UCC Document Community

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Fatima Al-Sayed

UCC search results showing multiple active filings for same debtor - how to verify which ones are still valid?

I'm dealing with a confusing situation where our UCC search results are showing 3 different active filings for the same debtor company, but with slightly different name variations. The search pulled up filings from 2019, 2021, and 2023, and I can't tell which ones are actually still in effect or if some should have been terminated by now. The debtor name appears as 'ABC Manufacturing LLC', 'ABC Manufacturing, LLC' (with comma), and 'A.B.C. Manufacturing LLC' across the different filings. Our lender is asking for verification that we have proper lien priority, but these search results are making it impossible to determine the current status. Has anyone dealt with multiple UCC search results like this where the debtor names are close but not identical? I need to figure out if these are all separate valid liens or if some are duplicates/amendments that weren't properly cross-referenced in the system.

Freya Larsen

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Make sure you're also checking for any UCC-5 correction statements that might affect the search results. Sometimes the original filing had errors that were corrected later, which can create confusion in the search results.

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Omar Hassan

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Good catch - correction statements can definitely muddy the waters when you're trying to interpret search results.

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I hadn't considered correction statements. I'll need to look for any UCC-5 filings related to these file numbers.

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Chloe Taylor

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Bottom line is that UCC search results are just the starting point. You need to dig into the actual documents to understand the real lien status. It's tedious but necessary for accurate due diligence.

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Thanks everyone for all the advice. Sounds like I have a lot of document review ahead of me, but at least I know what to look for now.

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Diego Ramirez

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Good luck with the review! It's time-consuming but you'll have a much clearer picture of the lien situation once you're done.

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Lily Young

UCC Revised Article 9 changes affecting my equipment loan filings - need guidance

I've been handling secured transactions for about 8 years now and thought I had a solid grasp on UCC filings, but some recent changes under UCC Revised Article 9 have me second-guessing everything. We're a mid-size equipment financing company and I've noticed our rejection rates have gone up about 15% over the past 6 months. Most of the rejections seem to be related to debtor name formatting and collateral description requirements that apparently got stricter. The state filing office keeps citing "revised article 9 compliance issues" but their explanations are pretty vague. Has anyone else dealt with this? I'm particularly confused about whether the new rules affect how we describe heavy machinery in our UCC-1 filings. We've got about $2.3M in equipment loans that need continuation filings in the next 90 days and I'm worried we're going to mess something up. Any insights on what specifically changed and how it impacts day-to-day filing procedures would be hugely appreciated.

Lucas Lindsey

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Does anyone have good resources for staying updated on revised article 9 interpretations? The state filing offices seem to be updating their requirements pretty regularly and it's hard to keep track.

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Sophie Duck

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I've been following a few legal blogs but honestly the information is scattered and sometimes contradictory between sources.

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Same problem here. Would love to find one reliable source that tracks all the state-by-state implementation differences for revised article 9.

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Anita George

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Just wanted to follow up and say thanks for all the advice here. Ended up trying the Certana.ai tool someone mentioned and it immediately flagged 3 potential issues with our upcoming continuation filings that probably would have caused rejections. Really glad I found this thread - saved us a lot of headaches with the revised article 9 compliance stuff.

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Lily Young

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That's great to hear! I think I'm going to give it a try too. Better safe than sorry with these new requirements.

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Glad this discussion helped. The revised article 9 transition has been tough on everyone but at least we're all figuring it out together.

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Jasmine Hernandez

UCC 11 search South Carolina - anyone know the correct search process?

Hey everyone, I'm trying to figure out the proper way to conduct a UCC 11 search in South Carolina and I'm getting conflicting information. My law firm is handling a transaction where we need to verify existing liens before our client's equipment financing deal closes next week. The debtor company has locations in multiple states but their main operations are in SC. I've been on the SC Secretary of State website but their search interface seems different from what I'm used to in other states. Are there specific requirements for UCC 11 searches in South Carolina that I should know about? The collateral involves manufacturing equipment worth about $850K so we can't afford to miss any existing filings. Has anyone dealt with SC's UCC search system recently? Any tips on making sure I'm doing this correctly would be really appreciated.

Ella Cofer

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For SC specifically, make sure you understand their continuation requirements too. I know you're doing a search not a filing, but it's worth knowing that SC requires continuations to be filed within 6 months before the 5-year anniversary. Some of the UCC-1s you find might be close to lapsing.

