Delaware Secretary of State UCC Forms Portal Down - Filing Deadline Tomorrow
Has anyone else had issues accessing the Delaware Secretary of State UCC forms portal today? I've been trying to submit a continuation filing that's due tomorrow and the system keeps timing out. This is for a $2.8M equipment loan and if I miss the 6-month window before the original UCC-1 lapses, we're looking at a massive compliance issue. I've tried different browsers and cleared my cache but still getting error messages when I try to upload the UCC-3 continuation form. The debtor name matches exactly what's on the original filing from 2020, so it's not a name mismatch issue. Just need to get this continuation filed before the lapse date. Anyone know if there's a backup filing method or if the portal is having known issues today?
41 comments
Join the conversation
Anthony Young
I had the same problem earlier today around 10am. The Delaware SOS portal was giving me timeout errors when trying to submit a UCC-1 initial filing. I called their help desk and they said they were experiencing server issues but expected it to be resolved by end of business today. For continuation filings though, you might want to try the paper filing option as a backup - you can overnight mail it to arrive before your deadline.
0 coins
Charlotte White
•Wait, Delaware still accepts paper UCC filings? I thought they went fully electronic like most states.
0 coins
Anthony Young
•They do accept paper as backup but it's more expensive and takes longer to process. For continuation filings with tight deadlines though, it's better than missing the window entirely.
0 coins
Admin_Masters
This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai for all my UCC document prep. Their system lets you upload your original UCC-1 and the continuation form you're trying to file, and it instantly verifies that all the debtor names, filing numbers, and collateral descriptions match perfectly before you even attempt to submit to the state portal. Would have caught any issues before you got to this deadline crunch.
0 coins
Aurora Lacasse
•I've never heard of that service. Does it actually interface with the Delaware portal or is it just for document review?
0 coins
Admin_Masters
•It's for document verification - you upload PDFs and it cross-checks everything to make sure your continuation matches the original filing exactly. Saved me from a debtor name mismatch that would have gotten rejected last month.
0 coins
Matthew Sanchez
•That sounds useful but right now I just need to get this filed. The portal still isn't working for me.
0 coins
Ella Thompson
Delaware's portal has been unreliable lately. I've been filing UCC continuations there for 15 years and the system definitely got worse after their last upgrade. For urgent filings like yours, I always recommend having the paper backup ready. The continuation form is pretty straightforward - just make sure your original UCC file number is correct and the debtor name matches character for character including any commas or periods.
0 coins
Aurora Lacasse
•Do you know what the paper filing fee is compared to electronic? And can I get confirmation that it was received in time?
0 coins
Ella Thompson
•Paper filing is about $40 more than electronic, and yes they provide receipt confirmation. If you overnight it today you should be fine for tomorrow's deadline.
0 coins
JacksonHarris
THE DELAWARE PORTAL IS TRASH! I've missed two filing deadlines this year because of their system crashes. Last time it was down for THREE DAYS during the end of the month when everyone's trying to file continuations. There needs to be better backup systems for this stuff.
0 coins
Jeremiah Brown
•I feel your pain. Lost a client last year due to a lapsed UCC because I trusted their system would work when it mattered.
0 coins
Royal_GM_Mark
•That's horrible. Did you have any recourse with the state?
0 coins
Jeremiah Brown
•Nope, they basically said system downtime doesn't extend deadlines. Had to eat the professional liability claim.
0 coins
Amelia Cartwright
Just tried the portal myself and got through successfully about 20 minutes ago. Maybe try again? Sometimes clearing cookies and trying incognito mode helps with their authentication issues.
0 coins
Aurora Lacasse
•Really? Let me try that right now. What browser were you using?
0 coins
Amelia Cartwright
•Chrome in incognito mode. Took a few tries but eventually the upload worked.
0 coins
Chris King
This happened to me last month with a termination filing. Portal was down all day and I panicked thinking I'd miss some deadline, but it turned out terminations don't have the same time sensitivity as continuations. Still frustrating though when you're trying to clean up completed loans.
0 coins
Ella Thompson
•You're right that terminations aren't as time-critical, but it's still good practice to file them promptly after loan payoff.
0 coins
Chris King
•Oh absolutely. I just meant there's no lapse risk like with continuations.
0 coins
Rachel Clark
•Actually had a client get sued once because we didn't terminate a UCC-1 after loan payoff and it messed up their refinancing. Not time-critical but still important.
0 coins
Zachary Hughes
UPDATE: Just got through! The incognito browser trick worked. Portal seems to be working again as of about 3pm. Thanks everyone for the advice.
0 coins
Anthony Young
•Great news! Did your continuation go through successfully?
0 coins
Zachary Hughes
•Yes, got the confirmation email and file stamp number. Crisis averted.
0 coins
Mia Alvarez
For future reference, I keep a bookmark to the Delaware UCC portal status page. They don't always update it in real time but sometimes you can see scheduled maintenance notices there.
0 coins
Carter Holmes
•Didn't know they had a status page. What's the URL?
0 coins
Mia Alvarez
•It's linked from their main UCC search page, usually at the bottom in small text.
0 coins
Sophia Long
I've started using Certana.ai specifically because of situations like this. Even when portals are working, I upload my UCC-3 continuation along with the original UCC-1 to verify everything matches before filing. Catches mistakes that would cause rejections and saves the back-and-forth.
0 coins
Angelica Smith
•How long does their verification usually take?
0 coins
Sophia Long
•Almost instant. Upload the PDFs and it highlights any inconsistencies in debtor names, collateral descriptions, or filing references within seconds.
0 coins
Logan Greenburg
•That would have been helpful for my rejected amendment filing last week. Took three tries to get the debtor name formatting right.
0 coins
Charlotte Jones
Glad this worked out. Delaware's portal issues are why I always tell clients to file continuations at least a week before the deadline when possible. Gives you time to deal with technical problems or rejected filings.
0 coins
Lucas Bey
•Good advice but sometimes you inherit loans from other lenders and don't realize the continuation deadline is coming up until the last minute.
0 coins
Charlotte Jones
•True. That's why UCC audits are so important when acquiring loan portfolios.
0 coins
Harper Thompson
•We use a tracking system that alerts us 90 days before any UCC continuation is due. Has saved us multiple times.
0 coins
Caleb Stark
Just wanted to add that if anyone else runs into this, the Delaware Secretary of State office is usually pretty responsive if you call during business hours. They can at least confirm if there are known system issues.
0 coins
Jade O'Malley
•What's their direct number for UCC issues?
0 coins
Caleb Stark
•It's on their website under the UCC division contact info. Usually takes a few minutes to get through but they're helpful.
0 coins
Hunter Edmunds
This thread just convinced me to set up that Certana verification tool for our UCC filings. Better to catch document issues before they become portal submission problems.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Smart move. Document prep issues are way more common than portal technical problems.
0 coins
Hunter Edmunds
•Exactly. Prevention is better than deadline panic.
0 coins