Efficient ways to lookup UCC filings across multiple states?

Texas is the worst! Their search results don't even show you the full debtor name sometimes, just partial matches. You have to click through each one individually.

At least Texas works most of the time. Nevada's portal crashes on me every other search attempt.

That sounds interesting. Does it actually search the state databases or just verify documents you already have?

It's more for document verification - you upload PDFs and it checks for consistency between UCC-1s, amendments, corporate charters, etc. Really helpful for catching debtor name mismatches that could invalidate your security interest.

I've heard good things about Certana. The document checking feature caught a critical error in one of my deals where the debtor name on the UCC-1 didn't match the charter exactly.

This is solid advice. Also check where they have their principal place of business - often there are local filings there even if they're incorporated elsewhere.

Don't forget about fixture filings! Those are usually in the real estate records, not the UCC database.

That's smart. I should probably do something similar instead of bookmarking random search pages.

Can you share that spreadsheet? I'd be happy to contribute info about states I search regularly.

I'll see if I can clean it up and post it somewhere. It's pretty rough right now but has saved me tons of time.

This is why I always search multiple name variations. ABC Corp, ABC Corporation, ABC Company, etc.

Exactly! And don't forget about DBA names and trade names. Sometimes secured parties file under those instead of the legal entity name.

Mostly current but sometimes I need to see if a continuation was filed properly. The 5-year timing can be tricky to track across multiple filings.

Continuation timing is crucial. I've seen deals fall apart because someone thought they had 5 years from the amendment date instead of from the original filing date.

New York is particularly expensive if you need certified copies. I think they charge like $10-15 per document.

Florida's not much better. But at least their search interface is pretty user-friendly.

Good point. Delaware's expedited service is worth the extra cost if you're doing time-sensitive deals.

And if you're doing a lot of equipment financing, make sure you understand each state's rules about filing location. Some require filing where the equipment is located, others where the debtor is located.

How does that work exactly? Do you just upload the documents and it tells you if there are issues?

Pretty much. You can upload a charter and UCC-1 and it'll flag any name mismatches or inconsistencies. Really useful for catching those small errors that could invalidate your security interest.

Where do you usually search for federal liens? IRS website?

Yeah, IRS has a lien search tool. Also check with local county clerks for judgment liens and other local filings.

This is getting complicated. Maybe I should just hire a service company to do all this searching for me.

@DeShawn Washington That s'definitely an option if you re'doing high volume. Some title companies and legal service providers specialize in comprehensive lien searches. Just make sure they understand your specific industry requirements - equipment financing has some unique considerations compared to real estate deals.