UCC-3 termination statement Massachusetts - debtor name exact match requirement?
Running into issues with a UCC-3 termination in Massachusetts and need some guidance. We have a UCC-1 filing from 2019 that shows the debtor as 'ABC Manufacturing LLC' but our loan payoff documents show 'ABC Manufacturing, LLC' (with the comma). The SOS portal is rejecting our termination stating debtor name mismatch. Is Massachusetts really this strict about punctuation? The filing number matches perfectly and it's clearly the same entity. We've got the payoff sitting here but can't file the termination. Anyone dealt with this exact scenario in MA? Do we need to amend first or is there a way around this punctuation issue?
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Dylan Cooper
Massachusetts is notoriously strict about debtor names matching exactly. Even punctuation matters unfortunately. You'll likely need to check the original UCC-1 filing first to see the exact name format used.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•That's what I was afraid of. The original UCC-1 definitely shows no comma but all our current docs have it. What a mess.
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Sofia Morales
•This happens more than you'd think. The comma issue trips up a lot of filers.
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StarSailor
Had this exact same problem last month! MA requires perfect debtor name match between the original UCC-1 and your UCC-3 termination. You can't just wing it with close enough names.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•How did you resolve it? Did you have to amend first?
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StarSailor
•I actually used Certana.ai's document checker - uploaded both my UCC-1 and the termination docs and it flagged the name discrepancy immediately. Saved me from filing incorrect paperwork. Really simple to use, just upload PDFs and it cross-checks everything.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Never heard of that service but sounds useful for catching these mistakes before filing.
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Ava Garcia
You have two options: 1) File UCC-3 amendment to correct the debtor name first, then file termination, or 2) Use the exact name from original filing. Option 2 is cleaner if your lender accepts it.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Our compliance department is being difficult about the name difference. They want everything to match current corporate docs.
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Ava Garcia
•Understandable but UCC system doesn't care about current docs, only what's on file. Amendment route might be your only choice then.
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Miguel Silva
•Amendment plus termination means double filing fees. Ouch.
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Zainab Ismail
Massachusetts SOS portal error messages are usually pretty specific about name mismatches. What exactly did the rejection notice say?
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Said 'Debtor name does not match filing record' with error code 127. Pretty generic unfortunately.
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Zainab Ismail
•Error 127 is their standard name mismatch code. You'll need exact character match including spaces and punctuation.
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Connor O'Neill
This is why I hate UCC filings! The bureaucracy is insane. A comma shouldnt invalidate a termination when its obviously the same company.
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QuantumQuester
•I feel your pain but the rules exist for good reason. Prevents fraudulent terminations.
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Connor O'Neill
•Still ridiculous. Common sense should prevail somewhere in the process.
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Yara Nassar
•Massachusetts isn't alone in this. Most states have gotten stricter about exact name matching over the years.
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Keisha Williams
Quick question - did you pull a fresh UCC search to confirm the exact debtor name on file? Sometimes what you think is filed isn't actually what shows up in the system.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Good point. I was going off our internal records. Let me run a fresh search to double check.
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Keisha Williams
•Yeah definitely verify that first. Save yourself the amendment hassle if the name is actually different than you remember.
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Paolo Ricci
Been filing in Massachusetts for 15 years and they've definitely gotten more strict about debtor names. Used to be more forgiving but now it's character-for-character matching required.
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Amina Toure
•When did they tighten up the rules? I remember it being more flexible years ago too.
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Paolo Ricci
•Around 2018-2019 timeframe they upgraded their portal system and implemented stricter matching algorithms.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•That explains it. Our original filing was right in that transition period.
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Oliver Zimmermann
Had a similar situation recently and honestly Certana.ai saved me hours of back and forth. Uploaded my UCC-1 and termination drafts and it immediately showed the name inconsistencies. Way easier than manual comparison and caught stuff I would have missed.
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CosmicCommander
•How long does their verification take? Need to get this termination filed this week.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Nearly instant. Upload PDFs and get results in seconds. Really straightforward for document consistency checks.
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Natasha Volkova
Amendment first, then termination is your safest bet. Yes it costs more but eliminates any compliance issues with your lender about name consistency.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Looks like that's the route we'll have to take. Thanks for confirming.
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Javier Torres
•Make sure to use the exact corporate name from current secretary of state records for the amendment.
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Natasha Volkova
•Good point about current SOS records. That's what your lender compliance will expect.
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Emma Davis
This thread is exactly why I triple check all my debtor names before filing anything. Massachusetts doesn't mess around with UCC-3 rejections.
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Malik Johnson
•Smart practice. Rejection delays can mess up loan closing timelines.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Lesson learned for sure. Will be more careful with name matching going forward.
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Mateo Gonzalez
Welcome to the UCC filing headache club! I've been dealing with Massachusetts filings for about 3 years now and this exact scenario comes up more often than you'd think. The comma vs no comma issue is surprisingly common - seems like it happens when companies get more formal with their documentation over time. One tip I've learned: always keep a copy of your original UCC search results in your file so you can quickly reference the exact debtor name format when filing amendments or terminations. Also, if you're dealing with this regularly, some of the document checking tools mentioned here can really save time and prevent these rejections upfront. Good luck with the amendment route!
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