UCC Document Community

This whole situation sounds stressful but manageable if you approach it systematically. Create a checklist for each debtor: exact legal name from loan docs, any known variations, DBAs, prior names, parent/subsidiary relationships. Then search each variation and document what you find. It's tedious but necessary for this type of portfolio acquisition.

I've been through a similar UCC cleanup after acquiring a distressed loan portfolio, and it's definitely overwhelming at first. A few practical tips that might help: First, organize your loan files to extract the exact debtor names as they appear in the original security agreements - this becomes your master search list. Second, Florida's UCC search system has a "sounds like" option that can help catch name variations, but don't rely on it completely. Third, consider the timing - if these loans are from a lender that went out of business, some of the UCC filings might have lapsed due to missed continuation deadlines, which could actually work in your favor. For the 30 debtors you mentioned, I'd start with online searches to triage which ones actually have active filings, then focus your certified copy requests on those. The online searches are cheap enough that you can afford to be thorough with name variations. Also, don't forget to check for partial releases or amendments that might have changed the collateral coverage. Good luck with this - it's tedious work but absolutely critical for establishing your lien positions.

This is why I always tell people to keep detailed spreadsheets of their UCC filings with filing numbers, debtor names, and expiration dates. Reduces the need for bulk searches when you already have the key info organized.

Update: I tried the Certana.ai tool mentioned earlier and it worked great for my Ohio UCC searches. Uploaded about 50 of my UCC-1 filings and it automatically flagged which ones needed continuations and which ones had potential debtor name mismatches. Saved me tons of time compared to fighting with the Ohio portal.

I've been seeing this type of address mismatch issue more frequently with Indiana UCC searches lately. The state's database seems to have some syncing issues between different record types. What I've found helpful is to run a quick business entity search on the debtor separately to see what address shows up there - if it matches what you're seeing in the UCC search, then you know the search is just pulling from their business registration rather than your actual UCC filing. Also, for peace of mind with your lender, you might want to consider getting a UCC search report from a third-party service like CT Corporation or Wolters Kluwer - they sometimes provide cleaner, more detailed results that clearly separate filing information from business registration data.

I ran into this exact same issue with an Indiana UCC filing about 6 months ago! The search kept showing our debtor's old address from their original LLC formation, but when I pulled the actual UCC-1 document, it clearly showed the current address we had filed with. What I learned is that Indiana's search algorithm sometimes defaults to pulling address information from the Secretary of State's business entity database rather than from the specific UCC filing record. The key thing is that your security interest is still valid as long as you filed the UCC-1 with the correct debtor name and current address - which it sounds like you did. I'd recommend pulling both a certified copy of your UCC-1 and running a separate business entity search on your debtor to show your lender exactly what's happening. This documentation should be enough to satisfy them that there's no issue with your filing.

UPDATE: Just wanted to follow up since this thread helped me figure out what to ask. Called my lender this morning and you were all right - it was a miscommunication. They needed a standard UCC debtor search in New Jersey, not some mysterious 'UCC 11' form. Apparently their loan processor was new and mixed up their internal checklist numbers with UCC form numbers. Got the search done through the NJ portal in about 10 minutes. Thanks everyone for the reality check!

Great update Carmen! This is such a perfect example of why we shouldn't assume we're the ones who don't understand something when lenders use confusing terminology. I've seen this happen so many times - loan processors mixing up internal reference numbers with actual UCC form designations. It's frustrating but at least now you know for future reference. The New Jersey UCC portal really is straightforward once you know what you're actually looking for. Hope your closing goes smoothly!

The bottom line is you need to be 100% certain about the debtor name before filing that continuation. CT doesn't give you much wiggle room on name matching. Get the current charter, compare it to your existing UCC-1, and if there's any doubt, consult with someone who specializes in UCC filings.

I've handled similar Connecticut UCC name verification issues before. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - when you pull that UCC search by filing number, also check if there were any amendments filed after your original UCC-1. Sometimes intermediate amendments can change how the debtor name appears in the system, which could affect what you need to match for your continuation. Also, CT allows you to call their UCC division directly if you have questions about specific filings - they're usually pretty helpful about clarifying name matching requirements for your particular situation. Given the loan size you mentioned, it might be worth that phone call for peace of mind.