the instrument was signed and sealed on behalf of the corporation by authority of its Board of Directors, and that I acknowledge that the execution of the foregoing instrument was the free act and deed of the corporation. I further declare (certify, verify or state) under penalty of perjury (“under the laws of the United States of America” if executed outside the United States of America) that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on (date).
Signature.
or;
(3) Substantially as follows:
Individual Form of Acknowledgement
State of ______________
County of _____________, ss:
On this _______ day of ________, 19__, before me, personally appeared (name of signor), to me known to be the person described in and who executed the foregoing instrument and (s)he acknowledged that (s)he executed the same as his/her free act and deed.
(SEAL)
Signature of Notary Public
Corporate Form of Acknowledgement
On this _______ day of ___________, 19__ before me personally appeared (name of signor), to me personally known, who being by me duly sworn, says that (s)he is the (title of office) of (name of corporation), that the seal affixed to the foregoing instrument is the corporate seal of said corporation, that said instrument was signed and sealed on behalf of said corporation by authority of its Board of Directors, and (s)he acknowledged that the execution of the foregoing instrument was the free act and deed of said corporation.
(SEAL)
Signature of Notary Public
(b) Be accompanied by at least one fully executed and acknowledged or verified counterpart, or if no counterpart has been executed and acknowledged by the parties, one certified true copy. A certified true copy of an original document is a complete and identical copy in all respects to the original attached with:
(1) A certificate executed by a notary public, stating that he or she has compared the copy with the original and has found the copy to be complete and identical in all respects to the original document; or
(2) A certification of the filer stating that he or she has compared the copy with the original and found the copy to be complete and identical in all respects to the original document and that he or she declares under penalty of perjury (“under the laws of the United States of America” if executed outside the United States) that the foregoing is true and correct; or
(3) There may be attached to the copy, affidavits, wherein the affidavit states that he or she has compared the copy with the original document and found the copy to be complete and identical in all respects to the original documents.
(c) Be accompanied by the fee set forth in 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(83). However, assignments which are executed prior to the filing of the primary document and which are submitted concurrently will be treated along with the primary document as one for fee purposes and will be assessed only one fee. A lease and agreement (Philadelphia Plan) shall be similarly treated.
(d) Be accompanied by a letter of transmittal requesting the recording of the document. For a sample of a letter, see §1177.4. Documents submitted concurrently under the same recordation number may be included in a single transmittal letter. Otherwise, each document must have its own letter of transmittal. The letter should be addressed to the Chief, Section of Administration, Office of Proceedings and include the following information:
(1) Type of Agreement. (equipment trust, mortgage, assignment, etc.).
(2) Whether document is a primary document or a secondary document (see §1177.1). If the document is a secondary document, it must contain the recordation number of the primary document to which it is connected, unless it is being filed concurrently with a primary document to which a recordation number has not yet been assigned.
(3) A request for cross-indexing. If the document is an assignment, parties may request the listing of the assignment in the index under the name(s) of parties with continuing interest not involved in this particular assignment.
(4) A description of the equipment covered in the document—
(i) For railway equipment—The type of equipment; whether locomotives, cars, or other rolling stock; with any A.A.R. mechanical designation; the number of each type; any identifying marks such as the name or initials of the lessee, mortgagee, or vendee, and the road or serial number, or if more than one for each type of equipment, the first and last inclusive numbers.
(ii) For water carrier equipment—Whether tow boats, barges or other vessels; type of equipment; description as contained in the United States Coast Guard certificate of enrollment; number of each type of equipment; and any identifying marks such as the name or initial of the lessee, mortgagee, or vendee.
(5) Parties to the agreement, as follows:
(i) Conditional sale-vendor, purchaser, guarantor.
(ii) Mortgage—mortgagor, mortgagee, guarantor.
(iii) Equipment Trust—vendor, trustee, lessor, lessee, guarantor of lease.
(iv) Lease—lessee, lessor, guarantor.
(v) Bailment—bailor, bailee, guarantor.
(vi) Other transactions—principal debtor, trustee, guarantor, and other parties.
(6) Parties to whom original document should be returned.
(7) The amount of the enclosed fee.
(8) A short summary (1 or 2 sentences) of the type of document and a very brief description of the equipment and identifying numbers. This summary will be entered into the index as an aid to researching the encumbrances to title. (For a sample of a summary, see §1177.4).
(9) The letter must be signed by an executive officer of one of the parties having knowledge of the matters described in the letter, or their attorney or representative in fact.
Note: If the document is a mortgage or deed of trust which contains a “hereafter acquired” or similar clause, the following statement may be included in the letter of transmittal in lieu of the equipment description above:
“Included in the property covered by the aforesaid mortgage (or deed of trust) are (here identify generally the equipment such as “barges, tow boats, or other vessels, railroad cars, locomotives and other rolling stock”) intended for use related to interstate commerce, or interests therein, owned by (name of mortgagor) at the date of said mortgage or thereafter acquired by it or its successors as owners of the water carriers or the lines of railway covered by the mortgage.”
When such a mortgage or deed of trust is filed, it is not necessary to refile the document whenever additional rolling stock is acquired in order to perfect the lien of the document upon the addition of vessels or rolling stock.
(Authority: 5 U.S.C. 553, 31 U.S.C. 9701; 49 U.S.C. 10321)
[46 FR 54946, Nov. 5, 1981. Redesignated at 47 FR 49592, Nov. 1, 1982 and amended at 52 FR 46484, Dec. 8, 1987; 56 FR 10520, Mar. 13, 1991; 56 FR 12423, Mar. 25, 1991; 64 FR 53268, Oct. 1, 1999; 74 FR 52910, Oct. 15, 2009]
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