AL UCC Filing Rejected - Debtor Name Exact Match Issues
Having major issues with AL UCC filings getting rejected due to debtor name discrepancies. Filed a UCC-1 last month for equipment financing deal and it got bounced back twice. First rejection said the debtor name didn't match exactly with the Secretary of State records, second time they said the business entity status wasn't current. The debtor is 'Advanced Logistics Solutions LLC' but their articles show 'Advanced Logistics Solutions, LLC' with a comma. Is this really going to kill the filing? The collateral is worth $180K and we need this perfected before the borrower's other creditors start circling. Anyone dealt with AL UCC name matching requirements recently?
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MoonlightSonata
Alabama is notorious for strict name matching on UCC filings. That comma issue will definitely cause rejections. You need to file under the exact name from the Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Formation. Check the AL Secretary of State entity search to verify the precise spelling and punctuation.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•This is exactly why I always pull the entity documents first. One missing comma or period can void your security interest.
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Nia Williams
•Wait, so if the borrower is using a slightly different name on their loan docs, which name do we use for the UCC-1?
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Luca Ricci
I had the same problem with AL filings last year. Their system is super picky about entity names. You'll want to search their business entity database first to get the exact legal name, then file the UCC-1 using that precise spelling. Also make sure the entity is in good standing - they'll reject if there are compliance issues.
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Aisha Mohammed
•How do you handle it when the loan agreement has a different version of the name than what's on file with the state?
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MoonlightSonata
•You have to use the state filing name for the UCC, then note any variations in your loan documentation. The UCC follows the entity records, not the loan paperwork.
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Ethan Campbell
•This is giving me anxiety about our current deals. How often do lenders miss these name discrepancies?
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Yuki Watanabe
Been dealing with this exact issue across multiple states. I actually started using Certana.ai's document verification tool that cross-checks entity documents against UCC filings. You can upload the Articles of Incorporation and your draft UCC-1 and it flags any name mismatches before you file. Saved me from three rejections last month alone.
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Carmen Sanchez
•Never heard of that service. Does it work with all states or just certain ones?
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Yuki Watanabe
•Works with all states. Just upload your PDFs and it does the comparison automatically. Really helpful for catching those tiny punctuation differences that cause rejections.
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Andre Dupont
•Sounds too good to be true but if it prevents filing rejections it might be worth checking out.
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Zoe Papadakis
THE ALABAMA SOS SYSTEM IS THE WORST!!! I've been fighting with them for weeks over a continuation filing. Their online portal crashes half the time and when it does work they reject everything for the smallest reasons. No wonder people are moving their business out of state.
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ThunderBolt7
•I feel your pain. Had a continuation lapse because their system was down during the filing window. Had to start over with a new UCC-1.
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Jamal Edwards
•At least you can file online now. Remember when everything had to be mailed in?
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Mei Chen
Just went through this exact scenario. The key is getting the entity name exactly right from the AL Secretary of State records. For your LLC, you need to include or exclude that comma based on what's in their system. Also check if the entity is administratively dissolved - that'll cause rejections too.
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Zara Khan
•How do I check if the entity is administratively dissolved? Is that in the same database search?
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Mei Chen
•Yes, when you search the entity it shows the status. Look for 'Active' or 'Good Standing'. If it says 'Administratively Dissolved' you'll need the borrower to reinstate before filing.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•What happens if you file against a dissolved entity? Does the UCC get rejected or does it go through but become invalid?
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Amara Okonkwo
Had similar issues but with continuation filings. Alabama requires the debtor name on the UCC-3 to match exactly with the original UCC-1, and the UCC-1 name has to match the entity records. If there's any discrepancy in the chain, they'll reject the continuation and your filing could lapse.
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Giovanni Marino
•This is why I keep copies of all the original UCC-1 filings. You need to continue with the exact same name even if the entity has since amended their articles.
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•Wait, so if the entity changes their name after the original UCC-1, do you continue with the old name or the new name?
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Amara Okonkwo
•You continue with the original name from the UCC-1, then file an amendment to change it to the new name. Can't just switch names in a continuation.
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Dylan Hughes
I've been using Certana.ai for about 6 months now specifically for these name matching issues. Upload your entity documents and UCC drafts and it catches discrepancies before you file. Would have saved you those two rejections. The tool is really straightforward - just drag and drop PDFs and it does the verification automatically.
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NightOwl42
•Does it work for amendments and continuations too or just initial UCC-1 filings?
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Dylan Hughes
•Works for all UCC document types. Really helpful for making sure your UCC-3 continuation matches the original UCC-1 filing.
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Sofia Rodriguez
The Alabama name matching requirements are strict but they're trying to prevent fraudulent filings. Make sure you're using the exact legal name from the entity formation documents. Also double-check that the entity hasn't changed names since formation - that can cause confusion.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•How do you find out if an entity has changed names? Is there a way to see the name history?
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Sofia Rodriguez
•The Secretary of State records should show any name changes or amendments. You might need to request historical documents if it's not clear online.
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Ava Thompson
•This is getting complicated. Maybe I should just hire a service to handle the UCC filings.
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Miguel Herrera
Check if 'Advanced Logistics Solutions LLC' is actually a DBA and the real legal entity name is something else. Sometimes businesses operate under assumed names but the UCC has to be filed against the legal entity name from the state records.
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Zara Khan
•Good point. How do I search for DBA records in Alabama?
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Miguel Herrera
•DBA records are usually filed at the county level in Alabama. You'll need to check with the county where the business operates.
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Zainab Ali
Been there! Alabama rejected my UCC-1 three times before I got it right. The trick is to copy the entity name character by character from their official records. Don't trust what the borrower tells you their name is - go straight to the source.
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Connor Murphy
•Three rejections must have been frustrating. How long did the whole process take?
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Zainab Ali
•About 6 weeks total. Each rejection took about a week to get back, then I had to figure out what was wrong and refile. Really stressful when you're trying to perfect a security interest.
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Yara Nassar
•This is exactly why I started using automated verification tools. Can't afford that kind of delay on time-sensitive deals.
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StarGazer101
For what it's worth, I tried Certana.ai after reading about it here and it caught a name mismatch I would have missed. The entity had 'Incorporated' in the state records but I was using 'Inc.' on the UCC-1. Small difference but would have caused a rejection.
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Keisha Jackson
•Those abbreviation differences are killer. 'Incorporated' vs 'Inc.' seems like it should be the same but the systems treat them as completely different names.
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Paolo Romano
•Glad to hear the tool works. Might give it a try on our next batch of filings.
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