UCC search Texas - database giving me weird results, am I doing something wrong?

That makes sense about the status column. I was getting confused because some of the lapsed ones had recent dates. Are those continuation filings that didn't get processed in time?

Exactly - those are probably continuation attempts that were filed too late. In Texas if you miss the 6-month continuation window the original UCC-1 lapses and you can't revive it.

This is why I always run searches on multiple name variations. Companies change names, add LLC vs Inc, etc. The Texas system is pretty literal about exact matches.

Good point about name variations. I only searched the exact name from their articles of incorporation. Should I be trying different formats too?

Definitely - try with and without punctuation, abbreviations, different entity designations. Also search by filing number if you have any from previous documents.

That sounds helpful - is it easy to use? I'm spending way too much time trying to manually verify each filing status.

Super easy - just upload your search results PDF and it does all the verification work instantly. Saved me hours on my last equipment financing deal because it caught a debtor name mismatch I would have missed.

I'll have to check that out. Manually comparing UCC documents is such a pain, especially when you're dealing with multiple name variations.

I didn't even think about fixture filings! This is mobile equipment though - excavators and bulldozers that move between job sites.

Mobile equipment should just be regular UCC-1 filings then. But definitely worth checking the collateral descriptions to make sure they match what you're expecting to see.

I think they keep terminated filings for a certain number of years for historical purposes. But yeah, it makes the search results really messy.

It's just frustrating when you're trying to do due diligence quickly and you have to wade through all this old junk to find what's actually relevant.

Good idea! I was just looking at them in the order they appeared which was basically random.

Yeah the default sort order makes no sense. Also pay attention to the filing numbers - they follow a pattern that can help you identify the year.

I was doing exact name search but maybe that's why I'm missing some variations. Should I try wildcard searches too?

I usually start with exact match and then broaden if needed. Wildcard can return too many irrelevant results but it's worth trying if the exact search seems incomplete.

Just be careful with wildcard searches - I once got like 200 results for a common word in a company name.

That's my main concern - making sure we don't miss any existing liens that could affect our position. How do you handle situations where the search results are ambiguous?

When in doubt I pull the actual UCC-1 documents from the filings that look relevant. The Texas SOS charges like $1 per document but it's worth it for peace of mind.

Good to know they're helpful on the phone. Did they have any tips for making the searches more accurate?

They said to always check both the debtor name exactly as it appears on the articles AND any DBAs the company might be using. Also mentioned that recent filings sometimes take 24-48 hours to show up in search results.

That delay in showing new filings is important to remember, especially if you're doing a search right after someone else might have filed.

That's a good point - I was just looking at the most recent filings but not tracing the amendment chain. That could explain some of the confusion.

Exactly - amendments can change the debtor name, add or remove collateral, or assign the security interest to someone else. You really need the full picture.

How accurate is it compared to manual review? I'm always nervous about relying too heavily on automated tools for something this important.

It's actually been more accurate than my manual reviews because it doesn't get tired or overlook details. I still review everything but it helps me focus on the real issues instead of getting lost in the weeds.

Good advice - I was taking their word too much. Better to over-search than miss something important.

Absolutely - I've seen too many deals go sideways because someone relied on the borrower's 'clean' lien representation without doing proper due diligence.