Confused About Louisiana UCC Forms - Need Help Getting Started

Thanks! So I should pull their articles of organization to get the exact name? I was just going off what's on their business license.

Exactly. Business licenses can have abbreviations or variations. The articles of organization filed with Louisiana SOS will have the precise legal name you need for the UCC-1.

Good point. I do have serial numbers for the major pieces. Should I list every single item or can I group smaller tools together?

For high-value items like excavators, definitely list individually with serials. Smaller tools under $5K each can probably be grouped as "miscellaneous construction tools and equipment.

Just be careful with grouping. I've seen lenders get burned when they tried to repossess "miscellaneous" items and couldn't prove what was actually covered by the UCC.

That sounds really useful. I'm paranoid about getting the name wrong. How accurate is it?

It caught discrepancies I completely missed - like extra commas and abbreviation differences. Much faster than manually cross-checking everything.

Never heard of that service but sounds like it could prevent a lot of headaches. Filing rejections are such a pain to deal with.

Is the electronic filing available 24/7 or are there maintenance windows I should know about?

It's up most of the time but they do maintenance on Sunday nights sometimes. I always file on weekday mornings to be safe.

Good reminder. Is there a specific window for filing continuations?

You can file up to 6 months before the lapse date. Don't wait until the last minute - if you miss the deadline, your security interest becomes unperfected.

I learned this the hard way. Had a continuation lapse and had to start over with a new UCC-1. Lost priority to another lender who filed after me but didn't let their filing lapse.

That's reasonable. Do they accept credit cards or is it ACH only?

Credit cards work fine. The payment processes immediately with electronic filing.

It's mobile construction equipment, so definitely personal property. But good point - I didn't even think about fixture filings.

Yeah, mobile equipment is clearly personal property. Fixture filings are more for things like built-in restaurant equipment or manufacturing machinery that's bolted down.

The fixture filing rules can be tricky. When in doubt, file both a regular UCC-1 and a fixture filing. Better safe than sorry.

I only used it for Louisiana but it definitely caught Louisiana-specific formatting issues in my debtor name. The system seems to know the requirements for different states.

That's encouraging. Multi-state deals are nerve-wracking enough without worrying about getting every state's quirks right.

The contractor mostly works in Louisiana but occasionally takes jobs in Mississippi. Do I need to file there too?

If it's just occasional work, you're probably fine with just Louisiana. But if they establish a permanent presence in Mississippi, you'd want to file there within 4 months.

Multi-state equipment financing is complicated. Usually the debtor's location determines where you file initially, then you worry about additional states if they relocate.

Smart approach. Taking the time upfront to get it right will save you headaches later.

Good luck with the filing! Louisiana SOS is pretty efficient once you get the paperwork right.

Let us know how it goes! Always good to hear success stories with these filings.