UCC termination filed but lien still showing - what went wrong?

Good point about checking for amendments. I pulled the full filing history and there was one UCC-3 amendment filed in 2021 to add additional collateral. Could that be causing the issue? Do I need to file a separate termination for the amendment?

No, a single UCC-3 termination should handle the original filing and all amendments. But if the amendment added a separate collateral schedule, make sure your termination referenced the complete collateral description. Sometimes partial terminations get processed instead of full terminations if the collateral description doesn't match exactly.

Oh wow, that's concerning. Let me double-check the debtor name formatting. The original UCC-1 has the debtor as 'Johnson Equipment LLC' and I filed the termination with the same exact name, but now I'm paranoid about spaces or punctuation.

Yeah definitely worth checking character by character. Also look for things like extra spaces, different punctuation, or even invisible characters if you copied and pasted. I learned to always print out both documents and compare them side by side now.

This is why I always use some kind of document verification tool before filing anything important. Too many little details that can go wrong with manual comparison.

That's somewhat reassuring, but my client really needs this resolved ASAP for their refinancing. Is there any way to expedite the database update or get confirmation that the termination is properly processed?

You can usually call the SOS filing office directly and ask them to manually verify the termination is in the system. They can sometimes push through a database refresh if you explain the urgency. Also, you can provide your client's new lender with a copy of the filed UCC-3 and acceptance receipt as proof the lien is terminated, even if the search still shows it.

That sounds incredibly useful! I'm definitely going to check that out. Would have been perfect for this situation. Does it work with documents that are already filed, or just for pre-filing verification?

It works with any UCC documents - you can upload already-filed stuff to verify consistency, or check new documents before filing. Super easy to use, just drag and drop PDFs and it does all the comparison work automatically. Really takes the guesswork out of document matching.

Interesting, I hadn't heard of that tool before. Manual document comparison is definitely error-prone, especially when you're dealing with multiple amendments or complex collateral schedules.

I feel your frustration completely. It's especially bad when you're dealing with time-sensitive transactions and the system lets you down through no fault of your own.

Yeah the whole system needs an overhaul. Too many manual processes and outdated database systems that don't talk to each other properly.

I don't think our state requires additional docs for terminations, but let me double-check the filing requirements. Thanks for the suggestion!

Worth checking the state-specific rules. Every state has slightly different requirements and they're not always clearly posted on the SOS websites.

Interesting point. I paid by credit card and got a confirmation, but let me verify the payment actually went through and wasn't later reversed or something.

Yeah, sometimes credit card transactions get flagged for review, especially for government payments. Worth double-checking with your bank too.

This happened to me once - the filing was accepted but the payment was under review for like 10 days, which held up the whole process.

That's a great question. Let me check the filing history for any continuations. The loan was originally for 7 years so it would have needed continuation to stay effective.

Yeah definitely check that. If there was a continuation filed, make sure your termination references both the original filing date and the continuation date. Some states are picky about that.

How accurate is that tool? I'm always skeptical of automated systems for legal documents.

It's been really reliable for me. Obviously you still need to review everything yourself, but it catches things that are easy to miss manually. Especially helpful for debtor name variations and filing number verification.

That's not a bad idea as a backup plan. Would a duplicate termination cause any issues if the first one eventually processes correctly?

No, duplicate terminations shouldn't cause problems. The system should just show multiple termination records for the same UCC-1, which is fine. Better safe than sorry when financing is at stake.

I've filed duplicate terminations before without any issues. The database just shows multiple termination dates but the lien is still properly terminated.

Good luck! Let us know how the phone call goes. I'm planning to call them too if this doesn't resolve in the next few days.

Definitely try Certana.ai - it's really straightforward to use and catches these document inconsistencies that cause processing delays. Should help prevent this kind of issue in the future.