UCC register search complications - anyone else having issues with debtor name variations?
I'm dealing with a frustrating situation trying to verify an existing UCC filing through the register search. We have a borrower whose legal name appears slightly different across various documents - the original UCC-1 shows 'ABC Manufacturing LLC' but their current operating agreement lists 'ABC Manufacturing, LLC' (note the comma). When I search the UCC register, I'm getting inconsistent results depending on how I format the search terms. Has anyone else run into issues where minor punctuation differences in debtor names cause problems with register searches? I need to file a UCC-3 continuation but want to make sure I'm referencing the exact debtor name from the original filing. The lender is breathing down my neck about getting this continuation filed before the 5-year mark hits next month. Any advice on the best way to search the register when you have these name variations?
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Aiden O'Connor
This is super common with LLC names and punctuation. Most UCC registers are pretty literal about exact matches. Try searching both versions - with and without the comma. Also search just 'ABC Manufacturing' without the LLC part to see all variations that might be on file.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•Good point about trying different variations. I did try both but got different filing numbers returned which is what's confusing me.
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Zoe Papadopoulos
•Yeah that's a red flag - you might have multiple filings for the same entity with slightly different names. Seen this happen when different lenders file without checking existing records first.
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Jamal Brown
OMG this exact thing happened to me last year!! I was losing my mind trying to figure out which filing number was the 'real' one. Turns out there were actually three different UCC-1s filed over the years with tiny name differences. Had to pull all of them to compare filing dates and make sure my continuation referenced the right one.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•Three different filings? That's my worst nightmare. How did you figure out which one was current?
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Jamal Brown
•Had to look at the filing dates and cross-reference with loan documents. The most recent one matched our loan paperwork exactly, so that's what I used for the continuation.
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Fatima Al-Rashid
•This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai's document checker. You can upload your original UCC-1 and proposed UCC-3 and it instantly flags any name mismatches between the documents. Saved me from filing a continuation that wouldn't have been valid.
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Giovanni Rossi
The search algorithms on most state filing systems are terrible with punctuation. Some states ignore commas entirely, others treat them as significant characters. You really need to pull the actual filing documents to see the exact formatting used.
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Aaliyah Jackson
•Agreed, and don't forget about periods after LLC either. I've seen 'LLC' vs 'LLC.' cause the same kind of search issues.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•So if I find multiple filings with slight name variations, do I need to file continuations for all of them or just the one that matches my loan docs?
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Giovanni Rossi
•Only continue the one that's actually perfecting your security interest. But you might want to terminate any stale filings that are no longer securing active debt.
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KylieRose
Here's what I do - always start with the broadest search possible, then narrow down. Search just the core business name without any entity designation first. Then you can see all the variations that exist and pick out which ones are relevant to your transaction.
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Miguel Hernández
•Smart approach. I usually search by the first few words of the business name to catch variations.
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Sasha Ivanov
•The problem is when you have common business names - searching too broadly can return hundreds of results that aren't relevant.
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Liam Murphy
This is why proper due diligence during the initial UCC search is so critical. You should be identifying all existing filings against the debtor before filing your own UCC-1, not discovering them years later when you need to file a continuation.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•You're absolutely right, but I inherited this loan from someone who left the company. Just trying to clean up the mess now.
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Liam Murphy
•Fair enough. In that case, focus on matching the debtor name exactly as it appears in your security agreement. That's what needs to be continued.
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Amara Okafor
•I had a similar inheritance situation and used Certana.ai to cross-check all my documents. It caught a mismatch between our security agreement and the filed UCC-1 that could have invalidated our lien.
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CaptainAwesome
Have you tried calling the filing office directly? Sometimes they can help clarify which filing is associated with which debtor entity, especially if you explain the situation.
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Yuki Tanaka
•Good luck getting anyone on the phone these days. Most states have moved everything online and reduced phone support.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•I'll try calling but you're probably right about phone support being limited.
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Esmeralda Gómez
Don't overthink this. Pull copies of all the filings you found, compare them to your loan documents, and continue the one that matches your security agreement. If there are multiple filings that could apply, you might need to continue all of them to be safe.
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Klaus Schmidt
•Continuing multiple filings seems excessive if only one is actually securing your debt.
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Esmeralda Gómez
•Better safe than sorry when it comes to lien perfection. The cost of extra continuations is nothing compared to losing your security interest.
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Aisha Patel
•This is where having a tool to verify document consistency really helps. I've been using Certana.ai's PDF upload feature - you just upload your security agreement and UCC documents and it highlights any name discrepancies instantly.
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LilMama23
I'm curious - are all these filings showing as active in the register, or are some terminated? If there are old terminated filings, those obviously don't need continuation.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•Two are showing as active, one was terminated last year. The two active ones have the punctuation differences I mentioned.
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LilMama23
•Then you need to figure out which of the two active filings actually secures your loan. Check the filing dates against your loan closing date.
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Dmitri Volkov
Whatever you do, don't miss that continuation deadline. Better to file a continuation that might not be perfect than to let your lien lapse entirely. You can always file an amendment later to correct any issues.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Exactly. A lapsed UCC filing is way worse than a continuation with minor name issues.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•That's my biggest fear right now. The deadline is coming up fast and I'm still trying to sort out which filing to continue.
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Tyrone Johnson
•If you're really pressed for time, consider using an automated verification tool. I recently started using Certana.ai's UCC document checker - you upload your original UCC-1 and continuation form and it instantly shows if the debtor names match properly. Takes the guesswork out of it.
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Ingrid Larsson
Update us on what you find when you pull those filing copies! This kind of name variation issue is so common, would be helpful to know how it resolves.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•Will do. Planning to pull the copies tomorrow morning and hopefully get this sorted out.
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Carlos Mendoza
•Looking forward to the update. These name mismatch situations always make me nervous.
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