How to file UCC in Indiana - SOS portal issues and debtor name requirements
Been trying to file UCC in Indiana through their SOS portal for a commercial equipment loan and running into some roadblocks. The debtor entity name on our loan docs shows "ABC Manufacturing Solutions LLC" but when I search the business entity database, it shows up as "ABC Manufacturing Solutions, LLC" (with the comma). Does this comma difference matter for the UCC-1 filing? Also, the portal keeps timing out when I try to upload the financing statement. Anyone else dealing with Indiana filing issues lately? This is for a $275,000 equipment financing deal and I need to get this perfected ASAP. The loan closes next week and I'm getting nervous about the name discrepancy potentially causing rejection.
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Elijah Brown
The comma issue is definitely something to worry about in Indiana. Their system is pretty strict about exact entity name matches. I'd recommend checking the Indiana Secretary of State business entity search again and use the EXACT name as it appears in their database. Even punctuation differences can cause rejections.
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Zoe Walker
•Thanks - that's what I was afraid of. So I should use "ABC Manufacturing Solutions, LLC" with the comma for the UCC-1 filing even though our loan agreement shows it without the comma?
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Elijah Brown
•Exactly. The UCC filing needs to match the official registered name in the state database, not necessarily what's on your loan docs. You might want to get an amendment to your loan docs later to match, but for UCC purposes, go with the state registration.
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Maria Gonzalez
Had the same portal timeout issues last month. Indiana's system seems to have problems during peak hours. Try filing early morning or late evening. Also make sure your PDF isn't too large - they have size limits that aren't always clearly posted.
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Zoe Walker
•Good tip on the timing. My PDF is only 2MB so that shouldn't be an issue. I'll try again tomorrow morning.
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Natalie Chen
•Peak hours are brutal on that system. I usually file around 6 AM or after 8 PM to avoid the crashes.
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Santiago Martinez
This exact name matching thing burned me last year. I filed a UCC-3 continuation and it got rejected because I had a slight variation in the debtor name from the original UCC-1. Cost me extra fees and almost missed the deadline. Now I always double-check everything. Have you considered using a document verification tool? I started using Certana.ai's UCC checker - you can upload your loan agreement and UCC-1 side by side and it flags any name discrepancies automatically. Saved me from another costly mistake.
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Zoe Walker
•That sounds really useful. How does the Certana.ai verification work exactly? Do you just upload the PDFs and it compares them?
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Santiago Martinez
•Yep, super simple. You upload your charter docs or loan agreement and then your UCC-1, and it cross-checks all the names, addresses, filing numbers, everything. Takes like 30 seconds and catches stuff you might miss manually. Especially helpful when you're dealing with entities that have multiple name variations.
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Samantha Johnson
•I've heard of Certana but haven't tried it yet. Does it work with Indiana-specific formatting requirements?
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Nick Kravitz
Indiana SOS portal is notorious for being glitchy. I've had filings sit in "processing" status for days. Make sure you save your confirmation number and check back frequently. Sometimes they process but don't send the email confirmation.
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Zoe Walker
•Ugh, that's frustrating. How long should I expect for processing once it actually goes through?
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Nick Kravitz
•Usually 24-48 hours if there are no issues. But I've seen it take up to a week during busy periods. Indiana isn't the fastest.
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Hannah White
Wait, you said this is for equipment financing? Make sure you're not dealing with fixtures that might need a special fixture filing instead of just a regular UCC-1. Equipment that gets attached to real estate can be tricky in Indiana.
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Zoe Walker
•It's manufacturing equipment that will be bolted to the concrete floor. Should I be concerned about fixture filing requirements?
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Hannah White
•If it's permanently attached to the real estate, you might need a UCC-1 fixture filing in the real estate records, not just the central filing. Check with your attorney on this - it's state specific and can affect your priority.
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Michael Green
•This is a good point. Indiana has specific rules about what constitutes a fixture. Better to be safe and file both if there's any doubt.
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Mateo Silva
For what it's worth, I always file UCC documents with the exact entity name from the state database, even if it doesn't match other docs perfectly. It's better to have a valid lien with a name discrepancy than an invalid lien because of a rejected filing.
