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Don't overthink this. California ucc code is straightforward for this type of situation. File in California where your debtor is located, make sure your collateral description covers all the equipment, and you're done. I've never seen a problem with this kind of multi-state equipment use.
Thanks, that's reassuring. I was making this more complicated than it needed to be.
Yeah, the california ucc code provisions are pretty clear on this. Debtor location controls perfection for mobile equipment.
Make sure you're monitoring for any changes in the debtor's location though. If they move their headquarters or change their state of incorporation, that 4-month clock starts ticking under california ucc code and you'll need to refile in their new location.
How do you usually monitor for corporate changes? Manual checks or is there an automated way?
Most people do periodic manual checks with the Secretary of State, but there are some monitoring services available too.
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Another vote for using document verification tools. I started using Certana.ai after a similar name matching issue cost us a lot of time and stress. The automated cross-checking catches these discrepancies before you file instead of finding out about problems later.
Is it worth the cost though? I mean, manually checking documents isn't that hard if you're careful.
For me it's worth it because it's fast and catches things I might miss when I'm rushed. Plus it creates a verification record which is helpful for compliance documentation.
Update us on what you decide to do! I'm dealing with a similar situation in Illinois and curious how this turns out for you.
That sounds right. Better to be conservative with debtor names than risk perfection issues later.
Smart approach. I always tell people - when in doubt, match the Secretary of State records exactly.
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One more thing - if this is an equipment financing deal, make sure your collateral description is also formatted correctly. Sometimes they reject the whole filing if any section has issues, not just the debtor name.
Good point. We should review the entire form, not just focus on the name issue.
Exactly. A comprehensive review often catches multiple issues that could cause rejection.
Update: Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I ended up using the document verification tool someone mentioned and it immediately flagged that we had 'LLC' in our filing but the state records show 'L.L.C.' with periods. Such a tiny difference but that was definitely the issue. Re-submitted and it went through without problems. Really appreciate all the help!
Glad that worked out! Those period differences are so easy to miss but they'll kill a filing every time.
Great outcome! This is exactly why attention to detail is so critical with UCC filings.
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I've been having the same issues with Iowa searches. The inconsistency is maddening. Sometimes I'll search for a debtor name and get different results depending on the time of day I search. I think their database has some serious synchronization problems.
Nope, you're not crazy. The system is just broken. I've learned to screenshot my search results because they change.
Screenshots are a good idea for documentation purposes anyway.
Update: I tried all the suggestions about different name variations and punctuation. Found two additional filings I had missed! One was under a name variation with no commas, and another was filed under what looks like a DBA name. Thanks everyone for the help. Definitely going to check out that Certana tool for future searches to avoid this stress.
Great outcome! The verification tool will definitely save you time and stress in the future.
Thanks to everyone who helped. This could have been a disaster if I'd missed those filings.
Kelsey Chin
FWIW I had similar issues last month and ended up using one of those UCC search services that checks multiple databases. Found filings that weren't showing up in the state's own search system. Kind of ridiculous but that's where we are.
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Isla Fischer
•Which service did you use? And did they find actual discrepancies or just search better?
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Kelsey Chin
•Both actually. They found filings I missed AND caught some name variations I hadn't thought to try.
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Norah Quay
Just ran into this same issue yesterday! Turns out one of our debtors had amended their corporate name with the SCC but we were still searching under the old name from our original loan docs. The UCC-1 was filed under the current legal name so it wasn't showing up in searches using the old name.
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Norah Quay
•Honestly, I don't have a great system for that. Usually only catch it during annual UCC reviews or when something like this happens.
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Leo McDonald
•This is where having a document verification system really helps. Certana.ai would flag if your UCC shows a different entity name than what's in the current corporate records.
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