Free UCC lien search options - need to verify existing filings before renewal

Yeah that rejection was a nightmare. Cost us 3 weeks to refile and almost missed the deadline window. Delaware's free search is interesting though - do you know if other states have similar programs?

Texas has some free search options too but they're pretty basic. You get filing dates and status but not the full documents usually.

That's actually a good idea. I didn't think about calling directly. Do they usually have staff available for that kind of thing or is it hit or miss?

Depends on the state honestly. Some are really helpful, others will just refer you back to the online system. Worth a try though for 12 filings.

I've had mixed results with phone calls. Some clerks are super helpful but others act like you're bothering them. The busy states like California and New York are usually pretty rushed.

That sounds exactly like what I need! Does it work with different state forms or is it specific to certain states?

Works with any state's UCC forms as far as I can tell. It's really about comparing the document data rather than the specific form layouts. Much easier than trying to manually compare 12 different filings.

Interesting tool. How accurate is it with things like punctuation differences and spacing issues? Those seem to be the most common rejection reasons.

That's probably the smart approach. These are all equipment loans so they're all pretty important, but some are definitely higher dollar amounts than others.

Equipment loans are no joke. Missing a continuation deadline on those can be catastrophic for your security position.

Good point. I have most of the filing numbers from our original filings but a couple might be missing from our records. That's another reason I want to do comprehensive searches.

If you're missing filing numbers, the state search by debtor name becomes even more critical. But then you really need the exact name match to find everything.

This is why I always keep detailed spreadsheets of every filing. Filing number, exact debtor name, filing date, continuation due date, collateral description. Takes some work upfront but saves so much time later.

That's actually a really good point. A few of these loans might have been paid down or restructured. I should check termination status before paying for continuations.

Definitely check terminations first. I wasted money on a continuation for a loan that had been terminated 6 months earlier. The termination just never made it into our internal tracking system.

I'll definitely ask about that. We're not a law firm but we do enough UCC work that they might have some kind of commercial rate.

Even if they don't have formal volume discounts, explaining your situation might get you some flexibility. State offices are usually pretty reasonable when you explain the business need.

That's exactly the kind of thing I'm worried about. Those tiny differences that seem insignificant but kill your filing. I'm definitely going to check that out.

Corporate suffixes are the worst. LLC vs L.L.C. vs Limited Liability Company - all the same entity but different ways of writing it can cause rejections.

Interesting approach. Since these were all filed in 2020 I could probably narrow down the date ranges pretty well.

Just be careful with date range searches - they usually show all filings from that period, not just yours. Can be overwhelming to sort through if it's a busy filing period.

You're absolutely right about the cost-benefit analysis. I was being penny wise and pound foolish. Better to pay the search fees than risk losing perfection on these liens.

Exactly. The search fees are just the cost of doing business when you have secured debt. Factor it into your ongoing compliance budget.

Plus if you catch any discrepancies early, you have time to fix them properly instead of rushing last-minute amendments or re-files.