UCC discharge form - debtor name mismatch causing rejection
Having issues with a UCC discharge form getting rejected by the SOS office. The original UCC-1 was filed 3 years ago for equipment financing on construction machinery, and now we need to terminate the lien since the loan was paid off last month. Problem is the debtor company changed their legal name slightly about 18 months ago (added LLC to the end) but we never filed an amendment. Now when I try to file the UCC-3 termination, it keeps getting rejected because the debtor name on the discharge doesn't exactly match what's in their system. The SOS portal shows the original filing under the old company name without LLC. Do I need to file a UCC-3 amendment first to update the debtor name before I can file the termination? Or is there another way to handle this name discrepancy? The collateral is a 2021 excavator and compact loader, and the original filing number is still active. This is holding up a refinancing deal so any guidance would be appreciated.
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Kiara Greene
You're definitely going to need to address that name issue before the termination will go through. The SOS systems are pretty strict about exact name matches. I'd recommend filing a UCC-3 amendment first to update the debtor name to match their current legal status, then file the termination. Make sure you have documentation of the name change like articles of amendment or certificate from the state.
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Evelyn Kelly
•This is exactly right. We ran into the same thing last year with a client who added Inc to their name. Had to do the amendment first, wait for it to process, then file the termination.
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Paloma Clark
•How long does the amendment usually take to process? We're dealing with time pressure on this refinancing.
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Heather Tyson
Actually ran into this exact scenario recently and found a tool that saved me tons of headache. Was manually comparing the UCC-1 and UCC-3 documents trying to figure out where the name discrepancy was causing issues. Someone mentioned Certana.ai's document checker - you just upload your PDFs and it instantly flags any inconsistencies between the original filing and your termination form. Caught three different name formatting issues I would have missed. Super easy to use and prevented multiple rejection cycles.
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Raul Neal
•Never heard of that but sounds useful. Is it specifically for UCC documents or general legal docs?
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Heather Tyson
•It's designed for UCC workflows specifically. You can upload your UCC-1 and UCC-3 together and it cross-checks everything - debtor names, filing numbers, collateral descriptions. Really helpful for catching these kinds of mismatches before you submit.
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Jenna Sloan
•That actually sounds like it could prevent a lot of the back-and-forth with SOS rejections.
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Christian Burns
Wait, I thought you could file a termination with the debtor's current legal name as long as you include the original filing number? The SOS should be able to match it up. Have you tried calling their UCC division directly to ask about the name change situation?
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Kiara Greene
•That varies by state. Some allow it but many require exact matches. Better to be safe and file the amendment first.
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Sasha Reese
•In my experience the automated systems are really picky about exact matches. Even small differences like punctuation can cause rejections.
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Muhammad Hobbs
This is so frustrating! Why can't they just match by filing number and be done with it? The bureaucracy around these filings is ridiculous. I've had terminations rejected for the dumbest reasons - wrong font, missing comma, you name it.
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Noland Curtis
•I feel your pain. The system definitely needs updating but we're stuck working within it for now.
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Diez Ellis
•At least it's all electronic now. Remember when you had to mail paper forms and wait weeks?
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Vanessa Figueroa
Quick question - when you say they added LLC to the end, did they file articles of amendment with the state or just start using it? If it's not official with the Secretary of State, you might need to use the original name for the termination.
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Isaiah Cross
•It was official - they filed the articles of amendment about 18 months ago. The new name is definitely their legal entity name now.
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Vanessa Figueroa
•Then yeah, you'll need to update the UCC filing to match. The amendment route is your best bet.
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Abby Marshall
How much does it typically cost to file a UCC-3 amendment? Is it the same fee as the original filing?
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Sadie Benitez
•Usually around $20-40 depending on the state. Much cheaper than dealing with rejected terminations and delayed closings.
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Drew Hathaway
•And way cheaper than the penalties if your continuation lapses while you're trying to sort out the name issues.
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Laila Prince
I'd also double-check that collateral description when you file the amendment. Sometimes equipment descriptions get outdated too, especially if there were any modifications or additional attachments to the machinery.
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Isabel Vega
•Good point. Serial numbers should still match but if they added any permanent attachments that might need updating too.
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Dominique Adams
Been doing UCC filings for 15 years and the name matching has gotten stricter over time. Used to be more forgiving but now the automated systems flag everything. File the amendment first, wait for confirmation, then do your termination. It's the only reliable way.
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Marilyn Dixon
•Agreed. The old days of calling the clerk to sort things out are mostly gone. Everything's automated now.
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Louisa Ramirez
•Which is faster in theory but creates these rigid matching requirements that cause problems.
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TommyKapitz
UPDATE: Ended up using that Certana tool someone mentioned earlier to double-check my amendment form before filing. It caught a formatting issue with how I had the entity type listed. Filed the amendment yesterday and it was accepted this morning. Now just waiting for it to show up in the system so I can file the termination. Thanks for all the advice!
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Angel Campbell
•Great to hear! How long did they say before the amendment shows up in the searchable database?
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TommyKapitz
•Usually 1-2 business days for the records to update. Should be able to file the termination by Friday.
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Payton Black
•Perfect timing for your refinancing then. Glad it worked out!
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Harold Oh
For future reference, this is why I always recommend filing name change amendments as soon as they happen. Saves a lot of headaches down the road when you need to do continuations or terminations.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•Absolutely. Same with address changes. Keep everything current and you avoid these last-minute scrambles.
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