Need help filing UCC-3 termination - debtor name complications
So I'm dealing with a loan payoff situation where we need to file a UCC-3 termination but running into some debtor name issues. The original UCC-1 was filed back in 2019 under "ABC Manufacturing LLC" but the company has since changed their legal name to "ABC Advanced Manufacturing LLC" (they added the word Advanced). The loan is fully paid off and we have all the paperwork showing the name change was properly recorded with the state. My question is - when I file the UCC-3 termination, do I need to use the exact debtor name from the original UCC-1 filing, or should I use their current legal name? I've heard conflicting advice and don't want to mess this up since it affects the lien release. The original filing number is clear and I have all the documentation, just confused about the name requirements for termination filings.
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Liam O'Sullivan
You need to use the EXACT debtor name from the original UCC-1 filing when doing a termination. The UCC-3 termination has to match the original filing exactly or it won't properly release the lien. Even though the company changed names, the termination should reference "ABC Manufacturing LLC" since that's what's on the original UCC-1.
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Amara Chukwu
•This is correct. I've seen situations where people used the updated company name and the termination didn't properly clear the original lien record.
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Giovanni Conti
•Wait, but what if the name change affects the legal entity? Shouldn't the termination reflect the current debtor?
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
Actually, you might want to check with your state's SOS office because some states have specific procedures for this exact situation. In some cases, you may need to file an amendment first to update the debtor name, then file the termination. But honestly, this gets complicated fast and I'd recommend using a verification service to make sure everything matches up correctly.
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Mei Liu
•That's what I was worried about - having to do multiple filings. Do you know which states require the amendment first?
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
•It varies by state and I don't want to give you wrong info. Your best bet is calling the filing office directly or using something like Certana.ai that can cross-check your documents before filing.
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NeonNova
I had this exact same problem last year! Company name changed mid-loan and we had to terminate the UCC at payoff. What worked for us was filing the termination using the original debtor name exactly as it appeared on the UCC-1, then including a note in the additional information section referencing the name change. The filing was accepted and properly cleared the lien.
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Mei Liu
•That's really helpful - so you just added the name change info in the additional info section? Did you need to provide any documentation of the name change?
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NeonNova
•We didn't submit documentation with the UCC-3 itself, but we kept the name change docs in our file. The additional info section just had something like 'Debtor name changed to ABC Advanced Manufacturing LLC per state filing dated XX/XX/XXXX
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Dylan Campbell
•Smart approach. That way you're covering your bases without complicating the actual termination filing.
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Sofia Hernandez
Be very careful with this. I've seen lenders get burned because they thought they properly terminated a UCC but used the wrong name and the original lien stayed active. If there's any question about document consistency, I'd strongly recommend uploading your Charter documents and UCC-1 to something like Certana.ai's document verification tool. It'll instantly flag any name discrepancies between your corporate docs and UCC filings before you submit anything.
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Mei Liu
•Is that tool easy to use? I've never heard of it but this is exactly the kind of mistake I want to avoid.
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Sofia Hernandez
•Super easy - you just upload PDFs and it automatically cross-checks everything. Saved me from a major headache on a similar termination filing last month.
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
UGH the name matching requirements are so frustrating! I swear every state has different rules and the online portals never give you clear guidance. At least with your situation the name change is just adding a word - I've dealt with complete company name overhauls and those are nightmares.
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Ava Thompson
•Tell me about it. I had one where the company went from an LLC to a Corp and changed the name completely. Took three different filings to get it right.
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
•Three filings?? That's insane. The fees alone would kill you.
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Miguel Ramos
•This is why I always double-check everything before hitting submit. One mistake and you're paying multiple filing fees.
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Zainab Ibrahim
From what I understand, the safest approach is always to match the original UCC-1 debtor name exactly on the termination. The name change documentation should be kept in your loan file but doesn't need to be part of the UCC-3. The key is that the filing number and debtor name combo from the original UCC-1 needs to match exactly for the termination to link properly in the system.
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Mei Liu
•That makes sense. So as long as I have the correct filing number and use 'ABC Manufacturing LLC' exactly as it appears on the UCC-1, the termination should process correctly?
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Zainab Ibrahim
•Exactly. The system matches on filing number + debtor name, so those two elements need to be identical to the original filing.
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StarSailor
Just to add another perspective - some attorneys recommend filing a UCC-3 amendment to update the debtor name first, then filing the termination. It's more work but creates a cleaner paper trail. Depends on how conservative your institution is about these things.
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Connor O'Brien
•That seems like overkill for just adding one word to the company name, but I guess it depends on your risk tolerance.
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StarSailor
•True, probably overkill in this case. But if it was a major name change I'd definitely go the amendment route first.
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Mei Liu
•Yeah, for just adding 'Advanced' to the name, I think I'll go with the direct termination approach using the original name.
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Amara Chukwu
One thing to keep in mind - make sure you're within the proper timeframe for filing the termination after loan payoff. Most states require it within a certain number of days, and some have penalties if you're late.
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Mei Liu
•Good point. The loan was paid off two weeks ago so I should be fine on timing.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Yeah, most states give you at least 30 days, some longer. Two weeks is definitely safe.
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Dylan Campbell
I'd also suggest keeping screenshots of the original UCC-1 search results before filing the termination, just for your records. That way you have proof of what the original filing looked like before it gets terminated.
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Mei Liu
•Smart idea. I'll pull those search results and save them to the loan file.
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
•Good practice. Always helps to have the before and after documentation.
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Yara Sabbagh
Just curious - did you check if the name change affected any other UCC filings for this debtor? Sometimes companies have multiple lenders and you want to make sure you're not creating confusion in the public records.
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Mei Liu
•I did check and this is the only active UCC filing for them. Clean slate once this termination goes through.
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Yara Sabbagh
•Perfect. Makes it much simpler when there's only one filing to worry about.
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NeonNova
•Yeah, multiple filings with name changes gets messy fast. You're lucky it's just one.
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Keisha Johnson
Thanks for posting this question - I'm dealing with something similar and this thread has been really helpful. Sounds like the consensus is to use the original debtor name exactly as filed on the UCC-1.
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Mei Liu
•Glad it helped! That's definitely the direction I'm going based on all the feedback here.
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Sofia Hernandez
•Just remember to double-check everything before submitting. A document verification tool can save you a lot of headaches.
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Rami Samuels
This is such a common issue and I appreciate everyone's input here. I've been handling UCC filings for about 8 years now and I always tell people - when in doubt, match the original filing exactly. The termination statement is essentially saying "we're releasing the lien that was created by UCC filing #XYZ" so it needs to reference that exact filing. The name change documentation belongs in your loan file, not on the UCC-3. One quick tip though - after you file the termination, run another search in a few days to confirm it processed correctly and the lien status shows as terminated. I've seen cases where filings got rejected for minor formatting issues and the filer didn't realize it until much later.
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