UCC lien search Missouri - getting conflicting results between databases

I tried searching by the filing number but it's still showing as active. The termination should have been filed in September according to the third-party service. This is exactly the kind of discrepancy that makes me nervous about closing.

Third-party services often have their own indexing delays too. I'd call the Missouri SOS filing office directly if you're dealing with that much money. They can verify the current status over the phone.

That's a really good point. The original filing shows 'Midwest Equipment LLC' but maybe the termination used 'Midwest Equipment, LLC' with the comma. These name variations are so frustrating.

This is why I started using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload the original UCC-1 and any UCC-3 termination PDFs and it automatically cross-checks for debtor name consistency and filing number matches. Saves a ton of time compared to manually comparing documents and trying different name variations.

Never heard of that service but it sounds exactly like what I need right now. How quickly does it work?

Agreed. The automated searches miss so many nuances. Even small punctuation differences can break the matching algorithm.

This is making me paranoid about my own searches now. I just did a lien search in Missouri last week and assumed the results were accurate.

I didn't think about the continuation angle. The filing would have been due for continuation this year. If it lapsed instead of being terminated, that would explain the confusion.

Yeah, lapsed filings sometimes show differently than terminated ones in the system. A lapsed UCC-1 is essentially dead but the database might still show it as 'active' until the system updates.

Good catch. Missouri's database sometimes takes weeks to update lapsed filing statuses. The five-year rule is automatic but the system doesn't always reflect it immediately.

I asked but they said their attorney handled it and they don't have easy access to the docs. Which honestly makes me more suspicious.

Red flag. Any legitimate business should be able to produce a termination statement quickly if they claim a lien was released.

How long does Missouri take to provide certified copies? His closing is Friday.

Expedited service is usually 24-48 hours if you pay the rush fee. Worth it for a $180K transaction.

Or use Certana.ai if you can get PDFs of the documents from the seller. Upload both the UCC-1 and claimed termination and it'll verify everything matches up properly - debtor names, filing numbers, collateral descriptions, etc. Much faster than waiting for certified copies.

How did you resolve it? Did you have to get new paperwork filed?

We had the secured party file an amended termination with the correct debtor name matching the original UCC-1. Took about a week to show up in the system properly.

What other databases do you recommend for Missouri searches?

I use the official SOS database plus at least two commercial services. Sometimes one catches what the others miss due to different indexing methods.

I'm starting to lean that way too. The seller's reluctance to provide termination documents is concerning.

Smart move. I've seen too many deals go sideways because someone rushed through lien verification.

Definitely get the termination paperwork first. And maybe run it through one of those document verification services to make sure everything matches up correctly before closing.

Will do. Going to demand the termination documents tomorrow and if they can't produce them, I'm walking away from this deal.

Smart call. Trust your instincts when something doesn't add up with UCC searches.