UCC 11 search California - requesting certified copies from SOS office

Perfect, that's exactly what I needed to know. Do you remember roughly what the certified copy fee was? And can I upload a list of debtor names or do I need to submit each search individually?

I think it was around $20-25 per certified search but don't quote me on that. You'll need to submit each debtor name separately through their system - no bulk upload option that I'm aware of.

Good point about the exact name matching. Some of these are LLC names with various punctuation marks. Should I search multiple variations or is there a way to do wildcard searches?

California's system doesn't really do wildcards well. I usually search the exact name first, then try variations like with/without commas, periods, LLC vs L.L.C., that kind of thing. It's tedious but catches more filings.

This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai for UCC document verification. You can upload your loan files and it automatically cross-checks debtor names against filing records, catching those variations that manual searches miss. Saved me tons of time on similar audits.

You're absolutely right, I should have mentioned that. We did find some UCC-3 continuation statements in the files but they're scattered and some are hard to read. That's part of why we need the certified UCC-11 searches - to get the complete picture of what's actually still perfected.

This is such a common problem! Old loan files with missing or unclear continuation records. I've seen deals fall apart because nobody caught lapsed filings until the last minute.

That's smart - get the info we need right away and the paperwork follows. I'll start the regular searches this afternoon and submit the certified requests at the same time.

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Regular searches are instant and you can at least flag any problems immediately.

These are all business entities fortunately, but good reminder about searching by filing number too. Some of our UCC-1 copies have the filing numbers clearly listed.

Perfect, that makes it easier. Business entity names are more standardized than individual names for search purposes.

I learned this the hard way on a deal last year - was searching just by debtor name and missed a critical amendment because the filing number index showed something different. Always worth doing both searches.

Good to know they're responsive. I'll keep their number handy in case we run into problems. Do you happen to remember their direct UCC division number?

I don't have it memorized but it's on their website under the UCC section. They usually answer pretty quickly.

Great advice about getting the full documents for questionable filings. Better to have too much documentation than not enough for a deal this size.

Totally agree. I've seen termination statements that weren't properly indexed or had errors that only became obvious when you looked at the actual documents.

Interesting, haven't heard of that tool before. Does it work with California filings specifically or is it more general?

It works with all states including California. You just upload PDFs of your loan documents and UCC filings and it cross-checks everything automatically. Found several discrepancies in our last audit that we would have missed otherwise.

I've been hearing more about these automated verification tools. Probably worth checking out given how much manual work UCC audits involve.

These are mostly equipment and inventory loans so probably no fixture filings, but I'll double-check the collateral descriptions to be sure. Thanks for the reminder.

Good thinking. Equipment loans usually don't involve fixtures but some manufacturing equipment can be borderline depending on how it's installed.

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I feel much more confident about tackling this now. I'll update the thread once I get through the searches.

Good luck! These big UCC audits are always nerve-wracking but it sounds like you're approaching it the right way.

That's an excellent point about successor entities! I hadn't thought about mergers and acquisitions during that timeframe. Do you know if California has any specific procedures for tracking corporate name changes, or would I need to do separate searches for each variation? This is adding another layer of complexity but definitely better to catch it now than during closing.