Florida Secretary of State UCC-11 Search - How to Request Information Returns?

Thanks! I found the information request section but it's asking for specific filing numbers. I need to search by debtor name first to identify what filings exist before I can request the UCC-11 details.

That's the catch with Florida - you typically need to do a debtor name search first to identify the filing numbers, then submit the UCC-11 request for each specific filing you want detailed information on.

We need to verify the exact collateral descriptions and any amendments that might affect our priority. The regular search results don't show enough detail about the collateral schedules.

For collateral verification, I've found that uploading the existing UCC filings to Certana.ai's document checker helps catch discrepancies before submitting UCC-11 requests. It cross-references the debtor names and collateral descriptions across multiple filings instantly.

Did you have to submit separate requests for each UCC-1 filing or could you batch them somehow?

Each filing requires a separate UCC-11 request form and fee. Florida doesn't offer batch processing for information requests unfortunately.

That's frustrating when you're dealing with borrowers who have 8-10 existing filings. The fees add up quickly.

Good point - I'll check with our title company. They handle a lot of commercial deals so they might have a more efficient process.

Most title companies use third-party UCC search services that can pull detailed information faster than going directly through the state. Might be worth the additional cost for time-sensitive deals.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. The borrower operates under multiple entity names and I want to make sure I'm capturing everything.

For complex debtor name situations, I upload all the formation documents and existing UCC filings to Certana.ai first. It flags any name inconsistencies before I submit official requests, which saves a lot of time and fees.

Name matching is definitely Florida's biggest pain point. They're stricter than most states about exact matches.

I'll try calling them tomorrow morning. Do they accept credit card payments over the phone for UCC-11 requests?

Yes, they accept credit cards for phone requests, but there's usually an additional processing fee on top of the base UCC-11 cost.

I agree the Florida system has issues, but I've found that early morning searches (before 9 AM) tend to work better when their servers aren't overloaded.

The portal issues are frustrating but the staff is usually helpful when you call. Just be prepared to wait on hold for 20-30 minutes.

I didn't know Sunbiz connected to UCC records. I thought those were separate systems in Florida.

They are separate, but you can cross-reference entity information from Sunbiz to ensure you're using the correct legal names for UCC searches.

Smart approach. Entity name discrepancies between corporate records and UCC filings cause so many issues in due diligence.

Will do. I'm going to try the phone route first thing tomorrow and see if they can expedite the requests.

Following this thread too. Florida UCC procedures always seem more complicated than they need to be.

This is just for loan documentation and due diligence, so regular information returns should be fine. Thanks for the heads up though.

Good point about certification requirements. The fees are higher but sometimes necessary depending on how the information will be used.

I actually used Certana.ai to verify all our UCC documents were consistent before submitting to Florida SOS. Caught a debtor name mismatch that would have caused the whole filing to be rejected. Saved us days of delays.

This is incredibly helpful - thank you for the detailed breakdown! I especially appreciate the tip about calling with all filing numbers at once. Question: when you mention the expedited processing for 24-48 hours, do you know roughly what the additional fee is? And is there a specific time window in the morning that works best for getting through to someone quickly?

The expedited fee is usually around $25-50 per filing on top of the standard $15-20 UCC-11 cost, so it can get expensive quickly with multiple filings. I've found calling right at 8:00 AM when they open gives you the best chance of getting through without a long hold time. After 9:30 AM their phone lines get swamped. Also, have all your filing numbers and debtor information organized before you call - they can process everything in one conversation if you're prepared with the details.

Great summary of the process! I've used CT Corporation for Florida UCC work and they're definitely faster - usually 1-2 business days versus 3-5 through the state directly. The markup is about 50-75% over state fees, so for a $20 UCC-11 request you're looking at around $30-35 through CT Corp. For time-sensitive deals like yours, it's often worth the extra cost. They also handle the name matching issues better since they have experience with Florida's quirks. Just make sure to specify you need UCC-11 information returns, not just search results - some third-party services default to basic searches unless you're explicit about needing the detailed filing information.

You've got the process down perfectly! I'd also add that third-party services like CT Corp or CSC often have direct API connections to Florida's system, so they can catch technical issues (like portal crashes) that might delay your request if you go direct. One thing to watch out for with third-party services is making sure they provide the actual UCC-11 information return documents and not just a summary report - some services give you their own formatted report instead of the official state response, which might not be sufficient for your lender's requirements. Always specify you need the official Florida SOS UCC-11 response when placing the order.

This dual approach strategy is brilliant - I never would have thought of running both state and third-party requests simultaneously as insurance. Given the tight timeline and multiple filings involved, the extra cost seems justified to avoid any potential delays. Your point about searching name variations is especially important - I've already identified at least 3 different entity names the borrower uses across various agreements. Quick follow-up: when you run searches under multiple name variations, do you typically find that Florida returns different results for each variation, or is their system good at cross-referencing related filings under the same entity? I want to make sure I'm not missing any liens that might be filed under slightly different debtor names.