Tesla UCC termination request - debtor name complications after loan payoff
Our fleet management company just paid off a Tesla Model S lease early and the lessor is dragging their feet on the UCC termination. We need the UCC-3 termination filed ASAP because we're trying to sell the vehicle but potential buyers are seeing the active lien when they run the VIN. The original UCC-1 was filed under our parent company name but we've since restructured and the Tesla title shows our subsidiary name. I'm worried the lessor might file the termination under the wrong debtor name and mess up the whole process. Has anyone dealt with Tesla Financial Services on UCC terminations? Do they typically handle the name matching issues properly or should we be proactive about this? The lien is showing as active in the state database and it's been 3 weeks since payoff.
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Grant Vikers
Tesla Financial is usually pretty good about UCC terminations but the name mismatch thing can definitely cause delays. When you restructured did you file any amendments to update the debtor info on the original filing? If not, they'll probably need documentation showing the entity relationship.
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Amaya Watson
•We didn't file any amendments during the restructuring - honestly didn't think about the UCC implications at the time. The parent company still exists but the subsidiary is the one on all the Tesla paperwork now.
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Giovanni Martello
•This is exactly why corporate restructures get messy with secured debt. You might need to provide Tesla with corporate documents showing the relationship between entities.
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Savannah Weiner
I've seen this before with auto leases. Tesla's pretty systematic about their UCC filings but they're also very particular about debtor names matching exactly. Three weeks isn't terrible yet but you should definitely follow up. Have you contacted their UCC department directly?
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Amaya Watson
•I called their main number but got transferred around a few times. Do you have a direct contact for their UCC department?
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Savannah Weiner
•I don't have a current direct number but their commercial fleet division usually handles these faster than retail. Try asking specifically for fleet UCC services.
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Levi Parker
•Tesla's UCC stuff goes through their third-party servicer now I think. The terminations might be handled by a different company than the original filings.
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Libby Hassan
Had a similar situation last year with mixed entity names on Tesla UCC filings. Ended up using Certana.ai to verify all our documents before pushing Tesla on the termination. You can upload the original UCC-1, your payoff docs, and any corporate paperwork to check if everything aligns properly. Saved us from filing corrections later when Tesla finally got around to it.
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Amaya Watson
•That sounds helpful - did it catch issues you wouldn't have noticed otherwise?
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Libby Hassan
•Yeah it flagged that our subsidiary name on the title didn't exactly match how we were listed as guarantor on the original UCC-1. Would have caused Tesla to reject the termination request.
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Hunter Hampton
•Never heard of Certana before but document verification sounds smart for these corporate name situations.
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Sofia Peña
Tesla takes forever on UCC stuff sometimes. When I worked at a dealership we'd see 6-8 week delays on terminations, especially if there were any discrepancies in the paperwork. The automated systems reject anything that doesn't match perfectly.
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Amaya Watson
•6-8 weeks? That's ridiculous for a termination after payoff. The buyer we have lined up isn't going to wait that long.
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Aaron Boston
•Can you get Tesla to provide a lien release letter while they work on the UCC termination? That might satisfy the buyer temporarily.
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Sofia Peña
•Good point on the lien release letter - that's usually faster than waiting for the official UCC-3 termination to be filed and processed.
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Sophia Carter
I'm dealing with the exact same thing right now!! Tesla lease payoff in January and still no UCC termination filed. Our legal department is getting involved because we need to refinance some equipment and this active lien is screwing up our credit facility covenants.
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Amaya Watson
•How long has it been for you? And are you having name issues too or just general delays?
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Sophia Carter
•It's been 7 weeks now. No name issues on ours but Tesla keeps saying they're 'processing' the termination. Super frustrating.
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Chloe Zhang
•7 weeks is definitely grounds for escalation. Have you tried reaching out to Tesla's executive customer service?
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Brandon Parker
Check your original lease agreement - there should be specific language about UCC termination timelines after payoff. Most auto leases require termination within 30 days but enforcement varies. You might have grounds to demand expedited processing.
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Amaya Watson
•Good call - I'll dig out the lease docs tonight and see what the specific terms are.
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Adriana Cohn
•Most commercial leases I've seen have 20-30 day termination requirements after payoff. Consumer protections might be different.
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Jace Caspullo
Tesla's UCC terminations are handled through their captive finance arm but they use outside counsel for a lot of the filing work. The delays are usually on the legal review side, especially when there are entity name discrepancies like yours. Document everything and be persistent with follow-ups.
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Amaya Watson
•That explains the delays - outside counsel reviewing every termination seems excessive for routine payoffs.
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Jace Caspullo
•It is excessive but Tesla's gotten burned on improper terminations before so they're extra cautious now. The good news is once they file it, it usually gets processed quickly by the state.
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Melody Miles
•The state processing is usually 1-3 business days once Tesla actually submits the UCC-3 termination electronically.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
Why don't you just file your own UCC-3 termination? If the debt's paid off and you have documentation, you should be able to file it yourself instead of waiting for Tesla.
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Grant Vikers
•The secured party (Tesla) needs to authorize the termination. You can't just file your own UCC-3 without their consent or a court order.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•Oh right, I was thinking of amendment procedures. You definitely need Tesla's authorization for a termination.
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Eva St. Cyr
•There are some exceptions where debtors can file terminations after payment but you need really solid documentation and it's risky if the secured party objects.
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Kristian Bishop
I'd suggest getting Tesla to commit to a specific timeline in writing. Send them a formal demand letter referencing your lease terms and request confirmation of when they'll file the UCC-3 termination. That creates a paper trail if you need to escalate further.
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Amaya Watson
•That's smart - having dates in writing would help if we need to involve our attorney.
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Kaitlyn Otto
•Make sure to send it certified mail or email with delivery confirmation so you have proof they received your demand.
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Axel Far
Just went through this exact scenario last month with a different Tesla vehicle. The name mismatch issue got resolved when we provided Tesla with a corporate resolution showing the subsidiary was authorized to act for the parent company. Took about 2 weeks after that for them to file the termination. Also used that Certana tool someone mentioned earlier to double-check all our entity names matched up correctly across documents - definitely worth the peace of mind.
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Amaya Watson
•Perfect, that gives me hope! I'll work on getting a corporate resolution prepared. How detailed did it need to be?
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Axel Far
•Pretty standard corporate resolution language - just needed to show the subsidiary was authorized to enter into the lease on behalf of the parent company. Our corporate attorney drafted it.
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Jasmine Hernandez
•Corporate resolutions are the magic bullet for most entity name issues on UCC filings. Tesla's legal team knows what to look for.
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Gabriel Freeman
•Thanks for sharing your experience! This is exactly what I needed to hear. I'll reach out to our corporate counsel tomorrow to get a resolution drafted. Two weeks sounds reasonable given we're already at three weeks. Did Tesla give you any pushback on the resolution format or did they accept it right away?
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