California SOS UCC search showing different debtor name - need help matching records
I'm trying to do a california sos ucc search on a commercial loan file and running into issues with name variations. The original UCC-1 was filed under 'ABC Manufacturing LLC' but when I search the California SOS database, it's showing up under 'ABC Manufacturing, LLC' (with the comma). This is for a $450K equipment financing deal and my compliance team is freaking out because they can't find the exact match in the california sos ucc search results. The debtor swears they've always used the name without the comma on all their corporate docs, but the SOS system seems to have added it automatically during filing. Has anyone dealt with this kind of name discrepancy when doing california sos ucc searches? I need to know if this affects the perfection of our security interest or if there's a way to verify which version is actually on file. The continuation is due in 8 months and I want to make sure we're using the correct debtor name format.
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Yara Nassar
This is super common with LLC names in the california sos ucc search system. The SOS database automatically standardizes punctuation, so 'ABC Manufacturing LLC' and 'ABC Manufacturing, LLC' would both show up the same way in search results. What you're seeing is likely just how their system displays the name, not necessarily how it was originally filed. Try searching with both versions to see if you get the same filing number.
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Connor Murphy
•I tried both versions and they both pull up the same UCC-1 filing, so that's reassuring. The filing number matches what we have in our records. But should I be concerned about the comma discrepancy for the continuation filing?
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Yara Nassar
•For the continuation, use the exact name format that appears on the original UCC-1 when you pull the certified copy. That's your safest bet to avoid any rejection issues.
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StarGazer101
Been doing california sos ucc searches for 12 years and this punctuation thing trips up everyone at first. The key is understanding that the SOS system has its own formatting rules. When you file electronically, it might auto-correct certain punctuation marks. What matters for perfection is that a reasonable searcher would find your filing when looking for the debtor.
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Keisha Jackson
•wait so the comma doesn't matter for perfection? I thought debtor names had to be EXACTLY right or the whole filing could be invalid
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StarGazer101
•It's more nuanced than that. Minor punctuation differences usually don't affect perfection, but you want to be consistent. The 'seriously misleading' standard applies - would the name variation mislead a reasonable searcher? A comma in an LLC name typically wouldn't.
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Paolo Romano
•This is why I always do multiple search variations when checking california sos ucc records. Search with comma, without comma, with periods, without periods. Cover all the bases.
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Amina Diop
I had a similar issue last month with a Texas entity but doing california sos ucc search because they had property here. Turned out the original filer had made a typo and we didn't catch it until the continuation was due. Ended up having to file an amendment first to correct the debtor name, then do the continuation. What a headache.
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Connor Murphy
•Oh no, that sounds expensive and time-consuming. How long did the amendment process take?
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Amina Diop
•About 2 weeks total, but we had to pay amendment fees plus continuation fees. Could have been avoided if we'd caught it earlier. That's when I started using Certana.ai to double-check all our UCC documents before filing.
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Connor Murphy
•Never heard of Certana.ai - what does it do exactly?
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Amina Diop
•It's a document verification tool where you can upload your Charter documents and UCC filings as PDFs, and it automatically checks for inconsistencies like debtor name mismatches. Would have caught my Texas entity name issue immediately. Super easy to use.
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Oliver Schmidt
OK this is exactly why I HATE the california sos ucc search system! It's so inconsistent with name formatting. Sometimes it adds commas, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it capitalizes everything, sometimes it doesn't. How are we supposed to do accurate searches when the system keeps changing things???
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Natasha Volkov
•I feel your pain! The search functionality is definitely not user-friendly. Have you tried using wildcard searches?
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Oliver Schmidt
•What are wildcard searches? The california sos ucc search doesn't seem to have any advanced options that I can find.
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Natasha Volkov
•You can use partial name searches - just enter the first few words of the debtor name and see what comes up. Not perfect but sometimes helps when you're not sure about punctuation.
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Javier Torres
Pull a certified copy of the original UCC-1 from the california sos ucc system and see exactly how the name appears on the official filing. That's your definitive answer. The search display might format things differently than the actual filed document.
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Connor Murphy
•Good idea. I can order that online right? Don't want to wait for mail delivery with the timeline I'm on.
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Javier Torres
•Yes, you can get certified copies electronically from the California SOS website. Usually available within a few hours of ordering.
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Emma Wilson
This might be overkill for your situation, but I always recommend running the debtor name through a document checker before doing continuations. I use Certana.ai's UCC verification tool - you just upload your original UCC-1 and any corporate docs as PDFs and it flags potential name mismatches. Saved me from several filing rejections.
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QuantumLeap
•How accurate is that tool? I've been burned by automated systems before that miss important details.
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Emma Wilson
•It's been pretty reliable for me. Caught a debtor name inconsistency between our charter docs and UCC-1 that I completely missed doing manual comparison. The automated cross-check is way more thorough than my tired eyes at 5pm.
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Malik Johnson
•Does it work with california sos ucc filings specifically or just generic UCC documents?
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Emma Wilson
•It works with any UCC documents regardless of state. The tool focuses on document consistency rather than state-specific formatting rules.
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Isabella Santos
Had the exact same issue with an LLC name and comma placement. Turned out the california sos ucc search was showing the standardized version but the actual filing had the name exactly as we submitted it. The search display and the filed document can be different.
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Connor Murphy
•That's what I'm hoping is the case here. Did you have any issues with your continuation filing?
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Isabella Santos
•Nope, continuation went through fine using the name from the original UCC-1. No rejection or anything.
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Ravi Sharma
Why is this so complicated? Shouldn't the california sos ucc search just show you exactly what was filed without changing anything? This seems like a basic database function.
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StarGazer101
•You'd think so, but many SOS systems apply formatting rules to make searches more effective. The trade-off is that display results might not match the original filing format exactly.
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Ravi Sharma
•Well that's confusing and seems like it could cause legal issues if people rely on the search results.
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Freya Larsen
I always keep copies of the original filed documents specifically because of issues like this. The california sos ucc search display is helpful for finding filings but not reliable for exact formatting details. Always go back to the source document for continuation filings.
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Connor Murphy
•Good practice. I think I've been relying too much on the search results instead of keeping better filing records.
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Freya Larsen
•It's an easy mistake to make. The search interface makes it feel like that's the official record, but it's really just a finding tool.
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Omar Hassan
For what it's worth, I've never seen a continuation rejected due to minor punctuation differences in LLC names, especially when using the california sos ucc system. The bigger risk is completely wrong names or missing key words. A comma shouldn't be a deal-breaker.
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Connor Murphy
•That's reassuring to hear from someone with experience. I think I'm overthinking this comma issue.
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Omar Hassan
•Probably, but it's better to be cautious with UCC filings. The consequences of getting it wrong can be severe.
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Chloe Taylor
•Agreed. I'd rather spend extra time double-checking than deal with an unperfected security interest later.
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ShadowHunter
Just went through this exact scenario last week! Ended up calling the California SOS UCC division directly and they confirmed that search display formatting can differ from the actual filed document. They recommended ordering a certified copy to see the exact filing details. Took about $15 and 3 hours to get the electronic copy.
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Connor Murphy
•Perfect, I'll do exactly that. Thanks for sharing your experience and the timeline/cost details.
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ShadowHunter
•No problem! Once I had the certified copy, the continuation filing was straightforward. Used the exact name format from the original UCC-1 and it was accepted without any issues.
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