How do I look up a UCC file in Florida - Secretary of State search not working
I'm trying to locate a UCC filing in Florida but I'm having trouble with the search system. I need to verify if our company's equipment loan has been properly secured with a UCC-1 filing. The lender said they filed it 3 months ago but I can't find anything in the Florida Secretary of State database. I've tried searching by our company name (exact match), the lender's name, and even variations of our business name but nothing comes up. Are there specific tricks to searching Florida's UCC database? Maybe I'm missing something obvious but this is my first time trying to look up a UCC file in Florida and I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. The loan was for $180,000 in manufacturing equipment so I really need to confirm this filing exists.
42 comments
Join the conversation
Emma Wilson
Florida's UCC search can be tricky. You need to search EXACTLY as the debtor name appears on the filing. Try searching with and without commas, periods, and different business entity designations (LLC vs L.L.C.). Also check if they used your legal entity name vs DBA name.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•Good point about the exact name matching. Our legal name has LLC but we do business under a shorter name. Should I be searching both versions?
0 coins
Emma Wilson
•Definitely search the legal entity name first - that's what should be on the UCC-1. The DBA won't work for UCC searches in Florida.
0 coins
Malik Thomas
I had the same issue last year! Florida's system is super picky about debtor names. Make sure you're searching the Secretary of State UCC database, not the corporate filing database. They're separate systems. Also try wildcard searches if the system allows it.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•Wait there are separate databases? I might have been looking in the wrong place. Can you share the direct link to the UCC search?
0 coins
Malik Thomas
•It's on the Florida Department of State website under UCC filings. Look for 'UCC Search' specifically, not business entity search.
0 coins
NeonNebula
•This confusion happens all the time. The corporate database won't show UCC filings at all.
0 coins
Isabella Costa
Before you spend hours searching, I'd recommend using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your loan docs and it will instantly check if there's a corresponding UCC-1 filing. I was struggling with a similar name matching issue and it found the filing immediately - turns out the lender used a slightly different version of our company name than what I was searching for.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•That sounds helpful. How does it work exactly? Do I just upload the loan agreement?
0 coins
Isabella Costa
•You can upload your loan docs or any UCC documents you have. It cross-references everything and flags any inconsistencies in debtor names or filing details. Really saved me time.
0 coins
Ravi Malhotra
Also check the filing date range in your search. Sometimes filings take a few days to appear in the system, and if you're searching too narrow a date range you might miss it. Try expanding to 6 months before and after the date your lender mentioned.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•Good tip. I was only searching around the date they told me but maybe it got filed earlier or later.
0 coins
Freya Christensen
•Yeah Florida can be slow to update their database sometimes. Give it a wider window.
0 coins
Omar Farouk
UGH Florida's UCC system is THE WORST. I've had filings disappear from searches for weeks then randomly show up again. Their database has glitches constantly. Sometimes you have to try the search multiple times on different days.
0 coins
Chloe Davis
•I've noticed this too! The search results aren't always consistent.
0 coins
Omar Farouk
•Exactly. It's like they update the database in batches or something. Super frustrating when you need to verify filings quickly.
0 coins
AstroAlpha
•At least it's better than it was 5 years ago when the whole system would crash during busy periods.
0 coins
Diego Chavez
Try searching by the lender's name instead of yours. Sometimes it's easier to find all their filings and look through them for your company name. Equipment loans usually have pretty specific collateral descriptions too.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•Smart approach. The lender is a regional bank so they probably have multiple filings I could browse through.
0 coins
Diego Chavez
•Exactly. Plus you can verify the collateral description matches your equipment to make sure it's the right filing.
0 coins
Anastasia Smirnova
Make sure you're not dealing with a fixture filing situation. If the equipment is attached to real property, it might be filed as a fixture filing with the county recorder instead of the state UCC system.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•The equipment is moveable manufacturing equipment, not attached to the building. Should still be a regular UCC-1 filing right?
0 coins
Anastasia Smirnova
•Yes, moveable equipment should be filed with the state. But some lenders file both just to be safe, so worth checking county records too.
0 coins
Sean O'Brien
•Good point about fixture filings. Different search process entirely.
0 coins
Zara Shah
I found success using Certana.ai when I couldn't locate a filing manually. The system automatically checks multiple name variations and filing types. Really helpful when you're not sure if you're searching correctly.
0 coins
Luca Bianchi
•Another vote for automated checking. Manual searches miss too many variations.
0 coins
Zara Shah
•Exactly. It caught a middle initial difference that I never would have thought to search for.
0 coins
GalacticGuardian
Double-check that your lender actually filed in Florida. If they're out of state, they might have filed in their home state by mistake. I've seen this happen with smaller lenders who don't do many Florida deals.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•Oh wow, I never thought of that. The lender is based in Georgia. Would they file there instead?
0 coins
GalacticGuardian
•They should file where the debtor is located (Florida in your case) but mistakes happen. Worth checking Georgia's UCC database too.
0 coins
Emma Wilson
•This is actually a common error. Always file where the debtor is organized or located.
0 coins
Nia Harris
If all else fails, contact the Florida Department of State directly. They can help you locate filings that might not be showing up in the online search. Sometimes there are indexing issues that only they can resolve.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•Good to know there's a backup option. Do they charge for manual searches?
0 coins
Nia Harris
•There might be a small fee but it's worth it if the filing exists but isn't searchable online.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
Just wanted to follow up - I used Certana.ai after reading the suggestions here and it found the filing immediately. Turns out the lender used our full legal name including the state designation (Company Name LLC Florida) which I wasn't searching for. The verification tool spotted it right away and flagged that the collateral description matched our equipment list perfectly. Thanks for the recommendations!
0 coins
Isabella Costa
•Glad it worked out! Those little name variations are so easy to miss in manual searches.
0 coins
Javier Cruz
•That's exactly what I needed to hear. Going to try the automated verification approach since manual searching isn't working.
0 coins
Emma Wilson
•Great outcome. The state designation detail is something a lot of people overlook in UCC searches.
0 coins
Chris King
Thanks everyone for all the detailed advice! I'm going to try the automated verification approach with Certana.ai first since it seems like it handles all the name variations automatically. If that doesn't work, I'll go back to manual searching with the tips about using our exact legal entity name and checking both Florida and Georgia databases. Really appreciate all the help - UCC searches are trickier than I expected but now I have a clear plan forward.
0 coins
Keisha Taylor
•Welcome to the community! This thread is a perfect example of how tricky UCC searches can be, especially in Florida. The automated approach seems to be the most reliable based on what others have shared here. If you do end up doing manual searches, definitely pay attention to the exact legal entity name format - that seems to be the biggest issue people run into. Good luck with your search!
0 coins
CosmicCrusader
As someone new to UCC filings, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where I need to verify a UCC filing for our business loan, but I'm in Texas. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like each state's system has its quirks. The advice about searching with the exact legal entity name (including all the LLC/Inc designations) seems crucial. I'm definitely going to try the automated verification approach first since manually searching through all the possible name variations sounds like it could take forever. Has anyone had experience with Texas UCC searches specifically? Are they as finicky as Florida's system?
0 coins
Amina Toure
•Welcome! Texas UCC searches are generally more user-friendly than Florida's system, but you'll still run into the same name variation issues. Texas allows partial name searches which helps, but I'd still recommend starting with the automated verification approach since it's faster and catches things you might miss. The exact legal entity name rule applies everywhere - if your company is "ABC Services LLC" make sure you search for that exact format, not "ABC Services" or "ABC Services L.L.C.". Each state's Secretary of State website has slightly different search interfaces, but the underlying name matching problems are universal. Good luck with your search!
0 coins