California UCC Lien Release - Debtor Name Mismatch Blocking Termination
I'm dealing with a nightmare situation trying to get a UCC lien release processed in California. Filed the original UCC-1 back in 2019 for equipment financing on our packaging machinery. The loan was paid off in December 2024, but when we tried to file the UCC-3 termination, it got rejected because the debtor name on our termination doesn't exactly match what's on the original filing. Our company name changed slightly in 2022 (added LLC designation) and apparently that's causing the system to reject the release. The original filing shows 'Pacific Coast Manufacturing' but our termination shows 'Pacific Coast Manufacturing LLC'. Our lender is getting impatient and we need this lien released ASAP. Has anyone dealt with California SOS being this picky about debtor names on terminations? What's the exact process to get this sorted out without having to refile everything?
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Sophia Gabriel
California is notoriously strict about exact debtor name matches on UCC-3 terminations. You'll need to file an amendment first to update the debtor name, then file the termination. The amendment (UCC-3 with amendment box checked) should reference the original filing number and update the debtor name to match your current legal entity name.
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Tobias Lancaster
•This is exactly right. California requires the debtor name on the termination to match exactly what's currently on file. No variations allowed, not even punctuation differences.
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Ezra Beard
•Wait, wouldn't it be easier to just file the termination using the original company name from 2019? Why complicate it with an amendment?
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Statiia Aarssizan
Had this exact issue last year with a client in San Francisco. The California SOS system is super rigid about debtor names. You absolutely need to file a UCC-3 amendment first to update the debtor name, then file the termination. Make sure you use the exact legal name as it appears on your current articles of incorporation. Don't try shortcuts - it'll just get rejected again.
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Reginald Blackwell
•How long did the amendment take to process before you could file the termination? My lender is breathing down my neck about this.
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Statiia Aarssizan
•Amendment took about 3-4 business days online, then we filed the termination immediately after. Whole process was maybe a week total.
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Aria Khan
•A week feels like forever when you're trying to close a refinancing deal. There's gotta be a faster way to handle name discrepancies.
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Everett Tutum
I ran into something similar recently and ended up using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your original UCC-1 and the termination you're trying to file, and it'll instantly flag any debtor name mismatches or other inconsistencies. Really helps catch these issues before you submit and get rejected. Just upload the PDFs and it cross-checks everything automatically.
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Sunny Wang
•Never heard of Certana.ai before. Is it just for California filings or does it work for other states too?
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Everett Tutum
•Works for all states. Really useful for catching debtor name variations before you file. Saves a lot of time and rejection headaches.
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Hugh Intensity
•Sounds like it could've saved me the $50 rejection fee I just paid to California SOS. Will definitely check it out.
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Effie Alexander
California SOS is THE WORST for this stuff. They rejected my termination THREE times because of tiny debtor name differences. First time was because of a comma, second time was LLC vs. L.L.C., third time was because of a space. Absolutely ridiculous system.
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Melissa Lin
•Three rejections?? That's insane. Did you eventually get it sorted out?
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Effie Alexander
•Yeah, finally got it through on the fourth try. Had to pull the exact name from the Secretary of State business entity search to make sure it matched perfectly.
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Lydia Santiago
•This is why I always double-check the business entity database before filing anything. California doesn't mess around with exact name matches.
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Romeo Quest
Here's what worked for me in a similar situation: 1) Pull a UCC search on your original filing to see the exact debtor name format 2) Check the California business entity database for your current legal name 3) File UCC-3 amendment to update debtor name to current legal name 4) File UCC-3 termination using the updated name. The key is making sure every character matches exactly.
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Val Rossi
•This is the most thorough answer. The UCC search step is crucial - sometimes the name on file isn't even what you think it is.
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Eve Freeman
•Good point about the UCC search. I've seen cases where the original filing had typos that nobody caught for years.
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Clarissa Flair
Your lender should be handling this termination, not you. Most loan agreements require the lender to file the UCC-3 termination within 30 days of payoff. They have access to the original filing information and should know how to handle name discrepancies. Don't let them push this back on you.
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Caden Turner
•Exactly this. The lender filed the original UCC-1, they should file the termination. That's standard practice.
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McKenzie Shade
•Some lenders are lazy about terminations though. They'll try to make the borrower handle it to save themselves the filing fees and hassle.
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Harmony Love
•Check your loan documents. There should be language about who's responsible for filing the termination. Usually it's the lender's obligation.
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Rudy Cenizo
I'm dealing with the same issue right now! Filed for termination two weeks ago and just got the rejection notice today. The debtor name has a slightly different format than what's on the original UCC-1. So frustrating that California is this picky about exact character matches.
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Natalie Khan
•Welcome to the club. California SOS seems to have gotten even more strict about this lately. Used to be more flexible with minor name variations.
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Daryl Bright
•Try the Certana.ai tool someone mentioned earlier. Might help you spot the exact discrepancy before you file the amendment.
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Sienna Gomez
Quick question - did you file online or by mail? Sometimes the online system is pickier about exact matches than paper filings. Though honestly, with California, both are pretty strict about debtor names on terminations.
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
•I've never seen California be more lenient with paper filings. They're strict across the board.
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Abigail bergen
•Paper filings take forever though. Online is definitely the way to go, even if you have to file an amendment first.
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Ahooker-Equator
Used to work at a law firm that handled tons of UCC filings. California requires exact debtor name matches for terminations - no exceptions. The amendment route is your only option. Make sure you use the current legal entity name from the Secretary of State database, not what you think it should be.
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Anderson Prospero
•This is great advice from someone who's handled these professionally. The Secretary of State database is definitely the authoritative source for legal entity names.
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Tyrone Hill
•How long does the whole amendment + termination process usually take in California?
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Ahooker-Equator
•If you file online, amendment processes in 2-3 business days, then you can file the termination immediately. Total time is usually under a week.
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Toot-n-Mighty
Just went through this nightmare myself. Ended up using that Certana document checker tool to verify everything before refiling. Really wish I'd known about it earlier - would've saved me two rejected filings and $100 in fees. The tool catches these debtor name mismatches instantly when you upload the documents.
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Lena Kowalski
•Two rejections is rough. California's rejection fees add up quick when you're dealing with name discrepancies.
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DeShawn Washington
•Thanks for the Certana recommendation. Dealing with the same issue and don't want to pay more rejection fees.
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Mei-Ling Chen
•The document verification really is helpful. Beats trying to manually compare debtor names across multiple filings.
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