UCC-1 Washington State Filing - Debtor Name Formatting Requirements
I'm dealing with a commercial loan situation where we need to file a UCC-1 in Washington state and I'm getting conflicting information about debtor name requirements. The borrower is an LLC that was formed in Delaware but operates primarily in Washington. Their official registered name includes punctuation and abbreviations that I'm not sure how to handle on the UCC-1 form. The Secretary of State's portal seems to have specific formatting rules but the guidance isn't crystal clear. Has anyone dealt with multi-state LLC name formatting for Washington UCC-1 filings? I want to avoid rejection and having to refile since we're working against a tight deadline for loan closing. The collateral includes equipment and inventory so perfection timing is critical.
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Oscar O'Neil
Washington state can be tricky with LLC names on UCC-1 filings. The key is matching exactly what's on the LLC's Articles of Organization, not what they use for business purposes. If it's a Delaware LLC, you need the exact name from their Delaware formation documents. Punctuation matters - commas, periods, abbreviations like 'LLC' vs 'L.L.C.' all have to match perfectly.
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Sara Hellquiem
•This is exactly right. I learned this the hard way when our filing got rejected because we used 'Company' instead of 'Co.' in the debtor name. Washington's system is very strict about exact matches.
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Charlee Coleman
•Wait, so if the LLC uses a DBA in Washington that's different from their registered name, which one goes on the UCC-1? This is confusing me.
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Liv Park
You always use the exact legal name from the state of formation, not any DBA or trade names. For a Delaware LLC operating in Washington, go with the Delaware Secretary of State records. The UCC-1 debtor name has to match the entity's legal existence, not their business operations.
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Leeann Blackstein
•Can you get the Delaware records online or do you have to request them? I'm in a similar situation with a Nevada LLC.
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Oscar O'Neil
•Most states have online databases now. Delaware's Division of Corporations has a search function where you can verify the exact registered name and status.
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Ryder Greene
•I actually started using Certana.ai's document verification tool for this exact issue. You can upload the LLC formation documents and your draft UCC-1 and it instantly flags any name mismatches. Saved me from a rejection on a time-sensitive filing last month.
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Carmella Fromis
The Washington SOS portal is notorious for rejecting filings over minor name discrepancies. I've seen rejections for things like extra spaces or wrong capitalization. Make sure you're using the exact formatting from the entity's formation state. Also double-check that the LLC is in good standing - Washington sometimes rejects if the entity has compliance issues in their home state.
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Theodore Nelson
•How do you check if an out-of-state LLC is in good standing? Is that something Washington verifies automatically?
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Carmella Fromis
•Washington doesn't automatically verify, but if there are issues it can cause problems later. I always check the formation state's database to confirm active status before filing.
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AaliyahAli
•We had a UCC-1 that went through fine but then the borrower's LLC got administratively dissolved in their home state. Created a mess for the lender when they tried to enforce. Always worth checking.
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Ellie Simpson
For equipment and inventory as collateral, make sure your collateral description is broad enough but not too vague. Washington likes specific language about 'all equipment' and 'all inventory' rather than generic 'all assets' descriptions.
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Arjun Kurti
•What about after-acquired property clauses? Does Washington have any specific requirements for that language?
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Ellie Simpson
•Standard after-acquired language works fine. Just include 'now owned or hereafter acquired' in your collateral description. The key is being comprehensive without being overly broad.
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Raúl Mora
I'm dealing with something similar but my LLC has changed names since formation. Do I use the current name or the original formation name for the UCC-1 debtor field?
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Oscar O'Neil
•Always use the current legal name. If the LLC filed name change amendments, use whatever name is currently on record with their formation state. The UCC-1 needs to reflect the entity as it exists now.
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Margot Quinn
•But make sure you can prove the name change with official documentation. I've seen lenders get burned when they couldn't establish the connection between the old and new names.
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Evelyn Kim
•This is where document verification tools like Certana.ai really help. You can upload the original formation docs, the name change amendment, and your UCC-1 to verify everything connects properly. Much easier than trying to track down all the paperwork manually.
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Diego Fisher
Don't forget about the registered agent address vs principal place of business. Washington wants the debtor's actual business address, not just their registered agent. Make sure you're using the right address for the LLC.
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Henrietta Beasley
•Is this the address where they're actually operating or their official mailing address? Our borrower has operations in multiple states.
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Diego Fisher
•Use their principal place of business - where they actually conduct operations. If they're truly multi-state, use their headquarters or main office location.
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Lincoln Ramiro
Timeline-wise, Washington typically processes UCC-1 filings within 1-2 business days if everything is correct. But if you get a rejection, you're looking at another 2-3 days after you resubmit. Factor that into your loan closing schedule.
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Faith Kingston
•Can you expedite UCC-1 filings in Washington for urgent situations?
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Lincoln Ramiro
•Not really. Washington doesn't have expedited processing like some states. Your best bet is getting it right the first time to avoid delays from rejections.
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Emma Johnson
•This is why I always run documents through verification before submitting. The few minutes with Certana.ai's checker beats waiting days for a rejection notice. Especially when you're up against closing deadlines.
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Liam Brown
One more thing - if this is for SBA financing, make sure your UCC-1 meets their requirements too. Sometimes SBA has additional specifications beyond state requirements that can cause issues later.
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Olivia Garcia
•What kind of additional SBA requirements? I thought UCC-1 was just state-level compliance.
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Liam Brown
•SBA sometimes wants specific collateral descriptions or additional documentation attached to the UCC-1. Check your loan agreement and SBA guidelines if that's applicable to your situation.
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Noah Lee
Update: Got our UCC-1 accepted! The key was matching the Delaware formation documents exactly, including the specific abbreviation format. Thanks for all the guidance, especially about checking the formation state records first.
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Ava Hernandez
•Great news! How long did it take from submission to acceptance?
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Noah Lee
•About 36 hours. Filed Tuesday morning and got confirmation Wednesday evening. Right in line with the 1-2 business day estimate.
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Isabella Martin
•Congrats! Always feels good when a filing goes through smoothly, especially on time-sensitive deals.
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