2022 UCC-1 filing still showing as pending - what are my options?
Hey everyone, I'm dealing with a situation that's got me pretty worried. Back in March 2022, I filed a UCC-1 for equipment financing on a client's manufacturing equipment (about $180K worth of CNC machines). The filing went through the state portal and I got a confirmation number, but when I check the status now it still shows as 'pending review' almost 3 years later. My client is refinancing and the new lender is saying they can't find the perfected security interest in their searches. I've tried calling the SOS office but keep getting transferred around. Has anyone else seen 2022 UCC filings get stuck like this? I'm starting to panic that something went wrong with the original submission and my lien position might be compromised. The debtor name matches exactly what's on their articles of incorporation so that shouldn't be an issue. Any advice would be really appreciated.
38 comments


Javier Mendoza
Oh man, that's a nightmare scenario. I've seen this happen before with 2022 filings - there was some kind of system migration that year that caused processing delays. First thing I'd do is pull the original filing receipt and make sure you have the exact filing number. Then try doing a direct UCC search using that number instead of relying on the status portal.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Thanks for the response. I do have the original filing number and receipt. When I search by filing number it shows up but with that pending status. Should I be worried about my priority position if it's been pending this long?
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Javier Mendoza
•Your priority should be based on the original filing date, not when it gets processed. But definitely get this resolved ASAP before the refinancing closes.
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Emma Thompson
I had a similar issue with a 2022 filing that got stuck in their system upgrade. The problem is that some filings from that period never got properly indexed even though they were accepted. You might need to file a new UCC-1 and then request a correction to the filing date. It's a pain but better than losing your security interest.
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Malik Davis
•Wait, can you actually get the filing date corrected retroactively? I thought once you file a new UCC-1 you're stuck with that new date for priority purposes.
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Emma Thompson
•You can if you can prove the original filing was accepted but not processed due to system error. You need documentation though.
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Isabella Santos
•This is getting complicated. Might be worth talking to a lawyer who specializes in secured transactions before making any moves.
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StarStrider
Before you do anything drastic, I'd recommend using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your original UCC-1 and filing receipt and it'll cross-check everything to make sure there weren't any discrepancies that could have caused the processing delay. I've used it to catch debtor name mismatches and form errors that weren't obvious. Just upload the PDFs and it gives you a detailed analysis of potential issues.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Interesting, I haven't heard of that service. Is it specifically for UCC filings? I'm wondering if there was something in my original filing that triggered the delay.
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StarStrider
•Yeah, it's designed for secured transaction documents. Really helpful for catching those subtle issues that can cause rejections or processing delays.
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Ravi Gupta
•I've heard good things about Certana too. Worth a shot before you start over with a new filing.
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Freya Pedersen
This is exactly why I always file continuation statements early. The whole UCC system is a mess and you never know when something like this is going to happen. Have you tried contacting the filing office directly instead of going through the phone system?
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Well, this is a UCC-1 not a continuation, but I get your point about the system being unreliable. I haven't tried going in person yet - might be worth a try.
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Freya Pedersen
•Sorry, brain fart. Yeah, in-person visits sometimes get better results than phone calls.
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Omar Hassan
UGH this brings back memories of 2022. What a disaster that year was for filings. I had THREE different UCC-1s get stuck in limbo and had to refile all of them. The state blamed it on their system upgrade but honestly I think they just lost a bunch of filings and don't want to admit it.
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Chloe Anderson
•That's terrifying. Did you have any issues with priority when you refiled?
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Omar Hassan
•Two of them I was able to get corrected back to the original date. One I couldn't and it cost my client their first position. Still bitter about it.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•This is making me even more nervous. I really need to get this sorted out before my client's closing.
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Diego Vargas
Have you double-checked that the debtor name on your filing exactly matches what they're using now? Sometimes companies change their legal name slightly and don't update their articles right away. Even a small discrepancy can cause search issues.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•I used the exact name from their articles of incorporation when I filed. But you're right, maybe they've changed something since then. I should check their current status.
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Diego Vargas
•Yeah, worth checking. Also make sure the new lender is searching correctly - some search companies miss filings if they're not using the right parameters.
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CosmicCruiser
I work with a lot of equipment financing and this kind of thing happens more than you'd think. The key is documenting everything - your filing receipt, confirmation emails, any correspondence with the filing office. If push comes to shove and you need to refile, that documentation will help establish your original filing date.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Good point about documentation. I do have everything saved. Hopefully it won't come to that but at least I'm covered.
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Anastasia Fedorov
•Documentation is everything in these situations. I always tell clients to keep multiple copies of everything UCC-related.
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CosmicCruiser
•Exactly. Paper trail is your lifeline when dealing with filing office problems.
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Sean Doyle
Another thought - is this a fixture filing by any chance? Sometimes equipment that's attached to real property gets treated differently and can cause processing delays. Just wondering if that might be part of the issue.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•No, these are standalone CNC machines, not fixtures. But that's a good point to consider for future filings.
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Sean Doyle
•Got it. Yeah, fixture filings have their own set of complications. At least you don't have to deal with that on top of everything else.
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Zara Rashid
I'd also suggest trying Certana's verification tool like someone mentioned earlier. I used it last month when I had a similar situation and it caught a formatting issue in my collateral description that was causing problems. Super easy to use - just upload your documents and it tells you if there are any red flags.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Thanks, that's the second recommendation for Certana. Definitely going to give it a try. Better to know if there's an issue with my original filing before I take any other steps.
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Zara Rashid
•Smart approach. It's always better to know what you're dealing with before making decisions about refiling or amendments.
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Luca Romano
Keep us posted on how this turns out! I'm dealing with some 2022 filings myself and this thread is really helpful. Hope you get it resolved before your client's closing.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Will do! Thanks everyone for all the advice. I feel like I have a plan now instead of just panicking.
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Luca Romano
•That's what this community is for. We've all been there with filing issues at one point or another.
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Nia Jackson
One more thing to consider - make sure you check if your state has any special procedures for 2022 filing issues. Some states created specific processes to deal with the system problems from that year. Might save you some headaches.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Good idea. I'll check the SOS website to see if they have any guidance for 2022 filing problems.
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Nia Jackson
•Yeah, some states were more proactive than others in addressing the issues. Worth checking what options are available.
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StarStrider
•This is why I always recommend running filings through Certana first - helps avoid these kinds of problems before they happen.
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