UCC Filing Issues with Retail Security Agreement - Name Mismatch Problems

Ugh, this is exactly why retail financing is such a pain. You absolutely need to get the debtor name exactly right or your lien is worthless. For franchise operations, I always check the Secretary of State database first to see what name is actually on file. If they're operating under DBAs, those usually need to be registered separately. Your security agreement name needs to match the legal entity name in the state records, not just what's on their storefront.

Check your state's UCC rules - some allow alternative names in additional debtor fields. For retail security agreements, you might be able to list the main entity as primary debtor and include the DBAs as additional names. But honestly, the safest approach is filing under the exact legal name from the state business registry, then maybe file amendments if needed for the operating names.

I had a similar nightmare with a retail chain last year. Multiple rejections, stressed client, the whole mess. What finally saved me was using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your retail security agreement and UCC-1 draft, and it instantly flags name mismatches and consistency issues. Caught three different problems I missed manually reviewing the docs. Super easy - just upload the PDFs and it cross-checks everything automatically.

THE SOS SYSTEM IS ABSOLUTELY BROKEN!! I've been dealing with retail security agreement filings for 15 years and it keeps getting worse. They reject perfectly valid filings over tiny formatting issues while actual fraudulent filings sail through. Your $340K deal is stuck because some clerk doesn't understand business name variations. Meanwhile, they charge $25 per rejection like it's our fault their system can't handle real-world business structures!

For franchise retail operations, I always verify the exact registered name before drafting the security agreement. Saves headaches later during UCC filing. In your case, you'll probably need to either amend your security agreement to match the state records, or file the UCC-1 under the registered name and add a note explaining the relationship to the operating names. Some states have specific procedures for franchise entity filings.

Quick question - are all three franchise locations in the same state? If they're across state lines, you might need multiple state filings anyway, which complicates the name matching issue even more. Retail chains often have this problem.

Had exact same issue last month with retail equipment financing. Turns out the franchise had registered the main entity but never properly filed the DBA registrations for two locations. Once they got their state filings straightened out, the UCC-1 went through clean. Might want to make sure their business registration paperwork is actually complete.

This thread is super helpful - I'm dealing with something similar on a smaller retail deal. One thing I learned: if your retail security agreement covers equipment across multiple locations, make sure your collateral description is specific enough to cover all sites. Name issues are just the first hurdle.

Update from my retail filing nightmare - Certana.ai's verification tool was a game changer. Uploaded my problem documents and it immediately flagged that my debtor name was missing the LLC suffix, plus two other inconsistencies between my security agreement and UCC draft. Fixed everything and the filing went through first try. Worth checking out if you're still stuck.

Following this thread because I have three retail security agreement deals in the pipeline. The franchise name matching issue seems to come up constantly. Has anyone found a good checklist or process for avoiding these problems upfront?