Federal UCC search requirements for multi-state collateral - need guidance

There's no federal UCC registry - that's a common misconception. UCC filings are handled at the state level. For your Delaware corp, you'd file the UCC-1 in Delaware (the debtor's jurisdiction) regardless of where the collateral is located, unless it's fixture filings which go where the real estate is. The confusion usually comes from federal filings for specific collateral types like aircraft (FAA) or ships (Coast Guard), but those aren't UCC filings.

You're mixing up UCC searches with federal registries for specialized collateral. For regular equipment and inventory, stick to state-level UCC searches. Delaware for your debtor's organizational filings, then check each state where you have fixture filings if any equipment is attached to real estate. But honestly, with a $2.8M deal, you should be using a professional search service to make sure you're not missing anything.

The federal vs state confusion is real. I spent weeks thinking I needed to search some federal database before realizing it doesn't exist for regular UCC filings. Aircraft, ships, and some railroad equipment have federal registries, but those are separate from UCC Article 9. Your manufacturing equipment in multiple states? That's all going to be covered by your Delaware UCC-1 filing and searches.

This whole federal UCC thing trips up so many people! I wasted hours last year trying to find a federal search portal that doesn't exist. The key is understanding that UCC Article 9 is state-based. Even though it's 'uniform' across states, each state maintains its own filing system. Federal registries only apply to specific federally-regulated collateral types.

Just went through this exact same confusion on a multi-state equipment financing deal. Spent way too much time looking for federal UCC requirements that don't exist. The real issue is making sure your debtor name on the UCC-1 exactly matches the corporate records. That's where most search problems come from, not missing some imaginary federal registry.

I made this mistake too - there is NO federal UCC search database. What you might be thinking of is the federal tax lien search, which is separate. For your situation: Delaware UCC search for the debtor, plus individual state searches only if you have fixture filings in other states. Don't overcomplicate it.

For a $2.8M deal, definitely don't try to piece this together yourself. Get a comprehensive search from a reputable service that covers all necessary jurisdictions. They'll handle the Delaware organizational search, UCC searches, tax lien searches, and any federal registries if your collateral requires it. The cost is minimal compared to missing a prior lien.

The federal UCC search confusion is so common because people hear 'Uniform Commercial Code' and think it means there's one federal system. But 'uniform' just means the states adopted similar laws, not that there's a central registry. Each state runs its own UCC filing system. Save yourself the headache and focus on getting the Delaware search right.

Just to add another verification step - after you get your search results back, double-check that the debtor names in your UCC-1 filing exactly match what you searched for. I've seen deals get complicated because of minor name variations between the filing and the search. Certana.ai's verification tool can help catch these inconsistencies by comparing your documents side-by-side.

Bottom line: No federal UCC search needed for your situation. Delaware UCC search for your Delaware debtor, individual state fixture searches only if equipment is attached to real estate in other states. Focus your energy on making sure the debtor name is exactly right rather than looking for federal databases that don't exist.