(a) What constitutes filing.--Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), communication of a record to a filing office and tender of the filing fee or acceptance of the record by the filing office constitutes filing.

(b) Refusal to accept record; filing does not occur.--Filing does not occur with respect to a record which a filing office refuses to accept because one of the following paragraphs applies:

(1) The record is not communicated by a method or medium of communication authorized by the filing office.

(2) An amount equal to or greater than the applicable filing fee is not tendered.

(3) The filing office is unable to index the record because of a reason stated in one of the following subparagraphs:

(i) In the case of an initial financing statement, the record does not provide a name for the debtor.

(ii) In the case of an amendment or information statement, the record:

(A) does not identify the initial financing statement as required by section 9512 (relating to amendment of financing statement) or 9518 (relating to claim concerning inaccurate or wrongfully filed record), as applicable; or

(B) identifies an initial financing statement whose effectiveness has lapsed under section 9515 (relating to duration and effectiveness of financing statement; effect of lapsed financing statement).

(iii) In the case of an initial financing statement which provides the name of a debtor identified as an individual or an amendment which provides a name of a debtor identified as an individual which was not previously provided in the financing statement to which the record relates, the record does not identify the debtor's surname.

(iv) In the case of a record filed in the filing office described in section 9501(a)(1) (relating to filing offices), the record does not provide a sufficient description of the real property to which it relates.

(4) In the case of an initial financing statement or an amendment which adds a secured party of record, the record does not provide a name and mailing address for the secured party of record.

(5) In the case of an initial financing statement or an amendment which provides a name of a debtor which was not previously provided in the financing statement to which the amendment relates, the record does not do both of the following:

(i) Provide a mailing address for the debtor.

(ii) Indicate whether the name provided as the name of the debtor is the name of an individual or an organization.

(iii) (Deleted by amendment).

(6) In the case of an assignment reflected in an initial financing statement under section 9514(a) (relating to assignment reflected on initial financing statement) or an amendment filed under section 9514(b) (relating to assignment of filed financing statement), the record does not provide a name and mailing address for the assignee.

(7) In the case of a continuation statement, the record is not filed within the six-month period prescribed by section 9515(d) (relating to when continuation statement may be filed).

(c) Rules applicable to subsection (b).--For purposes of subsection (b):

(1) a record does not provide information if the filing office is unable to read or decipher the information; and

(2) a record which does not indicate that it is an amendment or identify an initial financing statement to which it relates, as required by section 9512, 9514 or 9518, is an initial financing statement.

(d) Refusal to accept record; record effective as filed record.--A record which is communicated to the filing office with tender of the filing fee, but which the filing office refuses to accept for a reason other than one set forth in subsection (b), is effective as a filed record except as against a purchaser of the collateral that gives value in reasonable reliance upon the absence of the record from the files.

(June 27, 2013, P.L.154, No.30, eff. July 1, 2013)

2013 Amendment. Act 30 amended subsec. (b)(3)(ii) intro. par. and (iii) and (5) intro. par. and (ii) and deleted subsec. (b)(5)(iii).

Cross References. Section 9516 is referred to in sections 9109, 9338, 9520, 9521 of this title; section 154 of Title 15 (Corporations and Unincorporated Associations).