UCC filing fees by state - Need complete breakdown for multi-state portfolio

Delaware being $30 makes sense given how many corporations are incorporated there. The volume probably justifies the higher fee.

Wyoming at $10 is crazy cheap! Wish all states were that reasonable for small businesses.

Illinois being different doesn't surprise me at all. That state has the most complicated filing requirements I've encountered.

Thanks for the heads up on Florida's increase. We file there monthly and hadn't caught that change yet.

The outdated fee information problem is real. I've been burned by this when budgeting for clients.

How accurate is their fee information? I've been manually checking each state which is time consuming but I want to make sure I'm not missing updates.

Very accurate in my experience. They update it regularly and I haven't found any discrepancies when I spot-checked against official sources.

Does it handle the weird state-specific requirements too or just fees? Some states have additional charges for expedited processing.

This is super helpful! Can you share what you have for the remaining states? I'm particularly interested in the New England states.

Massachusetts fixture filing fees are ridiculously complicated. They charge based on the number of pages which makes no sense.

Nevada at $25 seems high for a state with relatively low business costs. Wonder what their justification is.

Good point about search fees. We always do searches first and those $10-15 charges per search really add up over hundreds of filings.

Amendment fees are usually the same as filing fees but termination fees are often lower, like $10-15 in most states.

That's smart advice about the buffer. We got caught off guard when Ohio raised their fees mid-year in 2024.

The trend makes sense given state budget pressures. Filing fees are easy revenue sources that don't face much political opposition.

Ohio's mid-year increase was frustrating because they gave like 30 days notice. Not enough time to adjust existing loan agreements.

I don't think any states offer bulk discounts for UCC filings. The fees are pretty standardized regardless of volume.

Some filing service companies offer volume discounts on their processing fees, but the state fees themselves don't change.

Expedited fees are painful but sometimes necessary. We try to avoid them by building better timelines into our closing process.

Rush fees vary wildly by state. Some charge double the regular fee, others have flat rush charges.

The worst is when you need expedited processing and the state system is down. Then you're stuck paying rush fees for regular timing.

The refiling fee aspect is huge. Nothing worse than paying twice because of a preventable error in the original filing.

How does the document verification work exactly? Do you upload PDFs of your UCC forms before filing?

Yes, you upload your UCC documents and it cross-checks everything - debtor names, collateral descriptions, filing numbers. Catches inconsistencies that could cause rejections.

15% buffer seems reasonable. We use 20% but we do a lot of complex deals that require more amendments than typical.

Smart approach. Clients much prefer pleasant surprises from lower costs than unexpected additional charges.

The amendment factor is important. Even with careful preparation, probably 10-15% of our filings need some kind of amendment within the first year.

Great questions! Processing times vary significantly by state. Most electronic systems process within 1-3 business days, but some states like Louisiana and Alabama can take up to a week. For paper filings (yes, a few states still require them for certain situations), allow 2-3 weeks. Delaware and most major commercial states are same-day or next-day electronic processing. I'd recommend building a 5-7 day buffer into your closing timeline for multi-state deals to account for the slowest jurisdictions. Some states also have different processing speeds for different filing types - amendments might be faster than initial filings in certain states.

Thanks for the heads up about Connecticut's fee increase! That's exactly the kind of surprise that can mess up quarterly budgets. The point about different fees for online vs paper filing methods is really important - I hadn't considered that some states might actually charge MORE for electronic filings. That seems backwards given the cost savings to the state. The agricultural equipment distinction is something I need to look into more since we're starting to finance farm equipment. Do you know off the top of your head which states have the most significant differences in how they handle farm products vs other collateral types?

The agricultural equipment differences are significant in several states. Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa have separate fee structures for farm products - Kansas charges $15 for regular UCC filings but $25 for farm products. Nebraska requires additional documentation for agricultural collateral which can add processing time and fees. The biggest headache is that some states require filings with both the Secretary of State AND local county offices for farm equipment, essentially doubling your filing costs. Texas is particularly complex for agricultural equipment - depending on the county, you might need separate filings with the county clerk in addition to the state filing. I'd strongly recommend checking with each state's agricultural department in addition to the Secretary of State's office when dealing with farm equipment financing.

Welcome to the UCC filing world! For your volume (20-30/month), automated tools are probably worth it - the cost of one rejected filing due to outdated info often exceeds monthly tool costs. Common rookie mistakes: 1) Not double-checking debtor name spellings against official records (biggest cause of rejections), 2) Missing continuation deadlines (some states won't accept late filings), 3) Not accounting for states that require both state AND local filings for certain collateral types, 4) Forgetting to budget for search fees before filing. The Commercial Finance Association has good resources for UCC requirements, and most Secretary of State offices have email alerts for fee changes if you sign up. Start with a simple spreadsheet tracking state, current fee, last update date, and next review date - update quarterly and you'll catch most changes before they bite you.

The Google Alerts tip is brilliant! That's such a simple solution that I never would have thought of. The rejection rate data is also really valuable - 5-8% seems like a lot but probably reflects the reality of dealing with multiple state systems and requirements. I'm curious about the premium processing options beyond expedited - are other states following California's lead with these ultra-fast processing tiers? Also, at what volume threshold do you think it makes sense to start establishing direct accounts with Secretary of State offices? We're not quite at 15-20 per state yet but growing quickly.

The Google Alerts strategy is genius - definitely implementing that immediately! Your 5-8% rejection rate aligns with what we're seeing, and you're right that budgeting for double fees on rejections is crucial. I'm particularly interested in the premium processing tiers. Are you seeing other states beyond California offer these ultra-fast options? We occasionally have deals where even 24-hour processing isn't fast enough. Also, regarding the Secretary of State accounts - do most states offer volume discounts or is it mainly about processing speed improvements? We're at about 12-15 filings per month in our top 3 states and wondering if we've hit the threshold where direct accounts make financial sense.