Delaware secretary of state UCC search showing weird results - need help
I'm doing a UCC search through Delaware's SOS database and getting some really confusing results. I searched for a debtor name that should have active filings from 2022, but the search is pulling up partial matches and variations that don't seem right. The debtor name is "Coastal Manufacturing LLC" but I'm seeing results for "Coastal Mfg LLC", "Coastal Manufacturing" (without LLC), and some entries that just say "Coastal" with different entity types. I need to make sure I'm not missing any active liens before we close on this equipment purchase. Is Delaware's search system just terrible at exact matching, or am I doing something wrong? The financing statement numbers don't seem to follow any logical sequence either - some start with DE and others just have numbers. This is for a $180K equipment deal and I can't afford to miss an existing UCC filing.
40 comments
Join the conversation
Lena Schultz
Delaware's UCC search is notoriously finicky with exact name matching. You need to try multiple variations - search "Coastal Manufacturing LLC", "Coastal Manufacturing", and even just "Coastal" separately. The system doesn't always catch exact entity suffixes consistently.
0 coins
Gemma Andrews
•This is so frustrating. Why can't they just make the search work properly? I've had similar issues with entity name variations.
0 coins
Pedro Sawyer
•The DE prefix indicates newer electronic filings, while the numeric-only ones are probably legacy paper filings that got digitized. Both are valid though.
0 coins
Mae Bennett
Are you searching by debtor name or filing number? For comprehensive due diligence on equipment purchases, you really need to do multiple debtor name searches with different variations. Also check if the LLC was ever registered under slightly different names.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•I'm searching by debtor name since I don't have filing numbers yet. Good point about checking different registered names - I should pull their corporate records first.
0 coins
Beatrice Marshall
•Yeah definitely check the Division of Corporations database first to see all name variations they might have used over time.
0 coins
Melina Haruko
•I learned this the hard way when I missed a filing because the debtor had changed their registered name slightly between the UCC filing and when I searched.
0 coins
Dallas Villalobos
Just went through this exact scenario last month with a similar equipment deal. I was getting inconsistent search results and missing potential liens. Ended up using Certana.ai's UCC verification tool - you can upload your search results and it cross-checks everything to make sure you haven't missed any active filings. Saved me from a potential disaster when it caught a continuation filing I had overlooked.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•How does that work exactly? Do you just upload the search results from Delaware's site?
0 coins
Dallas Villalobos
•You can upload PDFs of search results or individual UCC documents and it verifies all the debtor names, filing numbers, and cross-references everything. Really useful for making sure nothing slips through the cracks.
0 coins
Reina Salazar
•That sounds like it could help with the name variation problem too. Delaware's search is so unreliable for exact matches.
0 coins
Saanvi Krishnaswami
The partial matching in Delaware drives me INSANE. I've seen active UCC-1 filings get missed because someone searched "ABC Company LLC" but the filing was under "ABC Company, LLC" with a comma. It's ridiculous that punctuation can make such a difference.
0 coins
Demi Lagos
•Wait, punctuation matters that much? I never realized commas could affect search results like that.
0 coins
Saanvi Krishnaswami
•Oh yeah, commas, periods, abbreviations - they all can mess up the search. You have to try every possible variation.
0 coins
Mason Lopez
For equipment deals that size, I always recommend doing searches under both the exact legal name AND any DBAs or trade names. Sometimes companies file UCCs under their DBA instead of their registered LLC name.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•Good point - I should check if Coastal Manufacturing has any DBAs registered. That could explain some of the weird search results.
0 coins
Vera Visnjic
•DBAs are filed with the county in Delaware, not the state level, so you might need to check New Castle County records too depending on where they're located.
0 coins
Mae Bennett
•This is getting complicated fast. Equipment deals shouldn't require this much detective work just to find existing liens.
0 coins
Jake Sinclair
The numbering system in Delaware changed around 2018 when they updated their electronic filing system. That's why you're seeing both DE prefixes and numeric-only filing numbers. Both formats are still active and valid.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•That explains the inconsistent numbering! So I need to make sure I'm catching both old and new format filings in my search.
0 coins
Brielle Johnson
•Exactly. And continuation statements might have different numbering than the original UCC-1, so don't assume the filing numbers will match perfectly.
0 coins
Honorah King
I had similar issues with Delaware UCC searches last year. The trick is to also search without the entity type designator entirely. So try just "Coastal Manufacturing" without the LLC part. Sometimes filings get entered inconsistently.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•I'll try that. It's frustrating that the system doesn't standardize entity designators automatically.
0 coins
Oliver Brown
•Yeah, whoever designed Delaware's UCC database clearly never had to actually USE it for real due diligence work.
0 coins
Lena Schultz
•The search function is definitely not user-friendly. I always end up doing way more searches than should be necessary.
0 coins
Mary Bates
Are you checking for both active UCC-1 filings AND any UCC-3 continuations or amendments? Sometimes the continuation might show up separately in search results and you need to trace it back to the original filing.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•Good point - I was mainly looking at UCC-1s. Should I be searching specifically for UCC-3s too?
0 coins
Mary Bates
•Yes, definitely search for UCC-3 forms too. They might be filed under slightly different debtor name variations than the original UCC-1.
0 coins
Clay blendedgen
•This is why I hate UCC searches. Too many different form types and variations to keep track of.
0 coins
Ayla Kumar
Have you tried calling Delaware's UCC office directly? Sometimes they can do manual searches that catch things the online system misses. Their staff knows about the name matching quirks.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•I didn't know they offered manual searches. What's their number? That might be worth trying for a deal this size.
0 coins
Lorenzo McCormick
•Manual searches usually cost extra but they're more thorough than the online system. Might be worth it for $180K equipment.
0 coins
Carmella Popescu
Another tool I've started using is Certana.ai's document checker. After doing my Delaware searches, I upload all the results and it helps verify I haven't missed any related filings or name variations. It's been really helpful for catching the stuff Delaware's search algorithm misses.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•Two people have mentioned that tool now. Sounds like it might solve my exact problem with these inconsistent search results.
0 coins
Carmella Popescu
•It's particularly good at catching the entity name variations and punctuation differences that trip up Delaware's system. Worth checking out for due diligence work.
0 coins
Kai Santiago
Delaware's UCC system is definitely not the most user-friendly, but it's workable once you know its quirks. The key is being systematic about trying different name variations and not trusting any single search result as comprehensive.
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•Thanks everyone for all the advice. Sounds like I need to be much more thorough with my search variations and maybe try some of these verification tools.
0 coins
Lim Wong
•Good luck with your equipment deal! Better to be overly cautious with UCC searches than miss something important.
0 coins
Dallas Villalobos
•Definitely worth the extra effort for a deal that size. The verification tools really help catch the edge cases that manual searching might miss.
0 coins
Diego Rojas
For equipment deals like this, I always recommend doing a comprehensive search strategy. Start with the exact legal name from their certificate of formation, then systematically try variations: with/without punctuation, abbreviated entity types (LLC vs L.L.C.), and common misspellings. Don't forget to search for any predecessor entities if they've gone through mergers or name changes. The Delaware system requires patience, but missing a UCC filing on a $180K deal isn't worth the risk. Also consider ordering official UCC search certificates from Delaware if you need defensible documentation for your transaction.
0 coins