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Ella Cofer

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Depends on your transaction structure. If you're taking a senior position you might not care if junior liens lapse, but if there's any question about priority you'll want to factor that into your risk analysis.

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Finnegan Gunn

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Also worth noting that a lien that lapses and then gets revived through a late continuation can affect priority in some situations. Something to discuss with your client if you find any close calls.

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Kevin Bell

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Quick question - are you also checking federal tax liens and state tax liens? Those don't always show up in UCC searches but can definitely affect your deal. SC has separate databases for those.

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Good catch, I was planning to do that separately but you're right that it's important for the overall lien picture. Do you know if SC's tax lien searches are online too?

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Kevin Bell

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Federal tax liens you have to check with the IRS, but SC state tax liens should be searchable through their Department of Revenue. I think there might be a fee but it's not too expensive.

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Paolo Ricci

2018 UCC continuation filing - still valid or do I need to refile?

I'm trying to figure out the status of a 2018 UCC continuation I filed and whether it's still protecting my security interest. The original UCC-1 was filed in 2013, then I did the continuation in 2018 which should have extended it to 2023. But now we're in 2025 and I'm getting conflicting advice about whether I needed to file another continuation by 2023 or if there's some grace period. The debtor is current on payments but I'm worried about perfection status. Has anyone dealt with a similar timeline issue? The collateral is commercial equipment worth about $180K so I can't afford to have an unperfected lien.

Nia Thompson

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The silver lining is that if you're going to refile anyway, this is a good opportunity to clean up any issues with the original UCC-1. Update debtor names, clarify collateral descriptions, fix any address changes, etc.

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Good point. I've seen situations where the 'do-over' filing actually ended up being stronger than the original.

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Plus you can check if the debtor has changed their legal name or structure since 2013. Corporate name changes can affect UCC effectiveness.

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Bottom line - check the database status immediately, assume you need to refile, and get started on new documentation. With $180K at stake, this isn't something to delay or second-guess. Even if there's a 1% chance your continuation is still valid, treat it like it's lapsed and proceed accordingly.

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Ethan Wilson

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Smart approach. Better to over-file than under-file when it comes to UCC perfection.

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Yuki Tanaka

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Set up multiple reminder systems this time - calendar alerts, legal management software, whatever it takes to avoid this situation again.

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Ian Armstrong

Need help understanding UCC legal definition for equipment financing dispute

My attorney is arguing with the bank's counsel about whether our UCC filing covers certain manufacturing equipment, and they keep throwing around different interpretations of what constitutes proper 'collateral' under the UCC legal definition. The bank claims our UCC-1 description is too vague (we listed 'all equipment used in debtor's manufacturing operations') but our lawyer says that's standard language. Now they're threatening to call the entire loan if we can't prove perfected security interest. This equipment represents about $280K in assets and I'm getting conflicting advice on whether we need to amend our filing or if the original language meets UCC legal definition requirements. Has anyone dealt with collateral description disputes where the UCC legal definition becomes the central issue? I'm worried we're going to lose our equipment over what seems like a technicality.

Yara Campbell

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The UCC legal definition gives you some flexibility with collateral descriptions as long as they're not misleading. Courts generally favor secured parties when descriptions are arguably adequate rather than clearly insufficient. Your manufacturing equipment language sounds reasonable to me.

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Yara Campbell

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Could be, but more often it's just negotiating tactics. They know most borrowers don't want to fight expensive UCC legal definition battles even when they're probably right.

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Maya Diaz

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Either way, worth having your attorney research recent decisions in your jurisdiction about similar UCC legal definition disputes before deciding how to respond.

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Tami Morgan

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Before you spend a fortune on legal fees, try running your documents through Certana.ai's verification tool. I uploaded our UCC-1 and equipment schedules and it flagged several potential UCC legal definition issues we hadn't noticed. Helped us prepare better arguments for our attorney and potentially saved thousands in discovery costs.

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Tami Morgan

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It cross-references your filings against your underlying agreements and highlights discrepancies that could create UCC legal definition vulnerabilities. Won't replace legal advice but gives you a good starting point for understanding potential issues.

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Haley Bennett

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Interesting. We're always looking for ways to catch filing problems before they become expensive legal disputes over UCC legal definition interpretations.

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