New Jersey SOS UCC search showing wrong debtor name - filing at risk?
I'm dealing with a situation where our UCC search results from New Jersey SOS are showing a slightly different debtor name than what's on our loan documents. The borrower is "ABC Manufacturing Solutions LLC" but the UCC search is pulling up "ABC Manufacturing Solutions, LLC" - notice the comma before LLC. Our lender is now questioning whether our UCC-1 filing is actually perfected since there's this name discrepancy. The financing statement was filed 18 months ago and we're coming up on a potential refinancing where this could become a major issue. Has anyone dealt with New Jersey SOS UCC search inconsistencies like this? I'm worried our entire security interest could be at risk over punctuation. The collateral is substantial manufacturing equipment worth about $2.8M so getting this wrong isn't an option. What's the best way to verify if our filing is actually protecting our interests?
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Aisha Khan
This is actually more common than you'd think with New Jersey SOS UCC search results. The comma issue you're describing could definitely create problems during due diligence. I'd recommend pulling the actual UCC-1 filing from the system to see exactly how the debtor name appears on the financing statement itself, not just the search results. Sometimes the search algorithm picks up variations that don't match the filed document perfectly.
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Ethan Taylor
•Wait, so the search results can show different names than what's actually filed? That seems like a major flaw in their system.
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Aisha Khan
•The search function tries to match variations, but it's not perfect. Always verify against the actual filing documents, not just search results.
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Yuki Ito
I had a similar issue with New Jersey SOS UCC search last year. The debtor name on our loan docs had "Inc." but the UCC search kept showing "Inc" without the period. Turns out our UCC-1 was filed correctly but the search was displaying a variation. You really need to download the actual financing statement to see what name is on file. Also check if there are multiple filings under similar name variations - that could explain the discrepancy.
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Mateo Hernandez
•How did you resolve it? Did you have to file an amendment or was the original filing sufficient?
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Yuki Ito
•Original filing was fine once we confirmed the debtor name matched our security agreement. But it took weeks of back-and-forth with our legal team to get comfortable with it.
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Carmen Lopez
Before you panic, have you tried running the New Jersey SOS UCC search using different name variations? Try searching with and without the comma, with different abbreviations, etc. The system might be indexing under multiple formats. Also make sure you're searching the exact legal name from the debtor's formation documents, not just what appears on your loan paperwork.
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Mateo Hernandez
•Good point about the formation documents. I should pull their Certificate of Formation to see the exact registered name format.
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AstroAdventurer
•This is exactly why I always verify debtor names across multiple document sources before filing. Charter documents, tax returns, UCC searches - they all need to align or you're asking for trouble.
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Andre Dupont
•I actually found a tool recently that helps with this exact problem. Certana.ai has a document verification system where you can upload your charter documents and UCC filings, and it automatically checks for name inconsistencies. Saved me from a major headache on a recent deal where the borrower's legal name had changed slightly after incorporation.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
UGH New Jersey's UCC system is the WORST for this kind of thing. I've seen deals fall apart because of their search inconsistencies. The comma thing is particularly frustrating because it's such a minor punctuation mark but it can create major perfection issues. You might need to file a UCC-3 amendment just to be safe, even if your original filing was technically correct.
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Jamal Wilson
•Filing an amendment seems like overkill if the original was correct though?
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Better safe than sorry when you're dealing with $2.8M in collateral. The cost of an amendment is nothing compared to losing your security interest.
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Mei Lin
I've been through this exact scenario. The key is understanding that New Jersey SOS UCC search results can display names differently than what's actually on the filed financing statement. What matters for perfection purposes is that the debtor name on your UCC-1 matches the legal name of the entity at the time of filing. Pull the actual UCC-1 document and compare it to the debtor's formation documents from that time period.
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Mateo Hernandez
•That makes sense. So if the UCC-1 shows the name correctly but the search is just displaying it differently, I should be okay?
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Mei Lin
•Exactly. The search function is just a tool - what matters legally is what's on the actual financing statement. But definitely get your legal team to review to be certain.
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Liam Fitzgerald
Have you considered that the debtor might have filed an amendment to their business name after your UCC-1 was filed? That could explain why the search is showing a different format. Check the business entity records to see if there were any changes to the legal name structure in the past 18 months.
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Mateo Hernandez
•That's a good point. I hadn't thought about checking for entity amendments. How would I search for those?
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Liam Fitzgerald
•You can search the New Jersey Division of Revenue business entity database. Look for any certificate amendments or name changes filed after your UCC-1 date.
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GalacticGuru
•This is getting complicated. I recently started using a service that checks all this stuff automatically. You upload your documents and it flags any inconsistencies across UCC filings, business registrations, etc. It's called Certana.ai and it would catch exactly this type of name variation issue.
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Amara Nnamani
The comma issue is probably not going to invalidate your filing, but I understand the concern. New Jersey has pretty specific rules about debtor names, but they're generally reasonable about minor punctuation variations. What you need to focus on is whether the name on your UCC-1 would be found by a reasonable searcher looking for the debtor.
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Giovanni Mancini
•What's the standard for 'reasonable searcher'? Is that defined anywhere?
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Amara Nnamani
•It's based on UCC case law. Basically, would someone searching for the debtor using standard search logic find your filing? Minor punctuation usually doesn't break that standard.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
Just want to add my experience - I had a similar situation where the UCC search showed one format but the actual filing showed another. Turns out the issue was that I was looking at an old continuation statement instead of the current one. Make sure you're looking at the most recent filing and that it hasn't lapsed.
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Mateo Hernandez
•How do you tell which is the most recent? The filing number should show the chronology, right?
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Yes, but also check the filing dates. Sometimes amendments or continuations can create multiple entries that look similar.
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Dylan Cooper
Before you do anything drastic, I'd recommend getting a comprehensive UCC search report from a professional service. They'll show you exactly what's on file and how it might appear to different searchers. This will give you definitive answers about whether your perfection is at risk.
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Mateo Hernandez
•Any recommendations for professional search services? I want to make sure I'm getting accurate information.
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Dylan Cooper
•Most title companies offer UCC search services, or you can go through a specialized UCC search firm. They'll give you more detailed results than the basic SOS search.
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Sofia Morales
•I've actually been using Certana.ai for document verification lately. You can upload your UCC-1 and business formation docs, and it automatically checks for name consistency issues. Way faster than manual verification and catches things you might miss.
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StarSailor
Don't overthink this. If your UCC-1 was filed with the correct legal name of the debtor as it existed at filing time, you're probably fine. The search display issue is likely just a system quirk. Focus on the actual documents, not the search interface.
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Mateo Hernandez
•Thanks, that's reassuring. I think I was getting too caught up in the search results instead of focusing on the actual filing.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Yeah, I see people panic about this stuff all the time. The search is just a tool - what matters is the legal documents.
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