Georgia UCC Statute Question - Continuation Filing Deadline Confusion
I'm dealing with a continuation filing situation and getting conflicting information about Georgia UCC statute requirements. My company has several UCC-1 filings that are coming up on their 5-year mark, and I'm trying to make sure I understand the exact timing requirements under Georgia law. I've read through the georgia ucc statute sections but honestly the legal language is pretty dense. Some sources say you can file the continuation up to 6 months before expiration, others mention different windows. I'm specifically concerned about a $2.8M equipment financing deal where the original UCC-1 was filed in March 2020, so it expires March 2025. The collateral includes manufacturing equipment and I absolutely cannot let this lapse. Has anyone dealt with continuation timing under Georgia's version of the UCC statute? I'm seeing references to O.C.G.A. § 11-9-515 but want to make sure I'm interpreting the continuation window correctly. Any guidance on the specific statutory requirements would be hugely appreciated.
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Keisha Taylor
Georgia follows the standard UCC Article 9 continuation rules - you have a 6-month window before the 5-year expiration date. So for your March 2020 filing, you can file the continuation anytime between September 2024 and March 2025. O.C.G.A. § 11-9-515 is the right statute. Don't wait until the last minute though, especially with that much money at stake.
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Paolo Longo
•This is correct. I handle continuations regularly and Georgia's statute mirrors the model UCC. Just make sure your debtor name matches exactly what's on the original UCC-1.
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Amina Bah
•Wait, I thought you had to file in the last 6 months before expiration, not that you COULD file. Is there flexibility in when during that window?
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Oliver Becker
I've been through this exact scenario with Georgia SOS. The continuation window is definitely 6 months before expiration, but here's what I learned the hard way - double and triple check your debtor name. Georgia's system is pretty strict about exact matches. I had a continuation rejected because the original UCC-1 had 'LLC' and my continuation had 'L.L.C.' with periods.
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CosmicCowboy
•Oh no, that's exactly the kind of mistake that keeps me up at night! How did you catch that error?
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Natasha Orlova
•This is why I started using Certana.ai's document checker. You can upload your original UCC-1 and your new continuation form and it instantly flags any name mismatches or inconsistencies. Saved me from a similar rejection last month.
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Javier Cruz
•Never heard of that tool but sounds useful. Is it expensive?
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Emma Thompson
The georgia ucc statute is pretty straightforward on continuations but the devil is in the details. O.C.G.A. § 11-9-515(d) specifically states the continuation must be filed during the six-month period before the financing statement expires. Your March 2020 filing expires March 2025, so your window is September 2024 to March 2025. But seriously, don't wait - file it now if you haven't already. Equipment financing lapses are a nightmare to clean up.
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Malik Jackson
•Agreed on not waiting. I've seen too many deals go sideways because someone thought they had more time.
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Isabella Costa
•What happens if you miss the window? Is there any way to revive a lapsed filing?
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StarSurfer
•Once it lapses, you lose perfection. You'd have to file a new UCC-1, which creates a new filing date and priority issues if there are other creditors.
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Ravi Malhotra
I deal with Georgia UCC filings daily and the statute is clear but the practical application can be tricky. Make sure you're using the current UCC-3 form and that your filing number from the original UCC-1 is correct. One digit off and it gets rejected. Also verify the debtor's current legal name hasn't changed since 2020.
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Freya Christensen
•Good point about name changes. How do you verify current legal status?
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Omar Hassan
•Secretary of State corporate records search. If the debtor is a corporation or LLC, pull their current certificate to confirm the exact legal name.
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Chloe Robinson
Just to add to the chorus - Georgia's UCC statute follows the uniform code pretty closely. The 6-month continuation window is standard. But I'm curious about your collateral description. You mentioned manufacturing equipment - make sure that description is still accurate. If the equipment has been replaced or significantly modified, you might need to consider an amendment along with the continuation.
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Diego Chavez
•That's a good point I hadn't considered. The original filing was pretty generic - 'manufacturing equipment' - so it should still cover new equipment of the same type, right?
