UCC filings are good for how long before they expire?

Oh no, so 2019 filings would be expiring in 2024? That means some of ours already lapsed this year. This is exactly what I was afraid of.

Don't panic yet - check the exact filing dates. The 5-year period runs from the specific date of filing, not just the year. If you filed in December 2019, you'd have until December 2024.

So there's a 6-month window before expiration? That's helpful to know for the ones that haven't lapsed yet. But what happens if we already missed the deadline on some?

If you missed the deadline, the lien is no longer perfected. You'd need to file a new UCC-1 to perfect again, but your priority position would be from the new filing date, not the original one.

That priority loss could be a real problem if other creditors filed liens in the meantime. Definitely something to discuss with legal counsel.

That sounds like exactly what we need. How does it work with the continuation tracking?

You just upload your UCC documents and it automatically checks dates, debtor names, filing numbers - basically catches inconsistencies before they become problems. Really streamlined our renewal process.

These are mostly standalone manufacturing equipment, so probably not fixtures. But good point to keep in mind.

Manufacturing equipment can sometimes be considered fixtures if it's permanently attached to the building. Worth checking with someone who knows the specific equipment.

8 months seems like a good buffer. I'm definitely going to set up a better tracking system after this scare.

Yeah I was way too casual about it before. These deadlines don't mess around.

Smart approach. Better to be overly cautious with UCC continuation deadlines than to lose lien priority.

Our filings are spread across about 6 states, so I'll need to check each one. Thanks for the reminder.

Yeah some states have quirky online systems for continuations. California's system is different from Texas, for example.

That's really helpful to understand. So the continuation resets the clock for another full 5 years from the original expiration.

Exactly. It's not 5 years from when you file the continuation - it's 5 years from when the original filing was scheduled to expire.

Right, and you can keep filing continuations indefinitely as long as you stay within that 6-month window before each expiration.

9 months is an even better buffer. What kind of system do you use?

We use an internal loan management system that tracks UCC expiration dates, but smaller operations might need something simpler. Even a shared calendar with alerts would help.

Good point. Some of our borrowers may have changed business names or addresses since 2019.

If there are name changes, you might need to file amendments first, then continuations. It can get complicated.

This is another area where document verification tools like Certana.ai help - they can catch those name mismatches before you file and potentially waste fees on rejected continuations.

Good reminder. With multiple filings across states, those fees could add up.

Yeah some states charge like $40-50 per continuation. If you have a lot of filings it becomes a real budget item.

That's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks everyone for the advice - this has been really helpful in understanding what I need to do.

Good luck with it. UCC deadline management is one of those things that seems simple until you're juggling multiple loans across different states.

Definitely learned this the hard way myself. Now I treat UCC expiration dates like they're tax deadlines - no room for error.

A master spreadsheet is a great idea! I'm definitely going to set that up. Do you happen to know which states have those grace periods for late continuations? That could be really helpful information to have on hand for future reference, even though hopefully I won't need it after getting better organized.

From what I've seen, grace periods are pretty rare and vary significantly. Most states strictly enforce the 5-year deadline with no cure period once a UCC lapses. However, some states like Delaware have limited provisions for correcting certain filing errors within a short window. But I'd be really careful relying on any grace period - the safest approach is always to file continuations well within that 6-month window before expiration. Better to be 8 months early than 1 day late when it comes to UCC filings!

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's relatively new to UCC filings, I'm wondering - is there a standard industry practice for how often you should review your entire UCC portfolio? Like quarterly, annually, or just when loans mature? With all the state variations and potential borrower changes mentioned here, it seems like something that could benefit from regular systematic review rather than just ad-hoc checking when problems arise.

Great question, Lucy! In my experience, quarterly reviews work best for active lending portfolios. I typically do a comprehensive UCC review every quarter that includes: 1) checking all filings expiring in the next 12 months, 2) verifying borrower information hasn't changed (name changes, mergers, etc.), 3) confirming collateral descriptions still match what we actually have liens on, and 4) making sure our internal records match what's actually filed with the state. For larger portfolios, you might want to stagger the reviews - maybe reviewing 25% of your portfolio each month so you're doing a full cycle quarterly. The key is being proactive rather than reactive, especially since the consequences of missing a deadline can be so severe for lien priority.

This is all such valuable information! As someone just getting familiar with UCC processes, I'm curious about one more thing - when you're doing those quarterly reviews that Jackie mentioned, what's the best way to verify that borrower information is still current? Do you typically reach out to borrowers directly to confirm business names, addresses, etc., or is there a more systematic way to check for changes like mergers or name changes that might affect your filings?