How to file a UCC-1 in New Jersey - debtor name requirements driving me crazy
I'm trying to figure out how to file a UCC-1 in New Jersey and honestly the debtor name requirements are making me lose my mind. We're securing a $275K equipment loan and I keep getting conflicting info about whether to use the exact charter name or if there's flexibility with punctuation and abbreviations. The borrower is an LLC and their charter has some weird comma placement that doesn't match how they sign contracts. I've heard NJ is super strict about debtor names but can't find clear guidance on their SOS website. Has anyone dealt with this recently? I'm terrified of getting a rejection and having to start over with timing being critical for closing.
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Carter Holmes
NJ is definitely one of the pickier states for debtor names. You absolutely need to match the charter exactly - commas, periods, everything. I learned this the hard way when a filing got rejected because I used 'Inc.' instead of 'Incorporated' like it showed on the Articles of Organization.
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Sophia Long
•This is so true. I've seen filings rejected for missing a single comma in the LLC name. NJ doesn't mess around with debtor name accuracy.
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Angelica Smith
•Wait, so if the charter says 'Smith, Jones & Associates, LLC' with that comma after Associates, I have to include it even though it looks weird?
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Logan Greenburg
The NJ UCC filing system is pretty straightforward once you get the name right. You file through the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services portal. The key is pulling the exact legal name from the business entity search on their website first. Don't trust what the client tells you their name is.
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Mia Alvarez
•That's exactly what I was worried about. The client keeps saying 'just use the name on our letterhead' but I know that's not how UCC filings work.
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Carter Holmes
•Smart approach. I always do the entity search myself even when clients provide documentation. Sometimes their own records are wrong or outdated.
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Charlotte Jones
I had a similar nightmare with a NJ filing last month. Spent hours trying to figure out the exact debtor name format and kept second-guessing myself. Finally found this tool called Certana.ai that lets you upload your charter documents and UCC-1 draft to verify everything matches perfectly. Saved me from what probably would've been a rejection. You just upload the PDFs and it instantly flags any discrepancies between the names.
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Mia Alvarez
•Oh interesting, I hadn't heard of that. Does it work specifically with NJ formatting requirements?
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Charlotte Jones
•Yeah it checks against the actual charter name regardless of state. Really helpful for catching those tiny punctuation differences that cause rejections.
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Lucas Bey
•Hmm sounds too good to be true. How do you know it's accurate?
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Harper Thompson
UGH the NJ system is THE WORST. I swear they reject filings just because they can. Last week I had one bounced because apparently there was an extra space somewhere in the debtor name field. WHO HAS TIME FOR THIS NONSENSE???
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Caleb Stark
•I feel your pain. Sometimes I think they have quotas for rejections or something.
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Logan Greenburg
•The system is definitely strict but it's actually protecting lenders. Better to get it right the first time than have perfection issues later.
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Jade O'Malley
For NJ UCC-1 filings, you'll want to use form UCC-1 through their online portal. Filing fee is $25 for the basic form. Make sure you have the exact entity name from the Division of Revenue records, not just what appears on contracts or business cards.
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Mia Alvarez
•Thanks, that's helpful. Is there a way to preview how the name will appear before submitting?
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Jade O'Malley
•The portal shows you a preview screen before final submission. That's your last chance to catch any formatting issues.
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Hunter Edmunds
Been filing UCCs in NJ for 8 years and honestly the debtor name thing trips up even experienced paralegals. The key is understanding that NJ follows the 'entity name' standard very literally. If there's any doubt, call their help desk - they're actually pretty helpful when you explain the specific situation.
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Mia Alvarez
•Good to know about the help desk. I was afraid to call and seem incompetent but sounds like it's normal to need clarification.
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Hunter Edmunds
•Not incompetent at all. Better to ask than file wrong and deal with continuation timing issues later.
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Ella Lewis
•Wait, what continuation timing issues? I thought you just had to file within 5 years?
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Hunter Edmunds
•If your original filing has debtor name errors, it might not perfect properly. Then you're looking at refiling rather than just continuing, which can create gaps in perfection.
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Andrew Pinnock
I'm curious about the collateral description requirements in NJ too. Are they as picky about that as they are with debtor names? I have a filing coming up for restaurant equipment and want to make sure I describe it properly.
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Carter Holmes
•NJ is pretty standard on collateral descriptions. 'All equipment' usually works fine for restaurant gear unless there's something specific you need to exclude.
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Andrew Pinnock
•Perfect, that makes it easier. Thanks!
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Brianna Schmidt
Just a quick note that the NJ portal sometimes has maintenance issues on weekends. If you're filing close to a deadline, don't wait until Sunday night. Learned that lesson the expensive way.
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Mia Alvarez
•Oh great point. We're trying to close Friday so I'll get this filed by Wednesday to be safe.
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Brianna Schmidt
•Smart move. Wednesday gives you a buffer in case there are any issues.
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Alexis Renard
Actually used Certana.ai for a similar situation last week after seeing it mentioned here. Was dealing with a corporate debtor that had amended their charter twice and I wasn't sure which version of the name to use. The tool caught that I was using an old version of the name that would've definitely caused a rejection. Pretty straightforward to use - just upload your documents and it shows you exactly what doesn't match.
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Mia Alvarez
•That sounds exactly like what I need. How long does it take to get results?
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Alexis Renard
•It's instant. Upload your PDFs and it immediately highlights any inconsistencies. Really takes the guesswork out of it.
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Camila Jordan
One thing to watch out for in NJ - if you're filing against a foreign LLC (registered in another state but qualified to do business in NJ), make sure you're using the name as it appears on their NJ foreign qualification, not their home state charter. They might be slightly different.
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Mia Alvarez
•Thankfully this is a domestic NJ LLC so that shouldn't be an issue, but good to know for future filings.
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Camila Jordan
•Yeah, domestic is definitely cleaner. Just the one name source to worry about.
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Logan Greenburg
•Foreign entity filings are where I see the most debtor name errors. Good catch on that distinction.
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Tyler Lefleur
Hope this helps but honestly after dealing with all these filing headaches I'm seriously considering switching to a different practice area. The stress of getting every punctuation mark perfect is killing me.
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Caleb Stark
•Don't give up! It gets easier once you develop a system for double-checking everything.
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Mia Alvarez
•I totally get that feeling. This is exactly why I'm looking for tools to help catch these details before filing.
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