Mass.gov UCC search showing wrong debtor info - filing rejected twice
Really frustrated here. Been trying to file a UCC-1 for equipment financing and the mass.gov UCC search keeps pulling up inconsistent debtor information. Filed twice already and both got rejected because the debtor name on my UCC-1 doesn't exactly match what's showing in their system from the original corporate filing. The business changed their legal name slightly last year (added LLC designation) but apparently that's not reflected properly in the state database. Anyone else run into this with Massachusetts? The rejection notices aren't super clear about exactly what needs to match. I'm worried about the lien priority date slipping while I figure this out. Client is breathing down my neck and I've never had this much trouble with a basic continuation before.
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Yara Campbell
Ugh yes, Massachusetts can be really picky about exact name matches. Did you try searching for both the old and new business names in the mass.gov UCC search? Sometimes the system hasn't updated the cross-references between the corporate records and UCC database. You might need to use the exact legal name from their Articles of Organization, not what they're doing business as.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•I tried both versions but getting different results each time. The corporate database shows the updated name with LLC but the UCC search seems to default to the old name without it. Super confusing.
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Isaac Wright
•This happens all the time with name changes. The databases don't always sync up right away, especially if the business filed the name change recently.
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Maya Diaz
Had the exact same issue last month! What worked for me was using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your corporate documents and the UCC-1 draft, and it instantly flags any name inconsistencies before you submit. Saved me from a third rejection. Just upload the Articles of Organization and your UCC-1 and it'll show you exactly where the mismatch is happening.
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Tami Morgan
•Never heard of that before but sounds useful. How accurate is it with catching these kinds of discrepancies?
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Maya Diaz
•Pretty spot on from what I've seen. It caught a middle initial that was missing in my debtor name that I never would have noticed. The verification happens in seconds too.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Interesting, I'll check that out. At this point I'm willing to try anything to avoid another rejection.
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Rami Samuels
Massachusetts requires the debtor name to match EXACTLY what's on file with the Secretary of State. If there was a name change, you need to use whatever name is currently active in their corporate database, not what might still be showing in old UCC records. Try pulling a current Certificate of Good Standing - that'll show you the exact legal name format they're expecting.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Good point about the Certificate of Good Standing. I'll request one and see if that clears up the confusion.
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Haley Bennett
•Yes! The Certificate of Good Standing is your best bet for getting the exact name format. Mass can be really particular about punctuation and abbreviations too.
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Douglas Foster
•THIS. I learned this the hard way after multiple rejections. The Secretary of State database is the master source for debtor names in Massachusetts.
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Nina Chan
Are you sure you're looking at a UCC-1 rejection and not a UCC-3 amendment issue? If the business name changed, you might need to file an amendment to the original UCC first, then do your continuation. The mass.gov system won't accept filings that don't match the debtor name on the original financing statement.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Wait, this is a new UCC-1 filing, not a continuation or amendment. But you're right that the name change complicates things.
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Nina Chan
•Oh sorry, misread your post. For a new UCC-1, you definitely want the current legal name from the corporate records then.
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Ruby Knight
Massachusetts UCC search is notoriously glitchy. Half the time it doesn't even load properly and when it does the results are inconsistent. I've had better luck calling the UCC office directly and having them verify the exact name format over the phone before filing.
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Diego Castillo
•Oh man yes, their search function is terrible. Takes forever to load and sometimes gives different results for the same search terms.
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Ruby Knight
•Exactly! I've gotten different search results refreshing the same page. Really frustrating when you're trying to do due diligence.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•I'll try calling them directly. Didn't think of that option but makes sense to get it straight from the source.
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Logan Stewart
I had similar problems with debtor name matching in Massachusetts. What finally worked was using a document verification service that cross-checked everything before I submitted. Certana.ai has this UCC document checker where you upload your corporate docs and UCC forms, and it flags any inconsistencies instantly. Caught a small formatting difference that would have caused another rejection.
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Mikayla Brown
•How does that work exactly? Do you just upload PDFs and it compares them automatically?
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Logan Stewart
•Yeah, exactly. Upload your Articles of Organization or Certificate of Good Standing, then upload your UCC-1 draft. It highlights any name discrepancies between the documents in seconds.
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Sean Matthews
Been filing UCCs in Mass for 15+ years and they've definitely gotten more strict about exact name matches. Used to be you had some wiggle room but now it has to be perfect. The key is making sure your debtor name matches their current corporate records down to every comma and period.
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Ali Anderson
•That's really helpful context. I wondered if they'd changed their standards recently because I've been hearing about more rejections.
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Sean Matthews
•Oh yeah, they definitely tightened up the rules. Probably to reduce confusion and improve the reliability of UCC searches.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Makes sense from their perspective but it's causing a lot of headaches for filers who aren't aware of how strict they've gotten.
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Zadie Patel
Try searching the mass.gov UCC database using just the business registration number instead of the name. Sometimes that pulls up cleaner results and shows you exactly how they have the name formatted in their system.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Good tip! I didn't know you could search by registration number. That might show me the exact format they're expecting.
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Yara Campbell
•Yes, the ID number search usually gives you the most accurate name format since it's pulling directly from their corporate database.
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A Man D Mortal
Whatever you do, don't keep filing and hoping it works. Each rejection delays your priority date and if there's a competing lien filed while you're figuring this out, you could lose your position. Get the name exactly right before you file again.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Yeah, that's exactly what I'm worried about. Priority date is crucial on this deal.
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Rami Samuels
•Absolutely right. Better to take the time to get it perfect than risk losing lien priority because of multiple rejections.
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A Man D Mortal
•Exactly. I've seen deals fall apart because someone kept re-filing instead of fixing the underlying name issue first.
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Declan Ramirez
Update us when you get it resolved! I'm dealing with a similar situation in Mass and curious what ends up working for you.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Will do! I'm going to try the Certificate of Good Standing approach and maybe that document verification tool that was mentioned.
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Maya Diaz
•Definitely try Certana.ai - it really does catch these kinds of name mismatches before you waste time on another rejection.
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