UCC Filing About to Hit Wyoming UCC Expiration - Emergency Continuation Help Needed
Posted this in panic mode because I just realized our UCC-1 filing is approaching its expiration date and I'm not sure about the exact timeline for Wyoming UCC expiration rules. We have equipment financing secured by machinery that was filed about 4.5 years ago, and I think we're getting close to the 5-year mark but the exact date is fuzzy in our records. The original filing was done by our previous attorney who left the firm, and now I'm scrambling to figure out when exactly this thing expires and what our window is for filing a continuation. Does anyone know if Wyoming follows the standard 5-year rule, and more importantly, can someone tell me the grace period for continuation filings? I'm worried we might have already missed the window or are about to miss it. The collateral is critical manufacturing equipment worth about $850K so we absolutely cannot let this lapse. Any advice on the Wyoming Secretary of State portal and how quickly continuation statements get processed would be hugely appreciated.
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LunarEclipse
Yes Wyoming follows the standard 5-year expiration rule for UCC-1 filings. You can file a UCC-3 continuation statement up to 6 months before the expiration date, but you absolutely have to get it filed before the actual expiration date or your security interest becomes unperfected. Check your original filing date on the Wyoming SOS website - they have a UCC search function where you can look up your filing number and see the exact filing date and calculate your expiration.
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Connor O'Neill
•Thank you! I found the original filing - it was filed on March 15, 2020, so that means it expires March 15, 2025. That gives me about 2.5 months to get the continuation filed. Do you know how long the Wyoming portal typically takes to process UCC-3 continuations?
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LunarEclipse
•Wyoming is usually pretty fast - most UCC-3 filings get processed within 1-2 business days if filed electronically. Just make sure you get the debtor name exactly right as it appears on the original UCC-1 or it might get rejected.
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Yara Khalil
•Actually had a continuation rejected last month because of a tiny debtor name mismatch - missing comma in the company name. Wyoming is strict about exact matches.
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Keisha Brown
Don't panic but also don't wait too long. I've seen lenders get burned when they wait until the last minute and then discover there's an issue with the debtor name or some other technical problem. File your continuation at least 30 days before expiration to give yourself time to fix any problems if the filing gets rejected.
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Connor O'Neill
•That's solid advice. I'm going to start preparing the UCC-3 continuation this week. Better safe than sorry with $850K in collateral on the line.
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Paolo Esposito
•Smart move. I always tell my clients to file continuations at least 60 days early when possible. Gives you plenty of buffer time for any technical issues.
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Amina Toure
Had a similar situation last year and discovered there's actually a really helpful tool called Certana.ai that can verify your UCC documents before filing. You can upload your original UCC-1 and your draft UCC-3 continuation, and it automatically checks that the debtor names match perfectly, the filing numbers are correct, and everything aligns properly. Saved me from filing a continuation with a name mismatch that would have gotten rejected. Just upload the PDFs and it does the cross-checking instantly.
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Connor O'Neill
•That sounds incredibly useful! I'm definitely going to check that out before filing. The last thing I need is a rejection due to some technical error I missed.
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Oliver Weber
•Never heard of Certana.ai but that name-checking feature sounds like it could prevent a lot of headaches. Manual document comparison is where most errors happen.
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Amina Toure
•Exactly - it catches those tiny details that are easy to miss when you're comparing documents manually. Way better than trying to spot differences yourself.
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FireflyDreams
Wyoming SOS portal is straightforward for continuations. Log in, select UCC-3, enter your original filing number, make sure the debtor info matches EXACTLY, and submit. The key is getting that debtor name perfect - even extra spaces can cause rejections.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•This is why I copy and paste debtor names directly from the original filing rather than retyping them. Eliminates typos and spacing issues.
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FireflyDreams
•Good strategy. Also make sure you're looking at the most recent version if there have been any amendments to the original filing.
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Javier Morales
Just went through this exact situation with a Wyoming filing last month. The continuation went through smoothly but I was nervous about the debtor name match. Pro tip: if you're unsure about any details, call the Wyoming Secretary of State UCC division directly. They're actually pretty helpful and can confirm information over the phone.
