(a) As used in this section, “address” means a location as described by the full street number, if any, the street name, the city or town, and the state, and not a mailing address such as a post office box, “dwelling unit” means any house or building, or portion thereof, which is rented, leased or hired out to be occupied, or is arranged or designed to be occupied, or is occupied, as the home or residence of one or more persons, living independently of each other, and doing their cooking upon the premises, and having a common right in the halls, stairways or yards and “agent in charge” means one who manages real estate, including, but not limited to, the collection of rents and supervision of property.

(b) Any municipality may require the nonresident owner of occupied or vacant rental real property to maintain on file in the office of the tax assessor or other municipal office designated by the municipality, the current residential address of the nonresident owner of such property, if the owner is an individual, or the current residential address of the agent in charge of the building, if the nonresident owner is a corporation, partnership, trust or other legally recognized entity owning rental real property in the state. If such residential address changes, notice of the new residential address shall be provided by such nonresident owner or agent in charge of the building to the office of the tax assessor or other designated municipal office not more than twenty-one days after the date that the address change occurred. If the nonresident owner or agent fails to file an address under this section, the address to which the municipality mails property tax bills for the rental real property shall be deemed to be the nonresident owner or agent's current address. Such address may be used for compliance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.

(c) Service of state or municipal orders relating to maintenance of such rental real property or compliance with state law and local codes concerning such real property directed to the nonresident owner or agent at the address on file, or deemed to be on file in accordance with the provisions of this section, shall be sufficient proof of service of notice of such orders in any subsequent criminal or civil action against the owner or agent for failure to comply with the orders. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit the validity of any other means of giving notice of such orders that may be used by the state or such municipality.

(d) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall have committed an infraction.

(P.A. 05-223, S. 1.)