Need Help Finding the Right Fillable UCC-1 Form for Multi-State Filing

This is good advice. I learned the hard way that even comma placement matters on some fillable UCC-1 forms. Had a filing rejected in Colorado because I had 'Smith, LLC' instead of 'Smith LLC' without the comma.

Wait, so the debtor name has to match the state of organization exactly? What if the company is registered slightly differently in the other states where you're filing?

Good question - you use the legal name from the state where the entity was originally formed, not where you're filing. So if it's a Texas LLC, you use the Texas formation name on all the fillable UCC-1 forms, even for Oklahoma and New Mexico filings.

That's helpful on the collateral description. I was worried about being too general but also didn't want to list every single piece of equipment. The borrower has combines, tractors, and various implements.

Yeah, listing everything individually is overkill and can actually work against you if they acquire new equipment later. The general description I suggested should cover all current and future ag equipment under your security agreement.

That sounds really useful - I'm definitely worried about missing something small that could invalidate the filings. How does the verification process work exactly?

Super simple - you just upload your fillable UCC-1 forms along with the borrower's organizational documents and loan agreement. The system automatically compares all the key data points and highlights any mismatches. Takes maybe 2 minutes instead of manually reviewing everything line by line.

I've heard of Certana.ai but haven't tried it yet. Does it work with all state forms or just certain ones?

Works with any PDF documents, so all the state-specific fillable UCC-1 forms are fine. It's really about the data consistency rather than the specific form format.

I feel your pain! Had similar issues with Oklahoma's system. Sometimes their portal just doesn't work properly and you have to try again later.

Right?? And then you're stuck waiting to see if it goes through while your deadline is approaching. So stressful.

Oklahoma can be finicky about the organization ID number field on their fillable UCC-1. Make sure you're including the full charter number from their SOS records, not just the federal EIN.

Good point about the form version - I downloaded mine a few weeks ago so hopefully it's current. The borrower is actually a New Mexico LLC so I'll need to find their Texas foreign registration info.

You can search Texas SOS records online to find the foreign registration details. Just search by the entity name and it should pull up their Texas foreign qualification information.

That's a great idea about the spreadsheet. I should have thought of that before I started. Do you know if Texas has any special ag requirements?

Texas doesn't have additional forms for ag equipment, but they do require more detailed collateral descriptions for farm products. Since you're doing equipment though, you should be fine with the standard approach.

New Mexico has some quirky requirements for agricultural filings. Make sure you check their specific guidelines - I think they want serial numbers included for equipment over certain dollar amounts.

That's exactly the kind of mistake I'm worried about making. With three different states and all the different requirements, it's easy to mess up small details.

How much does something like that cost? We do enough UCC work that it might be worth looking into.

The value is definitely there when you consider the cost of fixing rejected filings or worse, having invalid security interests. Plus the time savings is huge - no more manually comparing documents line by line.

I was planning to do them all the same day if possible. Is there any advantage to having the same filing date across states?

Not legally required, but it can make your lien records cleaner and easier to track for continuation purposes down the road. Plus if there are any disputes about priority dates, having them all filed the same day eliminates any questions.

Good point about continuation tracking. When you've got multi-state filings, keeping the dates aligned makes it much easier to stay on top of the 5-year renewal deadlines.

That's a good reminder - I should confirm with the lender how they want their name formatted. They're a pretty large regional bank so they probably have specific requirements.

Definitely check with them. I've had to amend filings before because the bank wanted 'N.A.' instead of 'National Association' in their legal name. Small detail but important to them.

That's encouraging to hear! A week sounds reasonable for getting everything done properly. I'd rather take the time to do it right than rush and make mistakes.

Exactly. With that much money involved, the extra time for accuracy is definitely worth it. Plus once you've done one multi-state deal, the next ones go much faster because you know the process.

Did you run into any issues with the different state portals or did everything go through smoothly?

Two of the three states were fine, but one had a portal issue that delayed the filing by a day. Nothing major, just had to resubmit the next morning when their system was working properly.