UCC search Michigan - debtor name variations causing missed liens?
Running into a weird situation with UCC search Michigan results and wondering if anyone else has dealt with this. We're doing due diligence on a equipment financing deal and the debtor's legal name on their articles shows "ABC Manufacturing Solutions, LLC" but when I search the Michigan SOS UCC database, I'm getting different results depending on how I enter the name. If I search "ABC Manufacturing Solutions LLC" (without the comma) I get 3 active filings, but "ABC Manufacturing Solutions, LLC" (with comma) shows 5 different filings including some that look pretty significant. The collateral descriptions are overlapping too - some cover 'all equipment' while others get specific about machinery types. This is making me nervous about what we might be missing in our lien search. Is Michigan's system particularly picky about punctuation in debtor names? And how do you guys handle these variations when you're trying to get a complete picture of existing liens?
33 comments
Join the conversation
Josef Tearle
Michigan's UCC database can definitely be tricky with name variations. I've seen this exact issue before. The system treats punctuation as significant characters, so "ABC Manufacturing Solutions, LLC" and "ABC Manufacturing Solutions LLC" are technically different search terms. You really need to try multiple variations - with/without commas, periods, abbreviations like "Co" vs "Company", "Inc" vs "Incorporated". Also try searching just "ABC Manufacturing Solutions" without any entity type designation. Don't forget to check for common misspellings or alternate business names they might have used on older filings.
0 coins
Charity Cohan
•That makes sense about the punctuation being treated as different characters. Should I also be searching for any DBAs or trade names? The company has been around for about 8 years so there could be filings under different variations of their name from earlier years.
0 coins
Josef Tearle
•Absolutely check for DBAs and any former names. Companies sometimes change their legal names or use different variations on UCC filings. You can usually find DBA information in the Michigan business entity database. Also worth searching for just the core business name without LLC designation since some older filings might have been done before they incorporated.
0 coins
Shelby Bauman
This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai for UCC verification - you can upload the company's articles of incorporation and it automatically cross-references against UCC filings to catch these name variations. It found 3 additional liens on a deal last month that I would have missed doing manual searches. The tool checks multiple name permutations and flags any potential matches for review.
0 coins
Quinn Herbert
•How does that work exactly? Do you just upload the articles and it searches automatically?
0 coins
Shelby Bauman
•Yeah, you upload the charter documents and it extracts the exact legal name, then runs searches for that name plus common variations (with/without punctuation, abbreviations, etc.). It also cross-checks against the UCC filings to make sure debtor names match properly. Really helpful for catching inconsistencies that could cause problems later.
0 coins
Salim Nasir
Michigan SOS search is notoriously finicky about exact name matches. I always tell clients to budget extra time for comprehensive UCC searches there because you really need to try every possible variation. Beyond punctuation, also consider: 1) Different spacing (ABC Manufacturing vs ABC Manufacturing with extra space), 2) Ampersand vs 'and' (ABC & Company vs ABC and Company), 3) Abbreviations (Mfg vs Manufacturing), 4) Roman numerals vs numbers (Company II vs Company 2). The database doesn't use fuzzy matching like some other states.
0 coins
Charity Cohan
•Good point about the spacing - I hadn't thought about extra spaces potentially affecting results. This is getting complicated fast. Is there a way to search by filing number instead if I have partial information?
0 coins
Salim Nasir
•Yes, if you have a UCC filing number you can search by that directly. Sometimes you can find filing numbers referenced in loan documents, security agreements, or even on equipment tags. But for comprehensive due diligence you still need the name-based searches to catch everything.
0 coins
Hazel Garcia
•The filing number search is great when you have it, but I've found that some older Michigan filings have formatting changes in the numbering system that can make those searches tricky too. Still worth trying though.
0 coins
Laila Fury
Ugh, Michigan UCC searches are the worst! I spent 3 hours last week trying to track down all the filings for a debtor and kept finding new ones with slightly different name variations. The system should really have better fuzzy matching or at least suggest similar names like Google does. It's 2025 - this shouldn't be so manual and error-prone!
0 coins
Geoff Richards
•I feel your pain. Some states have much better search interfaces. Have you tried reaching out to Michigan SOS directly? Sometimes they can run more comprehensive searches on their end.
