What is a UCC-11 form and when do I need to file one?
I keep seeing references to UCC-11 forms in some of the documentation I'm reviewing for a commercial loan package, but I can't find clear information about what exactly a UCC-11 is or when it's required. I'm familiar with UCC-1 financing statements and UCC-3 amendments, but this UCC-11 is throwing me off. The lender mentioned something about it being related to information requests, but I'm not sure if this is something I need to prepare as the borrower or if it's something the lender handles. Can anyone explain what a UCC-11 form is used for and whether it's part of the standard filing process? I want to make sure I'm not missing any required documentation before we close next month.
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Micah Franklin
A UCC-11 is an information request form, not a filing form like the UCC-1 or UCC-3. It's used to request certified copies of UCC records or search results from the Secretary of State's office. Think of it as the official way to get documentation of what's already on file. Your lender probably needs it to verify existing liens or confirm filing status before approving your loan.
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Ruby Blake
•That makes more sense! So it's basically a search request rather than something I need to file myself?
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Micah Franklin
•Exactly. The lender typically handles UCC-11 requests as part of their due diligence process to check for existing liens on your collateral.
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Ella Harper
Just went through this exact situation last month. The UCC-11 request is usually something your lender orders to get official documentation of any existing UCC filings against your business or the collateral. They want certified results, not just the free online search results. It typically costs around $10-25 per search depending on your state.
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PrinceJoe
•Did your lender make you pay for the UCC-11 search or was it included in their fees?
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Ella Harper
•They handled it directly and included it in the loan processing fees. I never saw the actual form, just got copies of the search results they received.
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Brooklyn Knight
I actually had a nightmare situation where a UCC-11 search revealed an old financing statement that should have been terminated years ago but never was. Held up our entire loan closing until we could get a UCC-3 termination filed. Make sure your lender runs the UCC-11 search early in the process, not right before closing!
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Ruby Blake
•Oh wow, that's exactly the kind of surprise I want to avoid. How long did it take to get the termination sorted out?
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Brooklyn Knight
•About 3 weeks because we had to track down the original lender who had been acquired by another bank. Total mess.
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Owen Devar
•This is why I always run a preliminary UCC search on Certana.ai before getting too deep into loan applications. You can upload your business docs and it flags potential UCC conflicts early. Saved me from exactly this situation last year.
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Daniel Rivera
UCC-11 forms vary by state but they're all basically information request forms. Some states have moved to online systems where you don't need the physical form anymore, you just submit the search request through their portal. The key thing is that UCC-11 results are official certified copies that courts and lenders will accept, unlike the informal searches you can do online.
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Ruby Blake
•Good to know about the state variations. We're in Texas - do you know if they still use paper forms or have they gone digital?
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Daniel Rivera
•Texas has both options. You can submit UCC-11 requests online through SOSDirect or mail in paper forms. Online is much faster.
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Sophie Footman
Just a heads up - some states call it different things. In New York it's called a UCC search request, not UCC-11. But they're all essentially the same thing - official requests for UCC filing information from the state.
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Connor Rupert
•Yeah the terminology gets confusing. California calls theirs a UCC-11R. Every state has their own quirks.
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Ruby Blake
•The alphabet soup of UCC forms is overwhelming. At least now I know what category UCC-11 falls into.
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Molly Hansen
Your lender is probably ordering a UCC-11 to get what's called a 'bring down' search - basically checking right before closing to make sure no new liens have been filed since they started processing your loan. It's standard practice for commercial loans.
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Ruby Blake
•That makes perfect sense from a risk management perspective. Thanks for explaining the timing aspect.
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Brady Clean
•Bring down searches are critical. I've seen deals where a judgment lien got filed between the initial search and closing, completely changing the collateral priority.
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Skylar Neal
One thing to watch out for - if the UCC-11 search comes back showing unexpected filings, don't panic immediately. Sometimes there are UCC filings for businesses with similar names that show up in broad searches. The key is making sure any liens that do exist are properly identified and addressed before closing.
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Ruby Blake
•Good point about similar business names. Our company name is pretty common so that could definitely be an issue.
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Skylar Neal
•Exactly. That's why the certified UCC-11 results include the full debtor information - you can verify whether each filing actually applies to your business or not.
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Vincent Bimbach
•This is where Certana.ai's document verification really shines. Instead of trying to manually cross-reference debtor names and filing details, you can just upload the UCC-11 results along with your corporate docs and it instantly flags any real matches versus false positives.
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Kelsey Chin
For what it's worth, you can also request UCC-11 searches yourself if you want to see what liens are on file before your lender does their search. Might help you identify any issues early and get them resolved proactively.
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Ruby Blake
•That's actually a really smart idea. Better to find problems early when there's time to fix them.
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Norah Quay
•I always recommend this to my clients. Costs maybe $20 but can save thousands in delayed closing costs if issues come up.
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Leo McDonald
Don't overthink it too much. UCC-11 is just the official way to request UCC records from the state. Your lender needs certified copies for their files, and this is how they get them. It's routine paperwork, not something you need to stress about unless the search results show unexpected liens.
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Ruby Blake
•Thanks, that's reassuring. I was worried I was missing some major filing requirement.
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Leo McDonald
•Nope, you're good. The UCC-11 is on the lender's side of things, not yours.
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Jessica Nolan
Just to close the loop on this - the main UCC forms you need to know as a borrower are UCC-1 (initial financing statement), UCC-3 (amendments, continuations, terminations), and now you know UCC-11 (information requests). That covers 95% of what you'll encounter in commercial lending.
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Ruby Blake
•Perfect summary, thank you! This thread has been incredibly helpful in clearing up my confusion about UCC-11 forms.
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Angelina Farar
•One more tip - if you ever need to run your own UCC searches in the future, services like Certana.ai can help verify the results by cross-checking the search data against your actual business documents to make sure everything matches up correctly.
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Sofia Gutierrez
This is such a helpful thread! I'm a newcomer to commercial lending and was completely confused when I saw UCC-11 mentioned in my loan documents. Now I understand it's just the lender's way of getting official records, not something I need to prepare myself. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - especially the warnings about timing the search early to avoid closing delays. Going to bookmark this discussion for future reference!
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Miguel Hernández
•Welcome to the community, Sofia! I'm also relatively new to commercial lending and this thread has been a goldmine of information. The timing advice about running UCC searches early is something I wish I'd known before starting my loan process. It's reassuring to know that experienced members like Brooklyn and Ella have been through similar situations and are willing to share their lessons learned. Definitely makes the whole process feel less intimidating!
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