UCC § 9.506 debtor name requirements - rejected filing over middle initial

So you're saying it depends on how the SOS search system works? That makes sense but seems like a trap for lenders.

Exactly right about the search logic. Some states are more forgiving than others with name variations.

That's exactly what I'm afraid of. Did you have any issues with the gap in filing dates?

Luckily no other filings came in during those 3 days, but it was nerve-wracking. Always use the exact name from the official record now.

This is why I always pull the debtor's formation documents first. Better safe than sorry with name matching.

Interesting, never heard of that service. Does it work for individual debtors too or just entities?

Works for both. You can upload driver's licenses, formation docs, whatever the official record is. Pretty straightforward process.

Jr vs Junior seems like it should be obvious they're the same person. The system is too rigid.

The problem is automated search systems can't make those logical connections. They're looking for exact matches.

This is why I hate electronic filing sometimes. A human would know Jr and Junior are the same thing.

We're in Ohio. Their rejection notice was pretty terse, just cited the section number.

Ohio tends to be on the stricter side from what I've seen. Better to refile with the exact name rather than fight it.

Right, we used the name from the loan documents which matched what she told us, but apparently that wasn't the "official" source.

Loan docs are just what the borrower provided. Always go back to the government-issued ID or formation docs for the official name.

This is exactly why document verification tools exist. Catches these mismatches before they become rejections.

Seems like a lot of people are mentioning that service. Might be worth looking into for future filings.

Yeah it's become part of our standard workflow now. Catches stuff that's easy to overlook when you're doing high volume.

So basically we're stuck refiling with the exact driver's license name. At least now I know for next time.

That's the safest approach. The § 9.506 protection is narrow and unpredictable.

Better to be overly careful with debtor names than to risk an ineffective filing.

That's the plan. Just hoping no other lenders file against her equipment in the meantime.

You should be fine if you refile quickly. Most lenders aren't moving that fast on equipment financing.

Exactly! It seems like common sense that those names refer to the same person.

Common sense doesn't always align with UCC search logic unfortunately. The automated systems are pretty literal.

This is why I always tell people to think like a computer when preparing UCC names. Exact matches only.

Glad it worked out! Name verification upfront definitely saves time and stress later.

Smart move on the verification procedures. Those document checking tools really do help prevent these issues.

Good to hear you got it sorted quickly. These name rejections are always frustrating but at least the fix is straightforward.