0 coins
Laila Fury
•I called them once and they basically told me to try different search variations. Not super helpful. They said the system is 'working as designed' which apparently means making us guess at every possible spelling combination.
0 coins
Simon White
One thing that's helped me with Michigan UCC searches is keeping a checklist of name variations to try systematically. I include: original name from articles, name without entity designation, name with different punctuation, common abbreviations, and any former names or DBAs. I also search for the first few words of the business name in case there are filings with truncated names. Takes longer but catches more potential liens.
0 coins
Charity Cohan
•That's a good systematic approach. Do you have a standard checklist template you use? I'm thinking I should create something similar to make sure I don't miss variations.
0 coins
Simon White
•I just use a simple spreadsheet with columns for each variation type. Nothing fancy but it helps ensure I don't skip any combinations. The key is being thorough - missing a lien because of a name variation could be a costly mistake.
0 coins
Hugo Kass
Have you considered the possibility that some of those filings might be for different entities with similar names? Sometimes there are multiple companies with very similar names in the same industry. Make sure you're not just looking at name matches but also verifying addresses, officer names, or other identifying information to confirm they're actually for the same company.
0 coins
Charity Cohan
•That's a really good point I hadn't fully considered. I should cross-reference the addresses and see if they match up. Some of the filings do have different addresses listed.
0 coins
Hugo Kass
•Exactly. Different addresses usually mean different companies, unless it's an old filing from before they moved. Check the filing dates too - if there's a pattern of address changes over time, it's probably the same company relocating.
0 coins
Nasira Ibanez
•Also worth checking if the secured parties are the same or related entities. If Company A has liens from Bank X and Bank Y, but Company B (similar name) has liens from completely different lenders, they're probably separate businesses.
0 coins
Khalil Urso
This thread is making me realize I should probably double-check some of my recent UCC searches in Michigan. I usually just search the exact name from the loan documents and call it good, but sounds like I might be missing liens with name variations.
0 coins
Josef Tearle
•Yeah, it's definitely worth going back and doing more comprehensive searches on important deals. Better to find potential issues now than during a default situation when you're trying to enforce your lien.
0 coins
Khalil Urso
•Good point. I'll probably start building in more time for UCC searches going forward. Better safe than sorry when it comes to lien priority issues.
0 coins
Myles Regis
For what it's worth, I've had good luck calling the Michigan SOS UCC division directly when I'm dealing with complex name variation issues. They can sometimes provide guidance on their search logic or confirm whether certain variations would be considered matches. The phone number is on their website and they're usually pretty helpful.
0 coins
Brian Downey
•Do they charge for phone consultations or is that just part of their service?
0 coins
Myles Regis
•It's free - just part of their public service. Obviously they can't do the actual searches for you, but they can clarify how their system works and what search strategies might be most effective.
0 coins
Jacinda Yu
I ran into a similar issue recently and ended up using one of those commercial UCC search services that claims to check multiple name variations automatically. Cost a bit more than doing it myself but saved tons of time and they found 2 additional filings I had missed. Might be worth considering for high-stakes deals.
0 coins
Charity Cohan
•Which service did you use? I'm thinking about outsourcing this for larger deals where the stakes are higher.
0 coins
Jacinda Yu
•I used CT Corporation's UCC search service. They were thorough and provided a detailed report showing all the name variations they searched. A bit pricey but worth it for peace of mind on bigger transactions.
0 coins
Shelby Bauman
•Commercial services can be good, but I've found Certana.ai gives me more control over the process while still catching those name variations automatically. Plus I can verify the document consistency myself rather than just trusting a search report.
0 coins
Landon Flounder
Update us when you figure out which of those filings are actually for your target company! I'm curious how many of the 8 total filings (3 + 5) end up being legitimate hits vs false matches from similar company names.
0 coins
Charity Cohan
•Will do! I'm planning to spend tomorrow morning going through each filing systematically and cross-referencing addresses and other details. Should be able to narrow down which ones are actually relevant.
0 coins
Landon Flounder
•Looking forward to hearing how it turns out. These kinds of real-world examples are super helpful for understanding how to handle similar situations.
0 coins