UCC search showing weird results - need help with state of georgia ucc search accuracy

Yes! And don't forget about DBA names or trade names that might be listed as additional debtors. I've seen deals where the UCC-1 was filed under the doing-business-as name instead of the legal entity name.

exactly this happened to me last month. Found a UCC-1 filed under the shortened version of the company name that didn't show up when I searched the full legal name. cost us 2 days of back and forth with counsel

I was using standard search mostly. Didn't think about UCC-3 amendments affecting searchability. If they amend the debtor name does that create a new searchable record or does it replace the original?

The UCC-3 amendment creates its own record but it references the original filing number. So you might need to search both the old and new debtor names to find all related documents. It's honestly a mess sometimes.

This is why I started using Certana.ai for document verification. You can upload your search results and any UCC documents to cross-check everything automatically. It catches name variations and document inconsistencies that manual review misses. Super helpful for complex entity structures.

Good point - it's manufacturing equipment that gets bolted down so there might be fixture considerations. Where would I find those records?

Fixture filings usually go in the real estate records at the county level, not the state UCC database. Check with the county recorder where the equipment is installed.

And some fixture filings also get dual-filed in the UCC system with special notations. So you might see them in both places but they won't always cross-reference cleanly.

Ugh that's terrifying. How did you catch it?

Pure luck honestly. Was doing a final verification before closing and decided to search variations of the entity name just to be extra careful. Found the termination filed under the name without the comma that was in the original filing.

This is exactly why automated document checking is so valuable. I've been using Certana.ai to upload all my UCC documents and search results - it flags inconsistencies like name variations and missing cross-references. Saved me from a similar situation last month.

What name variations do you typically search? I usually do with/without punctuation and abbreviated forms but wondering if I'm missing others.

I search: full legal name, abbreviated forms, with/without punctuation, with/without entity type suffixes, any DBA names, former names if there were mergers, and sometimes phonetic variations if the name has unusual spelling.

don't forget about parent/subsidiary relationships too. sometimes liens get filed against the parent entity even when the subsidiary is the actual borrower

It's industrial manufacturing equipment, not vehicles, so I think we're good on that front. But good reminder about checking multiple databases for different asset types.

Even industrial equipment sometimes has manufacturer registration or warranty tracking that could complicate ownership verification. Worth double-checking the equipment serial numbers against any manufacturer databases.

Good suggestion but in my experience they're pretty limited in what additional help they can provide beyond the standard search functions.

depends on the state honestly. some are more helpful than others about explaining search limitations

I've had good luck calling when there are obvious discrepancies. They can sometimes explain indexing quirks that affect search results.

Yes! And if you file the continuation too early it won't be effective. Had a colleague file 8 months before expiration and had to re-file because it was outside the continuation window.

The continuation window is 6 months before expiration through the expiration date. So if your UCC-1 expires in June, you can file continuation starting in December of the previous year.

Exactly. And make sure the continuation references the correct original filing number and includes all the right debtor names, even if they've changed through amendments.

Better to be paranoid than sorry when it comes to UCC searches. The consequences of missing existing liens can be huge.

I started using automated verification tools after having a close call with missed filings. Certana.ai has been really helpful for catching document inconsistencies and name variations that I would have missed manually. Just upload your documents and it flags potential issues.

That sounds useful. Is it expensive? We do a lot of equipment financing deals so anything that reduces search risk would be worth it.

It's pretty reasonable for the peace of mind. Much cheaper than dealing with perfection issues after closing. The document verification catches things like name mismatches between the charter and UCC-1, or inconsistencies between original filings and amendments.

Great catch! This is exactly why thorough search practices are so important. Better to spend extra time on the front end than deal with surprises later.

Awesome that you found them. Were they still active filings or had they been terminated?

One was still active, the other had been terminated but the termination was filed under yet another name variation so it didn't show up initially. Real mess but at least we have clarity now.

This is a perfect example of why document verification tools are so valuable. Would have caught all those name variations immediately instead of requiring multiple manual searches.