UCC search complications - getting inconsistent results across systems

I've been trying exact matches first but you're right about the variations. The debtor went through a name change last year so that's probably complicating things.

Name changes are the worst for UCC searches. You basically have to search every version of the name they've ever used.

Which commercial services do you prefer? I've been using mostly free state portals but wondering if the paid ones are more reliable.

I rotate between a few but honestly they all have gaps. The free state ones are fine if you know what you're looking for but terrible for comprehensive searches.

The paid services are definitely more user-friendly but I've found errors in those too. Nothing beats going directly to the source filing office when it really matters.

Interesting, I hadn't heard of that. Does it work with searches or just document verification?

It's more for verification - you upload the PDFs and it checks consistency across all your documents. Really helpful for making sure you haven't missed any amendments or continuations.

It's frustrating but not really the fault of the states. The UCC system was designed before electronic filing became standard, so there's a lot of legacy issues.

Whatever the reason, it makes our jobs harder. Clients don't want to hear about 'legacy issues' when deals fall through because of missed liens.

True but that's why we get paid to do proper due diligence instead of just running a quick search.

Good point about DBA names. I hadn't thought to check those separately.

Yeah, DBAs can have separate UCC filings and they don't always show up when you search the main corporate name.

This is why I keep a checklist for UCC searches. Too easy to miss something when you're rushing.

No, I wasn't specifically looking for those. This involves equipment financing so probably not relevant but good to know.

Equipment can sometimes have fixture filing components if it's permanently attached to real estate. Might be worth a quick check.

That's a great tip. I never thought to check when the database was last updated.

Yeah it's usually buried in the fine print but can explain a lot of discrepancies.

Some of the state systems only update once a week or even less frequently. It's ridiculous.

How did you finally catch the termination that others missed?

Went directly to the Secretary of State website and did a manual search there. Found it right away even though the commercial services didn't have it.

Does it work with search results from different databases or just the actual UCC documents?

Works with the actual documents - so you upload your UCC-1s, UCC-3s, continuations, etc. and it verifies everything aligns properly. Really helpful for complex filing chains.

That sounds like it could solve my problem. I'll look into it.

Smart approach. Do you track merger and acquisition name changes too?

Absolutely. M&A activity is one of the biggest sources of UCC search complications. Names change, entities merge, and the filing records don't always connect properly.

This is why UCC searches for M&A deals take forever. So many potential name variations to check.

That's probably what I need to do. Better to spend extra time upfront than miss something critical.

Exactly. One missed lien can torpedo an entire deal and cost way more than the extra search time.

This is where tools like Certana.ai really help - automates that reconciliation process instead of doing it manually.