UCC 1-388 rejection - debtor name format causing automated system errors

We pulled the Articles but the name looks straightforward - 'Johnson Manufacturing Solutions, LLC' - no weird punctuation or anything unusual that I can see.

That might be your problem right there. Some states are super strict about the comma before LLC. Try it without the comma or check if the state database shows it differently.

We're filing in Texas. The SOS website says they use exact name matching but doesn't give specific examples of common formatting issues.

Texas is notorious for this. Their system compares against the registered entity database character by character. I'd recommend doing a name search on the Texas SOS business entity database first to see exactly how they have it formatted.

Second this approach. Texas SOS database search will show you the exact format they expect. Copy and paste directly from there into your UCC 1-388 form.

Never heard of that service. Does it actually check against the state database or just compare your documents to each other?

It cross-checks your documents for consistency - so if your Articles show one format and your UCC form shows another, it'll catch that immediately. Really helpful for avoiding the back-and-forth rejection cycle.

I get the frustration but at least electronic filing is faster when it works. Paper filings took weeks to process.

Sure, when it works. But when you're dealing with tight closing deadlines like this, those formatting rejections can kill a deal.

The formatting requirements exist for good reason though. Prevents errors that could void the security interest later.

Good point. We did copy from a PDF initially. I'll try typing it fresh instead of copy/paste.

Yeah, PDF copy can be a nightmare for this. Also watch out for things like smart quotes vs regular quotes, or en-dashes vs hyphens.

The rejection specifically mentions 'debtor name does not match entity database records' so we're pretty sure that's the issue.

Okay, definitely a name matching problem then. Have you tried calling the SOS filing office? Sometimes they can tell you exactly what format they need.

Texas SOS customer service is actually pretty helpful for UCC questions. Worth a call if you're stuck.

We verified with the borrower that there haven't been any name changes since formation. Their certificate of good standing shows the same name we're using.

Certificate of good standing should have the exact current format. Try matching that exactly including any punctuation.

That's probably it! I bet the database has it without the comma. Will try that format next.

Good luck! The comma issue trips up a lot of filers. State databases don't always match the formation documents exactly.

This is exactly the kind of inconsistency that Certana.ai catches - when your source documents don't match the filing format you need.

Standard financing statement for equipment, not fixtures. The equipment is moveable manufacturing machinery.

Okay good, that eliminates fixture filing complications. Should just be the standard name matching issue then.

We're definitely using the legal name from the Articles, not any DBA names. Thanks for the reminder though.

Perfect. Sounds like you've got all the basics covered. Hopefully the comma formatting fix does the trick.

Will do! Planning to try the no-comma version first thing tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed that's the issue.

I'm following this too. Name formatting issues are such a pain but good to know what works for Texas specifically.