UCC-11 Search Results Showing Weird Florida Filing Numbers - Help?
Been doing UCC-11 searches in Florida and getting some strange results that don't match what I expected. Working on a portfolio acquisition where we need to verify existing liens on equipment collateral. The UCC-11 search came back with filing numbers that seem off - some have prefixes I've never seen before and dates that don't align with what the borrower told us. Is there something specific about Florida's UCC-11 system I'm missing? The search shows three different filings but only one matches our records. Really need to get this sorted before closing next week since our due diligence depends on having clean lien searches. Anyone dealt with Florida UCC-11 quirks recently?
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Ella Lewis
Florida's UCC search system can be tricky - they use different prefixes for different filing types and sometimes the dates shown are processing dates not filing dates. What specific prefixes are you seeing on those filing numbers?
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorSeeing prefixes like 'FL-2024-' and some with 'SUN-' - never encountered those before in other states.
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Ella Lewis
The SUN prefix is from their older system, might be legacy filings that got migrated. FL-2024 sounds normal for recent filings.
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Andrew Pinnock
Had similar issues with Florida UCC-11 searches last month. The state's database sometimes includes terminated filings in results even when you specify active only. Double-check the status column on each result.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorGood point - I'll re-run the search and pay closer attention to the status indicators.
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Brianna Schmidt
Yeah Florida's interface is confusing about this. Terminated filings still show up unless you really dig into the detailed view.
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Andrew Pinnock
Exactly, and sometimes continuation filings create duplicate-looking entries that aren't actually duplicates.
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Alexis Renard
This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai for UCC verification - you can upload your UCC-11 search results PDF and it automatically cross-checks everything against the original UCC-1 filings to spot inconsistencies. Saved me hours of manual comparison and caught discrepancies I would have missed.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorThat sounds useful - does it work with Florida's specific format?
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Alexis Renard
Yes, it handles all state formats. Just upload the search results and any related UCC documents - it flags mismatches in debtor names, filing numbers, and identifies which filings are actually active.
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Camila Jordan
I tried a similar tool but it couldn't parse Florida's PDF layout correctly.
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Tyler Lefleur
Portfolio acquisitions are the worst for UCC searches because you're dealing with multiple borrowers and collateral schedules. Are you searching by debtor name or collateral description? Sometimes Florida filings have slight name variations that don't show up in basic searches.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorSearching by debtor name mostly. The borrower gave us their legal entity names but maybe there are variations in how they were filed.
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Tyler Lefleur
Try wildcard searches if Florida allows them - sometimes LLC vs L.L.C. formatting differences cause misses.
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Madeline Blaze
Also check if any subsidiaries or DBA names were used in the original filings.
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Max Knight
Florida changed their UCC search system interface about 6 months ago and some of the old filing numbers got reformatted. If you're seeing inconsistencies, try searching by the original filing date range instead of just the debtor name.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorDidn't know about the system change - that could explain the weird prefixes I'm seeing.
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Max Knight
Yeah the migration wasn't perfect. Some filings show duplicate entries with both old and new numbering systems.
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Emma Swift
The new system is supposed to be better but honestly it's created more confusion for complex searches.
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Isabella Tucker
Whatever you do, make sure you're getting certified copies of the actual UCC-1 filings for your due diligence file. UCC-11 search results alone aren't enough for most lenders' compliance requirements.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorYes, planning to order certified copies once I figure out which filings are actually relevant to our collateral.
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Isabella Tucker
Smart approach. The certified copies will show you the exact collateral descriptions and help you determine if there's any overlap with your deal.
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Jayden Hill
Been doing Florida UCC work for 15 years and their search results have always been quirky. Pro tip: if you're seeing filings that don't make sense, check if they're fixture filings or federal tax liens - those sometimes get mixed into UCC search results.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorInteresting - how can I tell if a filing is a fixture filing vs regular UCC-1?
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Jayden Hill
Look for real estate descriptions in the collateral field, or filing numbers that start with different prefixes. Fixture filings usually have property addresses listed.
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LordCommander
Tax liens definitely show up sometimes - they have their own numbering system but get indexed with UCC searches.
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Lucy Lam
For portfolio deals I always run searches on both the parent company and any subsidiaries mentioned in the loan docs. Sometimes liens were filed against entities that aren't obvious from the main borrower name.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorGood point - this borrower has several related entities so I should expand my search scope.
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Lucy Lam
Yeah and check the original loan documents for any guarantor entities that might have UCC filings too.
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Aidan Hudson
Also search for any former names if the company has been through mergers or name changes.
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Zoe Wang
If you're still getting confusing results, try calling Florida's UCC office directly. They're actually pretty helpful with explaining their search results format and can clarify which filings are active vs terminated.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorThanks, might have to do that if I can't sort this out. Do they have a dedicated UCC help line?
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Zoe Wang
Yes, there's a UCC section within the Secretary of State's office. They can walk you through the search results over the phone.
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Connor Richards
I've found that running the same UCC-11 search multiple times in Florida sometimes gives slightly different results - their system seems to have some lag between updates. Try searching again tomorrow and see if you get consistent results.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorThat's concerning for due diligence purposes - how do you handle inconsistent search results in your deals?
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Connor Richards
I usually run searches twice a few days apart and document any differences. If there are discrepancies I order certified copies to get the definitive record.
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Grace Durand
I've noticed this too - seems like their database updates overnight sometimes.
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Steven Adams
This is why I always save PDF copies of search results with timestamps for my files.
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Alice Fleming
Update on my earlier Certana.ai suggestion - just used it again this week for a Florida deal and it caught a debtor name mismatch between the UCC-11 results and the actual UCC-1 filing that would have caused problems at closing. Really streamlined the verification process.
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Hunter Edmunds
AuthorThat's exactly the kind of issue I'm worried about missing. Going to try uploading my search results and see what it finds.
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Alice Fleming
Good idea - it's especially helpful when you're dealing with multiple filings and need to verify they all relate to your specific collateral.
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