Georgia Secretary of State UCC Search showing wrong debtor name on filed documents
I'm dealing with a mess here and need some guidance. We completed a UCC-1 filing through the Georgia Secretary of State portal last month for a $180k equipment loan, but when I ran a UCC search today to verify everything went through correctly, the debtor name is showing up differently than what we originally submitted. The business name on our loan docs is 'Peachtree Medical Equipment LLC' but the Georgia SOS UCC search is displaying 'Peachtree Medical Equipment, LLC' - notice the comma before LLC. Our lender is now questioning whether the lien is properly perfected since the names don't match exactly. I double-checked our original UCC-1 form and we definitely submitted it without the comma. Has anyone dealt with the Georgia Secretary of State UCC search system automatically adding punctuation to business names? I'm worried this could void our security interest if the debtor name doesn't match the charter documents exactly. The filing shows as accepted but I'm not sure if this discrepancy will cause problems down the road.
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Steven Adams
This is actually pretty common with Georgia's system. The SOS database sometimes reformats business names during processing, especially with LLC designations. The key question is whether your original UCC-1 form matches the exact legal name on the debtor's organizing documents. If your loan docs and charter show 'Peachtree Medical Equipment LLC' without the comma, then that's what should have been filed. You might need to file a UCC-3 amendment to correct the name.
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Alice Fleming
•Wait, are you sure about needing an amendment? I thought minor punctuation differences like commas weren't considered material changes to the debtor name.
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Steven Adams
•It depends on how strict the courts are in your jurisdiction. Better safe than sorry with lien perfection - I've seen deals fall apart over less.
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Hassan Khoury
I had the exact same issue with a Georgia filing last year! The system added punctuation that wasn't in our original submission. What's frustrating is that you can't tell this happened until you run the UCC search after filing. The portal doesn't give you a preview of how the name will appear in the database.
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Victoria Stark
•Did you end up filing an amendment to fix it?
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Hassan Khoury
•Yes, we filed a UCC-3 amendment just to be safe. Cost us extra time and filing fees but our counsel insisted on it.
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Benjamin Kim
•This is why I always triple check the UCC search results immediately after filing. Georgia's system has these quirks.
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Samantha Howard
Before you file any amendments, I'd suggest using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your charter documents and the UCC-1 filing to instantly check if there are any name discrepancies that could affect lien perfection. It catches these kinds of issues automatically and saved me from a similar headache with an Alabama filing where the SOS system changed the capitalization of the debtor name. Just upload the PDFs and it cross-checks everything for consistency.
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Grace Durand
•That sounds helpful - does it work specifically with Georgia filings?
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Samantha Howard
•Yes, it works with all state UCC systems. The tool focuses on document consistency rather than state-specific formatting, so it'll catch name mismatches regardless of which state you're filing in.
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Megan D'Acosta
OH NO this is making me paranoid about my recent filing! I submitted a UCC-1 in Georgia two weeks ago and haven't checked the search results yet. What if the same thing happened to me? How long should I wait before the filing shows up in the UCC search system?
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Sarah Ali
•Georgia usually updates their UCC search database within 24-48 hours of filing acceptance. You should be able to search for it by now.
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Megan D'Acosta
•Just checked and thankfully my debtor name looks correct. But now I'm worried about other potential issues I might have missed.
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Ryan Vasquez
•The Georgia Secretary of State UCC search system is generally reliable, but these formatting quirks do happen occasionally.
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Avery Saint
This is exactly why I hate electronic filing systems. They're supposed to make things easier but then they introduce new problems like automatic name formatting. At least with paper filings you knew exactly what was being submitted.
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Taylor Chen
•I get the frustration, but electronic filing is still way faster than the old paper system. You just have to be more careful about verification.
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Keith Davidson
•The real problem is that the Georgia SOS system doesn't show you a preview of how the name will appear in the database before you submit.
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Ezra Bates
I work with UCC filings daily and see this Georgia formatting issue regularly. The comma before LLC is a common change their system makes. Technically, courts have been split on whether punctuation differences like this are material, but most lenders prefer to file amendments to eliminate any uncertainty. Your security interest is probably still valid, but the amendment gives you better protection.
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Grace Durand
•That's reassuring to hear from someone with daily experience. Do you think the amendment is worth the extra filing fee?
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Ezra Bates
•For a $180k loan, absolutely. The amendment fee is minimal compared to the risk of having an unenforceable security interest.
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Ana Erdoğan
•Agreed. I've seen deals where small name discrepancies became major issues during bankruptcy proceedings.
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Sophia Carson
Quick question - when you file the UCC-3 amendment to correct the debtor name, do you need to include the original filing number from the UCC-1?
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Ezra Bates
•Yes, the UCC-3 amendment requires the original filing number to identify which UCC-1 you're amending.
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Elijah Knight
•And make sure to select the correct amendment type - it should be 'Debtor name change' not 'Collateral change'.
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Brooklyn Foley
I actually had a similar situation resolved using Certana.ai's verification tool. I uploaded our LLC charter and the UCC filing, and it immediately flagged the punctuation discrepancy. What I liked is that it generated a clear report showing exactly where the names differed, which made it easy to decide whether to file an amendment. Ended up saving us time compared to manually comparing documents.
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Jay Lincoln
•How detailed is the report it generates?
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Brooklyn Foley
•Very detailed - it highlights specific character differences and explains potential legal implications. Much more thorough than trying to spot-check names yourself.
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Jessica Suarez
Update for anyone following this thread: I decided to file the UCC-3 amendment to correct the debtor name. The Georgia Secretary of State processed it quickly and the UCC search now shows the correct name without the comma. Total cost was $25 for the amendment, which seemed reasonable for peace of mind on a $180k loan.
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Marcus Williams
•Good decision! Thanks for updating us on the resolution.
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Lily Young
•That's actually a pretty reasonable fee for the amendment. Some states charge much more.
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Kennedy Morrison
•Glad it worked out. Now you know to double-check the UCC search results immediately after any Georgia filings.
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Wesley Hallow
This thread has been really helpful. I do a lot of equipment financing and wasn't aware that Georgia's UCC system automatically formats names like this. I'll definitely be more careful about verification going forward.
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Justin Chang
•Same here. It's one of those quirks you don't learn about until it happens to you.
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Grace Thomas
•I'm going to bookmark this discussion for future reference. Great real-world example of UCC filing issues.
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