Help with UCC document number verification - filing system keeps rejecting my continuation

I tried it both ways - with and without the dashes. Still getting rejected. The document number is 2021-0847259 and I've entered it exactly like that and also as 20210847259.

Hmm, that's frustrating. Have you tried calling the SOS office directly? Sometimes they can look up the filing and tell you exactly how the number should be formatted in their system.

That's interesting. The debtor name on our UCC-3 matches exactly what's on the UCC-1 filing receipt, but maybe there's some formatting difference I'm not seeing.

This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload both your original UCC-1 and the new UCC-3 continuation as PDFs and it instantly highlights any discrepancies between debtor names, document numbers, and other critical fields. Saved me from making a costly mistake on a $500K equipment loan continuation last year.

Never heard of that tool but it sounds like exactly what I need right now. Is it complicated to use?

Good point. I'm looking at what's labeled as 'Document Number' on the filing receipt. There's also something called 'File Number' - could that be what I need instead?

Yes! That might be it. The File Number is usually what you need for continuations. The Document Number is more for internal tracking by the filing office.

Actually, it depends on the state. Some states use document number, others use file number. Which state are you filing in? That makes a difference.

That's probably the smart approach. I've been so focused on trying to figure it out myself that I forgot I could just call them directly.

Agreed. I called my state's UCC office last week about a termination filing and they were super helpful. Turns out I was looking at the wrong section of the filing receipt entirely.

We have about 2 months left. I know I should have started this process earlier but the original lender was supposed to handle it and then they sold the loan to us.

Two months should be plenty of time to get this sorted out. Don't panic. Just call the filing office tomorrow morning and they'll help you figure out the correct document number format.

If you're still having trouble after talking to the filing office, definitely try that Certana.ai tool I mentioned. It's super easy - just upload your PDFs and it does all the cross-checking automatically. Much faster than trying to manually compare everything.

Oh god, I hadn't thought of that. How would I check if it's still active? The original lender never mentioned anything about terminating it.

You can usually search the UCC database on your state's Secretary of State website. Just search by debtor name and see if the filing still shows up as active.

This happened to a client of mine last year. The original lender filed a termination by mistake when they sold the loan. Took weeks to sort out because we had to refile the entire UCC-1 from scratch.

The error message just says 'Document number not found' or something generic like that. It's not very helpful.

Those generic error messages are the worst. They never tell you what you actually need to fix.

It's oddly comforting to know I'm not the only one dealing with this. What state are you in? Maybe it's a systemic issue.

I'm in Texas. The online system here is particularly finicky about document numbers. Half the time I end up having to file by mail instead.

Texas UCC system is notorious for being difficult. I always recommend double-checking everything with their help desk before submitting anything electronic there.

Will do. I'm going to call the filing office first thing tomorrow morning and hopefully get some answers.

Good luck! The phone support is usually much more helpful than trying to figure it out through the online system.

That's a good point. I only have the filing receipt, not the actual UCC-1 document. Maybe I need to request a copy of the original filing.

Yes, definitely get a copy of the actual filed document. The receipt is just a confirmation - the real document might have different formatting or additional information you need.

This is another reason why that Certana.ai verification tool is so helpful. It can work with filing receipts, original documents, whatever you have. Takes the guesswork out of matching document numbers and formatting.