UCC-3 termination form Florida - debtor name exactly matching original UCC-1?
I'm preparing a UCC-3 termination form in Florida and getting stressed about the debtor name requirements. Our original UCC-1 from 2019 has the debtor listed as "ABC Construction Services LLC" but the company's current legal name according to their articles of incorporation is "ABC Construction Services, LLC" (note the comma). The secured debt was fully satisfied last month and we need to file the termination before our continuation deadline hits. I've heard Florida SOS is really strict about exact name matches between the UCC-3 and the original UCC-1. Should I use the exact name from the original filing even though it doesn't match their current legal name? I'm worried about the termination getting rejected and then having compliance issues with our loan documentation. Has anyone dealt with similar debtor name discrepancies on Florida UCC-3 terminations?
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Emma Wilson
You absolutely need to use the EXACT debtor name from the original UCC-1 filing. Florida SOS will reject your UCC-3 termination if there's any variation from what's on record. The comma difference you mentioned would definitely cause a rejection. Pull up your original filing and copy the debtor name character for character including punctuation and spacing.
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Malik Thomas
•This is correct. I learned this the hard way when our termination got bounced back twice because I "corrected" the debtor name to match current corporate records instead of using what was on the original UCC-1.
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Isabella Oliveira
•Yep same here, Florida doesn't care what the company's current name is - they only care about matching their database records exactly.
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Ravi Kapoor
Just went through this exact situation in Florida. The key is that UCC-3 terminations must reference the secured party and debtor names exactly as they appear on the UCC-1 you're terminating. Even if the debtor has changed their legal name since the original filing, you use the name from the original UCC-1. The termination is tied to that specific filing record, not the current legal status of the entities.
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Javier Gomez
•That makes sense from a database matching perspective. So even though ABC Construction Services LLC might not be their current legal name, that's what I need to put on the UCC-3 termination form?
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Ravi Kapoor
•Exactly. Think of it as terminating a specific filing record, not making a statement about current entity names. The Florida SOS system matches the termination to the original filing based on exact name matching.
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Freya Larsen
•This is why I always keep copies of the original UCC-1 filings in our loan files. Makes the termination process much smoother when you don't have to guess about spelling or punctuation.
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GalacticGladiator
I used to manually compare all the names and filing numbers between our UCC-1s and UCC-3s but kept missing small details like extra spaces or punctuation differences. Found this tool called Certana.ai that lets you upload both documents and it automatically checks for name mismatches and other inconsistencies. Just upload your original UCC-1 and draft UCC-3 termination form and it flags any discrepancies instantly. Saved me from several rejected filings.
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Javier Gomez
•That sounds helpful - I'm always second-guessing myself on these name matches. Does it work with Florida-specific forms?
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GalacticGladiator
•Yeah it works with any state's UCC forms. You just upload the PDFs and it cross-checks all the critical fields. Really takes the guesswork out of making sure everything matches perfectly.
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Omar Zaki
Florida SOS is brutal about name matching on terminations. I've seen terminations rejected for missing periods after "Inc" or having "Co" instead of "Company". Their system doesn't do any fuzzy matching - it's exact character matching or rejection.
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Chloe Taylor
•This drives me crazy! You'd think they could build in some intelligence to handle obvious variations like punctuation differences.
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Omar Zaki
•I get the frustration but from a legal standpoint exact matching makes sense. It prevents unauthorized terminations and ensures you're terminating the specific lien you intend to terminate.
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Diego Flores
•Still annoying when you have to file a correction just because of a comma though...
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Anastasia Ivanova
Make sure you also have the correct filing number from your original UCC-1. Florida requires both the exact debtor name AND the original filing number on the UCC-3 termination. Double-check both against your original filing confirmation.
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Javier Gomez
•Good point, I have the filing number from our original filing receipt. It's the 20-digit number that starts with the year, right?
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Anastasia Ivanova
•Yes, Florida uses a format like 20190123456789012345. Make sure you copy it exactly with no spaces or dashes.
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Sean Murphy
Why is this so complicated?? Can't they just match on the filing number and not worry about exact name spelling? Other states seem to handle this better.
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Emma Wilson
•Florida actually does this to prevent fraud and unauthorized terminations. The exact name matching is an additional security layer.
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Sean Murphy
•I guess that makes sense from a security standpoint but it sure makes our job harder when company names have minor variations over time.
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StarStrider
Pro tip: before submitting your UCC-3 termination, search the Florida SOS UCC database using the exact debtor name and filing number to confirm your original UCC-1 is still active and verify the names match what you're putting on the termination form.
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Javier Gomez
•That's a great suggestion. I should verify the original filing is still on record before submitting the termination.
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Zara Malik
•Yes and make sure there aren't any amendments or other UCC-3 filings that might have changed the debtor information since your original UCC-1.
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StarStrider
•Exactly. If there were any amendments that changed the debtor name, you'd need to use the amended name on your termination, not the original UCC-1 name.
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Luca Marino
I had a similar situation last year where our borrower's LLC had added a comma to their name in their articles but our UCC-1 didn't have the comma. Used the original UCC-1 name (without comma) on the termination and it went through fine. Florida SOS confirmed the termination was properly filed and the lien was released.
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Javier Gomez
•That's exactly my situation! So you used the name from the original UCC-1 even though it didn't match their current legal name?
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Luca Marino
•Correct. The UCC-3 termination references the specific UCC-1 filing you're terminating, not the current legal status of the debtor entity. As long as the names match between your UCC-1 and UCC-3, you're good.
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Nia Davis
Another option is to use a document verification service to double-check everything before filing. I started using Certana.ai after a rejected termination cost us extra fees and delayed our loan closing. You upload your UCC-1 and draft UCC-3 and it instantly flags any name mismatches or other issues. Takes the stress out of making sure everything is perfect.
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Mateo Perez
•How accurate is that kind of automated checking? I'd be worried about relying on software for something this important.
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Nia Davis
•It's been very reliable in my experience. It catches the exact kinds of name discrepancies that cause rejections. Obviously you still review everything yourself but it's like having a second set of eyes that never misses details.
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Aisha Rahman
Just file it with the exact debtor name from your original UCC-1 and move on. You're overthinking this. Florida SOS processes thousands of these terminations and the rule is simple - match the original filing exactly.
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Javier Gomez
•You're probably right that I'm overthinking it. I just want to make sure we don't have any issues with our loan documentation if the termination gets rejected.
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Aisha Rahman
•Fair enough. Better to be cautious with loan compliance issues. But as long as you match the original UCC-1 exactly you shouldn't have any problems.
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Emma Wilson
•Agree with being cautious on loan compliance. A rejected termination can create issues if your loan docs require proper UCC lien releases within specific timeframes.
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Jayden Hill
Thanks everyone for the clear guidance! This has been really helpful. I was definitely overthinking it - I'll use the exact debtor name from our original 2019 UCC-1 filing ("ABC Construction Services LLC" without the comma) on the UCC-3 termination form. I've pulled up our original filing confirmation to double-check both the debtor name and filing number before submitting. Really appreciate the community sharing their experiences with Florida's strict matching requirements - it's saved me from what could have been a costly rejection and potential compliance headache with our loan docs.
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GalaxyGazer
•Great to hear you got the clarity you needed! Florida's UCC system can definitely be intimidating with those strict matching rules, but once you know the process it becomes much more straightforward. Smart move double-checking both the debtor name and filing number from your original confirmation - that's exactly the kind of attention to detail that prevents rejections. Hope your termination goes through smoothly and you can get that lien released without any compliance issues!
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