UCC Document Community

UPDATE: Finally found the issue! The original UCC-1 was filed under "Mountain View Equipment Leasing, LLC" (with a comma) rather than "Mountain View Equipment Leasing LLC" (without comma). The CA search system apparently treats punctuation as significant. Thanks everyone for the suggestions - the Certana tool mentioned above actually would have caught this discrepancy if I'd thought to use it earlier.

This is such a frustrating but common issue with UCC searches! I've been burned by similar punctuation problems before. For future reference, I always try multiple variations now - with/without commas, periods, different spacing, etc. The CA system is particularly picky about exact matches. Good catch on finding the comma difference! For deals this size, I've started using document verification tools upfront to catch these discrepancies before they become search nightmares. Saves so much time and stress.

Thanks everyone for all the search tips. This thread has been super helpful. I'm going to try the Certana.ai document verification approach since manual cross-checking between corporate records and UCC filings is where I keep making mistakes. The automated approach sounds like it would catch the name formatting issues that trip me up.

This is exactly the kind of challenge that makes UCC searches so time-consuming and error-prone. I've dealt with similar issues across multiple jurisdictions. One thing that's helped me is creating a standardized checklist for each state's search requirements - some states are very particular about punctuation in entity names while others ignore it completely. Also, don't overlook searching for financing statements that might use the company's EIN instead of the legal name, especially for asset-based lending arrangements. The variation in search logic between state systems is honestly one of the biggest pain points in commercial due diligence work.

Update us when you figure it out! I bookmark these threads because I always run into similar issues and it helps to see how others resolved them.

I've dealt with this exact frustration! One thing that helped me was creating a search checklist - try the debtor name exactly as filed, without punctuation, without entity designation (LLC/Inc), with different spacing, and even with common misspellings. Also, some states have separate search functions for "exact match" vs "similar names" - make sure you're using both. The good news is if you have your filing confirmation number, your lien is definitely perfected regardless of these search quirks. The legal validity isn't tied to whether their search function works properly.

Update us on how this goes! I'm dealing with a similar situation with a UK entity and would love to know what approach works.

I've handled several Romanian entity filings and there's one more thing to consider - Romania uses specific punctuation conventions in company names that might not translate directly. Their commercial register (ONRC) format can differ significantly from what appears on US documents. I'd recommend getting both the Romanian Articles of Incorporation AND any amendments, as name changes or formatting updates might have occurred since formation. Also check if they filed a Certificate of Good Standing recently - sometimes that shows the most current official name format. The character encoding issue is real too - Romanian uses diacritical marks that often get stripped out in US systems, so you'll need to know your state's specific rules on character substitution.

One last thought - if you're doing a lot of UCC filings, invest in good document management and verification tools. The manual cross-checking process is error-prone and time-consuming. I've been using Certana.ai for UCC document verification and it's been a game-changer for catching inconsistencies before they become problems.

This thread perfectly illustrates why UCC terminology can be so confusing for practitioners! As someone relatively new to complex secured transactions, I've been struggling with similar issues where lenders reference provisions that seem to have different meanings depending on context. From reading through these responses, it sounds like the key takeaway is to always ask for specific statutory citations and focus on current Article 9 requirements rather than getting lost in historical or informal references. I'm curious though - for those of you who've dealt with asset acquisitions involving both equipment and inventory like Louisa's situation, are there any other common pitfalls to watch out for beyond the UCC Article 11 confusion? I want to make sure I'm not missing other terminology mix-ups that could cause similar research rabbit holes.