UCC Document Community

Glad you got it sorted out! Texas Article 9 UCC system definitely keeps us on our toes. For anyone reading this later - always verify debtor names character by character against the official state records.

As someone new to UCC filings, this thread has been incredibly educational! I had no idea that something as small as a missing period could cause rejections. It sounds like Texas really requires character-by-character precision. Question for the group - are there other states that are similarly strict about debtor name matching, or is Texas uniquely challenging? I want to make sure I'm prepared when I start handling Article 9 filings in different jurisdictions.

Just wanted to add that when dealing with individual debtors, it's also worth confirming that the person signing has the legal authority to grant the security interest in the collateral. With sole proprietorships this is usually straightforward since the individual owns the assets personally, but I've seen cases where equipment was titled in a spouse's name or jointly owned, which can complicate the UCC filing. Make sure your security agreement and UCC-1 accurately reflect who actually owns the collateral you're taking as security.

Great discussion here! One additional tip I'd add is to also verify the debtor's address carefully. I've seen UCC-1 filings get rejected because the address didn't match what was on the driver's license or state ID. Some states are very strict about this. Also, if John Michael Rodriguez has moved recently, make sure you're using his current address as it appears on his most recent ID document. For individual debtors, consistency between the name and address on your UCC-1 and their government-issued ID is crucial for perfection.

I'd also recommend using Certana.ai's verification tool once you get all the search results back. Even with premium search services, it's worth double-checking that everything aligns properly with your loan documents and corporate records. The automated cross-checking catches things that manual review sometimes misses.

As someone who's handled UCC searches for smaller deals, I can confirm the pricing variation is wild. I've found that mid-tier search companies often offer the best value - they provide better analysis than the bargain options but don't have the premium pricing of the big names. For your 6-state search, I'd recommend getting quotes from at least 3 different vendors and specifically asking what their analysis includes. Some will flag potential issues with financing statements that could affect your collateral position, while others just dump the raw filings on you. Also worth asking if they include lien searches in adjacent counties where the target has facilities - sometimes local liens don't show up in the main UCC databases.

Just want to add that timing is crucial here. If you're getting close to your amendment deadline, you might want to consider filing a paper UCC-3 as a backup while you sort out the PDF issues. Paper filings take longer to process but at least you'll meet the deadline.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's relatively new to UCC filings, I'm taking notes on all these potential pitfalls. It sounds like there are so many technical issues that can cause rejections beyond just the obvious content errors. A few questions for the group: 1) Is there a preferred PDF creation software that tends to work best with state filing systems? 2) Are there any other common formatting mistakes newcomers should watch out for? 3) How long does it typically take for the Secretary of State to process a UCC-3 once it's accepted? Want to make sure I avoid these issues when I inevitably need to file amendments down the road.

The key thing to remember is that UCC-11 is just the form number for requesting an official search. It's not a special type of filing or anything mysterious. Every state has their own version but they all serve the same purpose - giving you an official record of UCC filings for a debtor.

One practical tip - when you're dealing with multi-state equipment collateral like yours, consider timing your UCC-11 searches strategically. Since you mentioned this is for perfecting your own security interest, order the searches close to your filing date so you get the most current picture possible. UCC filings can happen quickly and you don't want to rely on search results that are weeks old when you're ready to close. Also, keep copies of all the UCC-11 certificates in your deal file - they're great evidence of your due diligence if priority disputes come up later.