Arizona UCC filing rejected - debtor name mismatch nightmare
I'm dealing with a complete disaster here. Filed a UCC-1 in Arizona three weeks ago for a $275K equipment loan and it got rejected yesterday. The rejection notice says "debtor name does not match entity records" but I triple-checked everything against the borrower's articles of incorporation. This is for a construction equipment lease and we're already past the 20-day perfection window. The debtor is "Mountain View Construction LLC" but apparently there's some microscopic difference in how it appears in the state records versus what I put on the form. I've been doing UCC filings for 8 years and never had this issue. The Arizona SOS portal is showing the entity as active but I can't figure out what name variation they want. Has anyone dealt with Arizona's picky debtor name requirements? I'm starting to panic because this could void our entire security interest.
33 comments
Join the conversation
Sarah Jones
Arizona is notorious for exact name matching. Even a missing comma or period can cause rejection. Did you check the exact entity name in the Arizona Corporation Commission database? Sometimes there are hidden characters or spacing differences that aren't obvious.
0 coins
Drake
•I pulled the entity details directly from the ACC database but maybe I missed something. The name shows as "Mountain View Construction, LLC" with a comma before LLC. I think I may have filed it without the comma. Such a stupid mistake but it might be the issue.
0 coins
Sebastian Scott
•That comma is definitely the problem. Arizona requires EXACT punctuation match. You'll need to file a new UCC-1 with the correct name. The original filing date won't protect you since it was rejected.
0 coins
Emily Sanjay
Ugh, Arizona's debtor name rules are the worst. I had a similar issue last month where the entity had "Inc." in the database but I used "Incorporated" on the UCC-1. Instant rejection. You basically have to copy and paste the exact name from their records character by character.
0 coins
Jordan Walker
•This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your charter documents and your UCC-1 draft and it instantly flags any name mismatches before you file. Would have caught that comma issue immediately.
0 coins
Drake
•Never heard of that service but it sounds like it could have saved me this headache. How does it work exactly?
0 coins
Jordan Walker
•You just upload PDFs of your corporate docs and the UCC form, and it cross-checks everything automatically. Takes like 30 seconds and catches all the little inconsistencies that cause rejections.
0 coins
Natalie Adams
File a new UCC-1 immediately with the correct punctuation. Arizona doesn't allow amendments to fix rejected filings - you have to start over. Make sure you're using the exact entity name from the ACC database including all punctuation marks.
0 coins
Elijah O'Reilly
•But what about the perfection period? If the original filing was rejected, doesn't that mean the security interest is unperfected?
0 coins
Natalie Adams
•Correct. A rejected filing provides no perfection. The lender will need to evaluate their risk exposure and decide whether to proceed with the new filing or restructure the transaction.
0 coins
Drake
•This is my worst nightmare. The borrower already has the equipment. I need to file correctly this time or we're completely unsecured.
0 coins
Amara Torres
I feel your pain. Last year I had an Arizona UCC-1 rejected because the debtor name had "Co." in the database but I used "Company" on the form. Arizona's system is completely inflexible about exact matches. Double and triple check everything before resubmitting.
0 coins
Olivia Van-Cleve
•Why is Arizona so strict compared to other states? Most states are more forgiving with minor name variations.
0 coins
Amara Torres
•No idea but it's been this way for years. You have to be absolutely perfect with entity names or you get rejected every time.
0 coins
Mason Kaczka
Before you refile, run a fresh UCC search to make sure there aren't any other liens that might have priority now. Since your original filing was rejected, other creditors could have filed in the meantime.
0 coins
Drake
•Good point. I'll run a new search before filing. Hopefully no one else has filed against this debtor in the past three weeks.
0 coins
Sophia Russo
•Also verify the debtor's address hasn't changed. Arizona requires current addresses and that could be another rejection reason if they've moved.
0 coins
Evelyn Xu
This happened to me with a Nevada filing. The stress is unreal when you realize your security interest might be worthless. I ended up using some document checking software to avoid future mistakes. Now I verify everything before filing instead of after.
0 coins
Dominic Green
•Which software did you use? I'm tired of these manual verification errors.
0 coins
Evelyn Xu
•Certana.ai - it's specifically designed for UCC document verification. Catches name mismatches, missing info, all that stuff that causes rejections.
0 coins
Hannah Flores
•I've heard good things about that platform. Might be worth trying if it prevents these costly mistakes.
0 coins
Kayla Jacobson
File the corrected UCC-1 today if possible. The longer you wait, the more risk you're taking. And yes, make absolutely sure the debtor name matches exactly including punctuation. Arizona gives zero flexibility on this.
0 coins
Drake
•Filing it now with the comma included. Learned my lesson about Arizona's pickiness the hard way.
0 coins
William Rivera
•Smart move. Arizona rejections are no joke and can kill your security interest completely.
0 coins
Grace Lee
Had the same issue with an Arizona filing last month. Debtor name had "LLC" but I put "L.L.C." with periods. Instant rejection. Their system is brutal about exact matches. You have to copy the name character for character from their database.
0 coins
Mia Roberts
•It's ridiculous how picky they are. One tiny punctuation mark and your entire filing is worthless.
0 coins
The Boss
•At least now there are tools to catch these mistakes before filing. Would have saved everyone a lot of headaches.
0 coins
Evan Kalinowski
Pro tip: Always copy and paste the exact entity name from the state database instead of typing it manually. Eliminates most name mismatch issues. Arizona is particularly strict but other states are getting pickier too.
0 coins
Victoria Charity
•This is the best advice. Manual typing is how these errors happen. Copy/paste eliminates the risk.
0 coins
Jasmine Quinn
•Agreed. I've started doing this for all my filings regardless of state. Better safe than sorry.
0 coins
Oscar Murphy
Update us when you refile. Curious to see if the comma was actually the issue or if there's something else causing the rejection. Arizona can be tricky with hidden formatting issues too.
0 coins
Drake
•Will do. Refiling this afternoon with the exact name from the ACC database including the comma. Keeping my fingers crossed.
0 coins
Nora Bennett
•Good luck! Arizona rejections are stressful but fixable if you get the name exactly right.
0 coins