(a) “Deed” means a written instrument entitled to be recorded in the office of a county recording officer which purports to convey or transfer title to a freehold interest in any lands, tenements or other realty in this State by way of grant or bargain and sale thereof from the named grantor to the named grantee. A leasehold interest for 99 years or more or a proprietary lease of a cooperative unit and any assignment of a proprietary lease of a cooperative unit, shall be treated as a “freehold” for the purpose of this act. Instruments providing for common driveways, for exchanges of easements or rights-of-way, for revocable licenses to use, to adjust or to clear defects of or clouds on title, to provide for utility service lines such as drainage, sewerage, water, electric, telephone or other such service lines, or to quitclaim possible outstanding interests, shall not be “deeds” for the purposes of this act.

(b) The terms “county recording officer” and “office of the county recording officer” mean the register of deeds and mortgages in counties having such an officer and office, and the county clerk and his office in the other counties.

(c) “Consideration” means in the case of any deed, the actual amount of money and the monetary value of any other thing of value constituting the entire compensation paid or to be paid for the transfer of title to the lands, tenements or other realty, including the remaining amount of any prior mortgage to which the transfer is subject or which is to be assumed and agreed to be paid by the grantee and any other lien or encumbrance thereon not paid, satisfied or removed in connection with the transfer of title. The amount of liens for real property taxes, water or sewerage charges for the current or any subsequent year, or by way of added assessment or other adjustment, as well as of other like liens or encumbrances of a current and continuing nature ordinarily adjusted between the parties according to the period of ownership shall be excluded as an element in determining the consideration, notwithstanding that such amount is to be paid by the grantee.

In the case of a leasehold interest for 99 years or more as defined in subsection (a) of this section, the consideration shall be in the amount of the assessed value of the property at the date of the transaction for the purpose of levying local real property taxes adjusted to reflect the true value in accordance with the county percentage level established for the current year.

In the case of a proprietary lease of a cooperative unit or assignment thereof as defined in subsection (a) of this section, the consideration is the total price paid for the ownership interest held in conjunction with a cooperative unit, including the pro rata amount of any underlying mortgage or other obligation of the cooperative.

(d) “Blind person” means a person whose vision in his better eye with proper correction does not exceed 20/200 as measured by the Snellen chart or a person who has a field defect in his better eye with proper correction in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20ø.

(e) “Disabled person” means any resident of this State who is permanently and totally disabled, unable to engage in gainful employment, and receiving disability benefits or any other compensation under any federal or State law.

(f) “Senior citizen” means any resident of this State of the age of 62 years or over.

(g) “New construction” means any conveyance or transfer of property upon which there is an entirely new improvement not previously occupied or used for any purpose.

(h) “Low and moderate income housing” means any residential premises, or part thereof, affordable according to federal Department of Housing and Urban Development or other recognized standards for home ownership and rental costs and occupied or reserved for occupancy by households with a gross income equal to 80% or less of the median gross household income for households of the same size within the housing region in which the housing is located, but shall include only those residential premises subject to resale controls pursuant to contractual guarantees.

(i) “Basic fee” means the fee established by paragraph (1) of subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.1968, c.49 (C. 46:15-7), which fee shall consist of a State portion and a county portion as prescribed under that paragraph.

(j) “Additional fee” means the fee established by paragraph (2) of subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.1968, c.49.

(k) “General purpose fee” means the fee established by paragraph (3) of subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.1968, c.49.

(l) “Supplemental fee” means the fee established by subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.2003, c.113 (C. 46:15-7.1).

L.1968,c.49,s.1; amended 1974, c.184, s.1; 1975, c.176, s.1; 1985, c.225, s.1; 1987, c.381, s.13; 2004, c.66, s.1.