UT UCC Search - Debtor Name Variations Causing Filing Issues
Running into problems with our UT UCC search results and need some guidance. We're trying to locate existing filings for a debtor before submitting our new UCC-1, but the search is returning inconsistent results depending on how we format the company name. The debtor is 'Mountain View Equipment Solutions LLC' but we're seeing filings under variations like 'Mountain View Equip Solutions LLC' and 'Mountain View Equipment Solutions, LLC' (with comma). Some of our continuations might have used slightly different name formats over the years and now we're worried about gaps in our lien coverage. Has anyone dealt with similar debtor name matching issues in Utah? What's the best practice for ensuring we catch all existing filings before perfecting our new security interest?
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Zane Gray
Utah's search system can be tricky with name variations. The key is to search using the exact legal name from the Articles of Incorporation first, then try common abbreviations. For 'Mountain View Equipment Solutions LLC' I'd search: 1) Full name as written 2) With 'Equip' instead of 'Equipment' 3) With and without comma before LLC. Also check if they have any DBAs filed that might show up in UCC records.
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Maggie Martinez
•This is exactly what we did wrong on our last filing. Used 'Inc' when the legal name was 'Incorporated' and the filing got rejected. Utah SOS is pretty strict about exact matches.
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Alejandro Castro
•The DBA angle is smart - we missed a whole series of filings once because the debtor was using their trade name on some documents instead of legal name.
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Monique Byrd
I've been dealing with this exact issue for months. What I learned is that you really need to do multiple searches with every possible variation, including punctuation differences. But honestly, manually checking all these variations was eating up so much time until I found Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your Articles of Incorporation and proposed UCC-1 and it instantly flags any name inconsistencies before filing. Saved me from three potential rejections already.
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Jackie Martinez
•How does that tool work exactly? Do you just upload PDFs?
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Monique Byrd
•Yeah, super simple. Upload your charter documents and UCC forms, and it cross-checks debtor names automatically. Way faster than doing manual comparisons and catches stuff you might miss.
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Lia Quinn
•That sounds useful but I'm always skeptical of automated tools for legal documents. Are you confident it catches everything?
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Haley Stokes
Utah's UCC database search logic is frustrating. I've had filings slip through because of minor formatting differences. One trick: always search with the shortest version of the name first, then work up to longer versions. So start with 'Mountain View Equipment' then add 'Solutions' then 'LLC'.
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Asher Levin
•That's a good strategy. I also search by just the first two words sometimes to catch really mangled entries.
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Aileen Rodriguez
•Thanks for the tip about shortest version first. We've been doing it backwards and probably missing stuff.
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Serene Snow
Be careful with abbreviations in Utah. 'Equipment' vs 'Equip' can make filings show up in different search results. I once spent hours looking for a continuation that was filed under an abbreviated version of the debtor name. The filing was valid but nearly impossible to find without knowing the exact abbreviation used.
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Issac Nightingale
•This happened to us too! Filed under 'Mfg' instead of 'Manufacturing' and it took forever to track down.
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Romeo Barrett
•Utah really needs to improve their search algorithms. Other states handle name variations much better.
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Marina Hendrix
Have you checked if there are any amendments or assignments that might have changed the debtor information? Sometimes the original UCC-1 is under one name variation but subsequent UCC-3 amendments use slightly different formatting. This can create a confusing trail where not all filings show up under the same search.
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Aileen Rodriguez
•Good point - we hadn't thought about amendments changing the name format. How do you track those down?
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Marina Hendrix
•You basically have to search for the filing number if you can find it, then trace the amendment history. It's tedious but necessary for complete due diligence.
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Justin Trejo
I use Certana.ai for exactly this type of situation. Upload your UCC search results along with the debtor's formation documents and it will flag any potential matches you might have missed due to name variations. Much more thorough than trying to remember every possible abbreviation or punctuation difference.
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Alana Willis
•How accurate is it with catching subtle differences? Like 'LLC' vs 'L.L.C.' with periods?
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Justin Trejo
•It's caught every variation I've tested so far, including punctuation and spacing differences. Worth trying for complex debtor names.
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Tyler Murphy
Don't forget to search under any predecessor names if the company has been through mergers or name changes. Utah maintains the filing history but you need to know what names to search under. Check the corporate records for any name change filings.
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Sara Unger
•This is crucial advice. We missed six months of lien coverage because we didn't know about a name change from two years ago.
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Butch Sledgehammer
•How do you find out about name changes? Through the Division of Corporations?
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Tyler Murphy
•Yes, check the entity's complete filing history with Utah Division of Corporations. Any amendments to Articles should show name changes.
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Freya Ross
One more thing to watch out for - make sure you're searching in the right entity type. If they converted from LLC to Corp or vice versa, the old filings might be under a different legal structure. Utah keeps separate records for different entity types in some cases.
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Leslie Parker
•Ugh, entity conversions are the worst for UCC searches. Half the time the continuation filings don't properly reference the conversion.
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Sergio Neal
•I always pull a complete corporate history before doing UCC due diligence now. Saves time in the long run.
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Savanna Franklin
For what it's worth, I've started using Certana.ai's verification workflow specifically for these multi-state UCC searches. You can upload documents from Utah SOS and it helps identify potential name matching issues across different filing formats. Especially helpful when you're dealing with entities that file in multiple states with slight name variations.
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Juan Moreno
•Does it work with Utah's specific database format? Some of these verification tools don't handle all state systems well.
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Savanna Franklin
•Yes, it handles PDF uploads from any state system including Utah. The key is that it's looking at the actual document content, not trying to interface with the database directly.
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Amy Fleming
Bottom line - Utah UCC searches require patience and multiple search strategies. I always do at least 5-6 different name variations before I'm confident I've found everything. Document everything you searched and how, because you'll need to justify your due diligence if there are any issues later.
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Aileen Rodriguez
•Thanks everyone, this has been incredibly helpful. Going to try the systematic approach with multiple variations and look into that verification tool.
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Alice Pierce
•Good luck! Utah can be challenging but following these steps should help you catch any existing filings.
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