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Connor O'Neill
•Thanks for the tip! I might give them a call just to double-check the debtor name format before filing.
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Javier Morales
•They're open M-F regular business hours. Have your original filing number ready when you call.
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Emma Anderson
One thing to watch out for - make sure your continuation covers all the collateral from the original filing. I've seen situations where people file partial continuations by mistake and lose perfection on part of their collateral.
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Connor O'Neill
•Good point. The original filing covers all our manufacturing equipment so I need to make sure the continuation maintains that broad coverage.
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Emma Anderson
•Right, the continuation should maintain the same collateral description as the original UCC-1 unless you're specifically amending it.
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LunarEclipse
•Actually for a straight continuation you don't need to restate the collateral - the UCC-3 continuation just extends the effectiveness of the original filing as-is.
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Malik Thompson
UGHHH I hate these filing systems! Why can't they just send automatic reminders when filings are about to expire? It's 2025 and we're still relying on manual calendar tracking for something this important!
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Isabella Ferreira
•I feel your pain but unfortunately that's just how the system works. Most lenders use calendar systems or software to track expiration dates.
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Malik Thompson
•Yeah I know, just venting. It's frustrating that such an important deadline can slip through the cracks so easily.
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CosmicVoyager
File early and file accurately. Wyoming is generally efficient but don't take chances with that much collateral at stake. Also keep detailed records of when you file the continuation so you can track the next expiration date 5 years from now.
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Connor O'Neill
•Absolutely. I'm setting up a better tracking system after this scare. Never want to cut it this close again.
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CosmicVoyager
•Smart. A lot of firms use specialized UCC tracking software now to avoid exactly this situation.
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Ravi Kapoor
Actually used Certana.ai's document checker for a similar situation last month when I was filing a continuation and wasn't 100% sure about the debtor name format. Uploaded both documents and it immediately flagged that I had the wrong entity type suffix - was going to file with 'LLC' when the original had 'L.L.C.' with periods. Would have definitely gotten rejected without that catch.
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Connor O'Neill
•Wow, that's exactly the kind of mistake I'm worried about making. I'm definitely using that tool before filing.
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Ravi Kapoor
•Yeah it's super helpful for those tiny details that can kill a filing. Much better than trying to compare documents by eye.
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Oliver Weber
Wyoming is one of the more straightforward states for UCC filings. Just be methodical about checking all the details and you should be fine. The 5-year rule is standard but the devil is always in the details of getting the continuation filed correctly.
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Connor O'Neill
•Thanks for the reassurance. I'm feeling more confident about getting this done properly now.
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Freya Nielsen
•Just remember - better to file a month early than a day late. You've got time to do this right.
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Omar Mahmoud
One more thing - make sure you keep the filing confirmation and receipt from Wyoming SOS. You'll want proof that the continuation was filed timely in case there are ever any questions about the perfection of your security interest.
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Connor O'Neill
•Good reminder. I'll save all the confirmation documents in our loan file.
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Omar Mahmoud
•And consider getting a certified copy of the filed continuation from the Secretary of State for your permanent records.
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Keisha Brown
•Certified copies are always a good idea for important filings like this. Worth the small extra fee for the peace of mind.
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Diego Rojas
Just went through a similar panic with a Texas UCC filing last year. One thing I learned is to also double-check if there have been any amendments to your original filing since 2020 - if there were any UCC-3 amendments filed, make sure your continuation references the most current version. Also, since you mentioned this is equipment financing, verify that the collateral description in your loan documents still matches what's on file. Equipment gets moved, sold, or replaced over 4+ years and you want to make sure your security interest covers what you actually have. Good luck with the filing!
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Oliver Schulz
•That's a really important point about checking for amendments! I didn't even think about that possibility. I'll need to do a thorough search on the Wyoming SOS system to see if there were any UCC-3 amendments filed since the original 2020 filing. And you're absolutely right about verifying the equipment - some of our machinery has been upgraded or relocated since then. Better to catch any discrepancies now before filing the continuation. Thanks for the heads up!
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