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NeonNebula
•Generally yes, if the description is broad enough. But if you've added different types of equipment or the business has expanded significantly, might be worth reviewing.
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Anastasia Kozlov
I'm not a lawyer but I've dealt with plenty of UCC issues in Georgia. The georgia ucc statute timing is clear - 6 months before expiration. But honestly, with $2.8M on the line, you should probably have your attorney review this. The statute might be clear but there could be other issues with your specific situation that need legal review.
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Sean Kelly
•Always good advice to involve counsel on high-dollar deals. Better safe than sorry.
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Zara Mirza
•True, but for a straightforward continuation, the process is pretty mechanical. It's when you have name changes or collateral issues that you need legal help.
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Luca Russo
Been doing UCC work in Georgia for 15 years. The statute is O.C.G.A. § 11-9-515 and it's identical to the model UCC Article 9. Six months before expiration, period. What trips people up is the practical stuff - making sure all the details match perfectly. I've seen million-dollar deals compromised by typos in continuation filings.
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Nia Harris
•Typos are the worst. Is there any way to verify everything matches before filing?
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GalaxyGazer
•I mentioned Certana.ai earlier - it's actually pretty slick for this. Upload your original UCC-1 and your continuation form and it does a side-by-side comparison, flags any discrepancies. Caught a middle initial issue for me last week.
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Mateo Sanchez
•I should look into that. Manual comparison is nerve-wracking with complex filings.
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Aisha Mahmood
Question about the georgia ucc statute - does it matter which month during the 6-month window you file? I've heard some people say earlier is better for priority purposes but I'm not sure if that's accurate.
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Ethan Moore
•Filing earlier doesn't affect priority - the continuation relates back to the original filing date. But filing earlier reduces the risk of missing the deadline due to unexpected issues.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•Exactly. Priority stays the same regardless of when during the window you file. It's just risk management to file early.
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Carmen Vega
I had a similar situation last year with a Georgia manufacturing deal. Filed the continuation in month 4 of the window just to be safe. One thing I learned - Georgia's electronic filing system sometimes has maintenance windows that can delay processing, so don't wait until the last few days.
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QuantumQuester
•Good tip about system maintenance. Nothing worse than rushing to file and finding the system is down.
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Andre Moreau
•The Georgia SOS system is pretty reliable but yeah, always build in buffer time for technical issues.
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Zoe Stavros
Update - I ended up filing the continuation yesterday using that Certana.ai tool someone mentioned. It caught two issues I would have missed: the debtor name had a comma in the original that I was leaving out, and the filing number had a zero that looked like an O. The verification process literally took 30 seconds after uploading both documents. Filing went through without any rejections. Thanks everyone for the guidance on the georgia ucc statute timing - knowing I had the 6-month window gave me confidence to get this done properly.
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Jamal Harris
•Glad it worked out! Those little formatting details are exactly what trips people up.
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Mei Chen
•Great outcome. Properly filed continuations give such peace of mind, especially with big dollar amounts involved.
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Liam Sullivan
•Nice to hear a success story. The verification tool sounds like it's worth checking out for anyone doing regular UCC work.
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Mei Lin
This is a great thread with solid advice. Just want to emphasize one more practical point about Georgia UCC continuations - always keep a copy of your filed UCC-3 continuation and the confirmation from the Secretary of State. I've had clients years later need to prove a continuation was properly filed, and having that documentation saved them from potential disputes. Also, if you're managing multiple UCC filings, consider setting up calendar reminders 8-9 months before expiration so you have plenty of time to handle any complications. The georgia ucc statute gives you the 6-month window, but business reality means starting the process early is always wise.
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Diego Chavez
•Excellent advice about documentation and early reminders! I'm new to UCC filings and this whole thread has been incredibly helpful. Question - when you set those calendar reminders 8-9 months out, do you also set intermediate reminders closer to the deadline as backup? I'm worried about relying on just one reminder given how critical these deadlines are.
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