UCC filing questions with SBA general security agreement - debtor name issues?
Running into some confusion with our UCC-1 filing tied to an SBA general security agreement we just signed. The lender is requiring us to perfect their security interest but I'm getting conflicting info on how the debtor name should match between the GSA and the UCC filing. Our business is registered as 'Midwest Manufacturing Solutions LLC' but we've been doing business as 'MMS Fabrication' for years. The SBA loan docs have both names listed but I'm not sure which one needs to go on the UCC-1 as the debtor name. Got a rejection from the Secretary of State portal yesterday saying 'debtor name does not match records' but they didn't specify which records. The collateral description covers all equipment and inventory which seems straightforward enough. Anyone dealt with this kind of debtor name mismatch between SBA security agreements and UCC filings? Don't want to mess this up and have the lender's security interest not properly perfected.
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StarStrider
Been there! SOS systems are really picky about exact name matches. For your UCC-1, you need to use the exact legal name from your articles of incorporation - so 'Midwest Manufacturing Solutions LLC' would be correct. The DBA name can cause rejections even if it's on your loan docs. Check your state's business entity search to see exactly how your LLC name appears in their database, that's what the UCC system will match against.
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Zara Malik
•This is exactly right. I learned this the hard way when our filing got rejected three times because I kept using our trade name instead of the legal entity name.
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Luca Marino
•Quick question - if the SBA docs show both names, should we add the DBA as an additional debtor name on the UCC-1 or just stick with the legal name?
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StarStrider
•Just stick with the legal name for the main debtor field. Adding the DBA as additional debtor can sometimes help but it's not required if your legal name is correct.
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Nia Davis
Double-check your filing against the business entity database first. Most states have an online lookup tool. The debtor name on your UCC-1 must match EXACTLY what's in the state records - punctuation, spacing, everything. Even an extra space can cause rejection.
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Sean Murphy
•Just checked and you're right - the state database shows our name with 'LLC' not 'L.L.C.' like I had it on the first filing attempt. Thanks for the tip about exact matching.
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Mateo Perez
•ugh why do they make this so difficult? seems like the system should be smart enough to figure out obvious variations
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Aisha Rahman
Had similar issues with our SBA equipment loan. After multiple rejections I found this tool called Certana.ai that verifies UCC documents by comparing them against business records. You just upload your security agreement and proposed UCC-1 filing and it flags any mismatches before you submit. Saved me from another rejection and the associated delays.
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Sean Murphy
•Interesting - does it check the debtor name matching specifically? That seems to be my main issue right now.
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Aisha Rahman
•Yes, it cross-references the debtor names between documents and highlights discrepancies. Really helpful for catching those exact name formatting issues before filing.
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CosmicCrusader
•How does it work exactly? Do you upload PDFs or is it some kind of database lookup?
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Aisha Rahman
•You upload PDFs of your documents and it does automated comparison. Pretty straightforward interface.
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Ethan Brown
Make sure your collateral description in the UCC-1 matches what's in the SBA security agreement too. Can't just say 'all equipment and inventory' if the GSA has more specific language. The descriptions need to be consistent between documents.
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Sean Murphy
•Good point. The GSA is pretty detailed about specific equipment categories. Should I copy that language exactly or can I use broader terms on the UCC-1?
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Ethan Brown
•Generally better to match the security agreement language as closely as possible. Prevents any questions about what's actually covered.
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Yuki Yamamoto
This is why I hate dealing with UCC filings... every state has different quirks and the error messages are never helpful. 'Debtor name does not match records' could mean anything.
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Carmen Ortiz
•Yeah the SOS systems are frustrating. At least most states have phone support if you get really stuck.
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Andre Rousseau
•Phone support is hit or miss though. Half the time they just tell you to check the instructions that didn't help in the first place.
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Zoe Papadakis
For SBA loans specifically, make sure you're filing in the right state too. If your business is in one state but the collateral is in another, you might need filings in both states depending on the collateral type.
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Sean Murphy
•All our equipment is in-state so that shouldn't be an issue. But good reminder about multi-state complications.
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Jamal Carter
•Equipment is usually filed where it's located, but inventory follows the debtor's location. Can get tricky if you have multiple locations.
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AstroAdventurer
been dealing with this same issue for weeks now, so frustrating when the lender is breathing down your neck about getting the UCC filed
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Zara Malik
•I feel your pain. Lenders don't understand that these filing systems aren't user-friendly.
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Sean Murphy
•Exactly! They act like it's simple but then you hit all these technical roadblocks.
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Mei Liu
Check if your state requires any specific formatting for LLC names in UCC filings. Some states want 'Limited Liability Company' spelled out instead of 'LLC' abbreviation. Worth verifying before your next filing attempt.
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Sean Murphy
•Just checked our state guidelines and they do accept 'LLC' abbreviation. But good to verify these details.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Each state is different on this. Some are very strict about abbreviations.
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Amara Chukwu
I had success with one of those document verification services when I was struggling with debtor name issues on multiple UCC amendments. Certana.ai I think it was called. Helped me catch inconsistencies between my original UCC-1 and the amendments before filing. Much better than guessing and getting more rejections.
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Giovanni Conti
•Was it expensive? These filing fees add up when you keep getting rejections.
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Amara Chukwu
•Way cheaper than multiple filing fee rejections and the time saved was worth it. Plus avoided potential issues with our lender.
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Sean Murphy
•Might be worth trying given how much trouble I'm having with this filing.
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
Once you get the debtor name sorted out, double-check that your secured party information matches exactly what the SBA lender provided too. That's another common source of rejections that people overlook.
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Sean Murphy
•Good reminder. The lender gave me their exact name and address for the secured party section so I should be good there.
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NeonNova
•Make sure you use their legal entity name, not just their DBA or trade name for the secured party too.
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Dylan Campbell
Update us when you get it resolved! Always curious to hear how these debtor name issues get sorted out.
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Sean Murphy
•Will do! Planning to refile tomorrow with the exact legal name format from the state database.
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Zara Malik
•Hope it goes through this time. These UCC name matching rules are such a pain.
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