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Victoria Jones
•Agreed. The UCC is about notice to third parties, and they'll be searching the state database names, not your loan file names.
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Cameron Black
Just went through this with an Indiana filing last week. The portal worked fine for me but I had to call their help desk because the fee calculation was wrong. They were actually pretty helpful once I got through. Number is 317-232-6531 if you need it.
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Zoe Walker
•Thanks for the number! Did they help you with the filing process or just fee questions?
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Cameron Black
•They helped with both actually. The person I talked to was pretty knowledgeable about UCC filings and could look up entity names in real time.
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Jessica Nguyen
Been filing UCCs in Indiana for 15 years and the name matching has gotten much stricter. They used to be more forgiving but now it's almost algorithmic. One wrong character and you're rejected. The good news is they usually process rejections faster than acceptances, so you'll know quickly if there's a problem.
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Maria Gonzalez
•That's actually helpful to know - quick rejection is better than sitting in limbo wondering if it's processing.
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Jessica Nguyen
•Exactly. I'd rather get a rejection in 24 hours than wait a week for acceptance, especially when you're on a tight deadline.
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Isaiah Thompson
This might be overkill but I always run my UCC docs through Certana.ai before filing, especially for large deals like yours. It's caught several name mismatches that would have caused rejections. The debtor name consistency check is particularly useful when you're dealing with entities that have been amended or have multiple trade names.
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Zoe Walker
•That's the second mention of Certana.ai in this thread. Sounds like it's worth checking out. Is it expensive?
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Isaiah Thompson
•It's not about cost - it's about avoiding the headache of rejected filings and potential lien invalidity. The peace of mind is worth it, especially on deals this size.
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Ruby Garcia
Quick question - are you filing a UCC-1 or UCC-1 AD (additional party)? Make sure you're using the right form. Indiana has separate forms and fee structures.
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Zoe Walker
•Just a regular UCC-1, single debtor. But good point about making sure I have the right form.
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Ruby Garcia
•Good. The regular UCC-1 is straightforward. Just triple-check that debtor name before you submit.
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Alexander Evans
Update us when you get it filed! I'm curious if the comma issue ends up being a problem or not. Indiana's system is so inconsistent sometimes.
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Zoe Walker
•Will do. I'm going to try the exact state database name tomorrow morning and see what happens. Fingers crossed!
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Evelyn Martinez
•Good luck! Early morning filing is definitely the way to go with Indiana's portal.
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Yara Sayegh
I've been doing UCC filings in Indiana for about 8 years now and can definitely confirm the name matching issues everyone's mentioning. The comma situation is real - I had a similar case last year where "Tech Solutions LLC" vs "Tech Solutions, LLC" caused a rejection. One thing I'd add is to also double-check the registered agent information if you're including it. Indiana's database sometimes has outdated agent info that can cause additional complications. Also, since you mentioned this is equipment financing, make sure your collateral description is specific enough but not overly detailed - Indiana likes clear, concise descriptions. For the portal timeouts, I've found using Chrome in incognito mode sometimes helps with their system quirks. And definitely save your work frequently if they have a draft feature. That $275K deal deserves extra caution!
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Dmitry Volkov
•Thanks for the detailed advice! The Chrome incognito tip is something I hadn't thought of - I'll definitely try that. You're absolutely right about being extra cautious on a deal this size. Quick question on the collateral description - should I go with something like "all manufacturing equipment" or be more specific with make/model numbers? I want to be comprehensive but not so detailed that it causes issues.
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Tyler Murphy
•For equipment financing in Indiana, I'd recommend a middle ground approach on the collateral description. Something like "all manufacturing equipment now owned or hereafter acquired, including but not limited to [general category, e.g., CNC machines, fabrication equipment, etc.]" gives you broad coverage without getting bogged down in serial numbers. Indiana tends to accept functional descriptions well. You can always attach a more detailed equipment schedule as an exhibit if needed, but keep the main UCC form description clean and broad enough to cover future additions or replacements. The key is making sure a third party searching could reasonably understand what's covered.
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