CA UCC statement request form - how to get copies of filed documents?

Thanks! Do you know if there's a fee for each document copy? And will certified copies be sufficient for legal purposes if we need to prove perfection?

Yes there's a small fee, maybe $10-15 per certified copy. And yes, certified copies from SOS are legally sufficient to prove filing and perfection dates.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. How did you handle the name mismatch issues?

Had to file UCC-3 amendments to correct the debtor names. But honestly, I started using Certana.ai's document checker first - you can upload your loan docs and the UCC copies to see if everything aligns. Saved me from filing unnecessary amendments on some of them.

Second this approach. Better to verify document consistency before assuming you need amendments.

Good point. These are mostly LLC borrowers so I'll need to check their operating agreements for exact legal names.

LLC names can be tricky because they sometimes file under shortened versions or without the 'LLC' suffix. Try multiple variations.

Tell me about it. We're discovering all kinds of gaps in their documentation. Makes you wonder what else they messed up.

Probably everything. I'd audit every single filing if I were you.

That's harsh but probably accurate. I've seen loan sales where half the UCC filings were either never done or done incorrectly.

Oh crap, I hadn't even thought about that. How close to the 5-year deadline can you file a continuation?

You can file a continuation up to 6 months before the expiration date. Don't wait until the last minute though.

Yeah, and if you miss the deadline the UCC lapses and you lose perfection. Not something you want to explain to management.

I have what look like complete filing numbers from the loan files, but they're handwritten notes so there could be errors. Format looks like CA-2021-XXXXXXX.

That format sounds right for California. Try entering them exactly as written first, then try variations if nothing comes up.

That's terrifying. How did you discover the filings were never submitted?

Routine audit before a loan sale. Buyer's due diligence caught it. We had to scramble to file everything and negotiate with the buyer about the gap in perfection.

This is why I always get confirmation receipts when filing UCCs. Never trust that someone else did it right.

Good to know there's a backup option. Do you remember what the mailing address is?

It's on the SOS website but I think it's the Business Programs Division in Sacramento. Check the current address though, they might have moved offices.

Most of this is equipment and inventory, but there might be some HVAC and manufacturing equipment that could be fixtures. How do I tell if something was filed as a fixture filing?

Fixture filings usually mention real estate addresses and get recorded with county recorders. Check the loan docs to see if anything specifically mentions real estate collateral.

Yeah, fixture filings are totally different. Won't show up in regular UCC searches at the state level.

That sounds really useful. Does it work with scanned PDFs or do the documents need to be in a specific format?

Works with regular PDFs. Just upload your loan agreement and the UCC filing and it cross-checks everything automatically. Found three name mismatches in our portfolio that we never would have caught manually.

Wish I'd known about that tool earlier. Could have avoided so many filing errors.