Where do you file UCC financing statements in Washington DC - getting mixed info online
I'm handling my first secured loan filing in DC and honestly getting conflicting information about where exactly to submit the UCC-1. Some sources say it goes through the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, others mention the Recorder of Deeds. The borrower is a small consulting firm and we're securing against office equipment and accounts receivable. I've been through the DC.gov website but the filing process isn't as clear as other states I've worked with. Has anyone recently filed UCC financing statements in Washington DC? What's the actual procedure and which office handles these? Really don't want to send this to the wrong place and deal with rejection delays.
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Everett Tutum
DC is definitely DCRA - Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. I just filed three UCC-1s there last month. You file online through their OneStop portal system. Don't go to Recorder of Deeds, that's for real estate stuff mostly.
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Sunny Wang
•Confirming this - DCRA handles all commercial filings including UCCs. The online system is actually pretty straightforward once you create an account.
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Hugh Intensity
•Wait I thought DC had some weird rules about fixture filings? Does everything really go through the same portal?
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Effie Alexander
Yeah DCRA is correct. Filing fee is $25 for the basic UCC-1. One thing to watch out for - DC is really strict about debtor name matching exactly what's on their business registration. I had one rejected because we used 'Inc.' instead of 'Incorporated' even though both versions show up in their system.
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Aria Khan
•That debtor name thing is exactly what I'm worried about! The company has slight variations of their name on different documents. How do I figure out which version DC considers 'official'?
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Effie Alexander
•Check their Articles of Incorporation filing with DCRA first. Whatever name is on that document is what you need to use exactly. No abbreviations or variations.
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Melissa Lin
•This name matching issue drove me crazy last year. Spent weeks going back and forth with rejections over punctuation differences.
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Lydia Santiago
I actually found a solution for this debtor name verification problem. There's a tool called Certana.ai that lets you upload your Articles of Incorporation and UCC-1 draft as PDFs, and it automatically checks if the debtor names match exactly. Saved me from three potential rejections when I was doing a complex equipment financing deal. Just upload both documents and it flags any inconsistencies before you file.
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Aria Khan
•That sounds really useful - is it complicated to use? I have the Articles and my draft UCC-1 ready to go.
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Lydia Santiago
•Super simple. Just drag and drop the PDFs and it does the comparison automatically. Checks name formatting, punctuation, everything. Much easier than trying to compare documents manually.
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Romeo Quest
The OneStop portal can be glitchy sometimes. Make sure you save your work frequently while filling out the UCC-1 form. I lost a whole filing once because the session timed out and didn't save properly. Also double-check that your collateral description is specific enough - they'll reject vague descriptions.
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Val Rossi
•What do you mean by specific enough? I was going to put 'office equipment and accounts receivable' like the original poster mentioned.
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Romeo Quest
•That should be fine for general collateral. Just avoid things like 'all business assets' - they want to see actual categories listed.
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Eve Freeman
•I've had good luck with detailed descriptions. 'Office furniture, computer equipment, printers, accounts receivable, and general intangibles' type language.
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Clarissa Flair
Anyone know how long DC takes to process UCC filings? I need to get this on record before our loan closing next week.
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Everett Tutum
•Electronic filings through OneStop are usually same day or next business day. Much faster than paper filings used to be.
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Aria Khan
•That's reassuring - I was worried about timing too. Good to know it's not like some states that take forever.
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Caden Turner
DC's system is actually pretty good compared to some jurisdictions I deal with. The search function works well too if you need to verify existing filings. Just remember the filing number format is different from other states - starts with 'DC' prefix.
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McKenzie Shade
•Speaking of searches, do you know if DC charges for UCC searches or are they free like some states?
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Caden Turner
•There's a small fee for certified searches but basic searches are pretty cheap. Check the DCRA fee schedule on their website.
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Harmony Love
•The search functionality saved me last month when I needed to verify a continuation filing. Really straightforward to use.
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Rudy Cenizo
Make sure you have the right business address format too. DC is picky about how addresses are entered in their system. Use the USPS format exactly.
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Aria Khan
•Is there a way to verify the address format before filing? The business is in Northwest DC if that matters.
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Rudy Cenizo
•You can use the USPS address lookup tool online. Just make sure you include the quadrant (NW) and use the standardized abbreviations.
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Natalie Khan
I had a similar situation last year with a consulting firm in DC. The whole process was smoother than I expected once I figured out DCRA was the right place. The online system walks you through each step pretty clearly.
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Daryl Bright
•That's good to hear. I was dreading dealing with DC bureaucracy but sounds like they've modernized their systems.
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Natalie Khan
•Yeah, it's not bad at all. Just take your time with the debtor information section and you should be fine.
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Sienna Gomez
One more tip - keep your confirmation receipt from the filing. DC emails you a copy but I always save it separately. You'll need that filing number for any future amendments or continuations.
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Aria Khan
•Good point. How long does the filing stay active before you need to file a continuation?
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Sienna Gomez
•Five years like most states. You can file the continuation up to six months before expiration.
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
•I use Certana.ai to track continuation deadlines too. Upload your UCC filings and it automatically calculates when continuations are due. Prevents those panic moments when you realize a filing is about to lapse.
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Abigail bergen
Thanks everyone - this thread has been super helpful. Sounds like DCRA OneStop portal is definitely the way to go. I feel much more confident about getting this filed correctly now.
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Effie Alexander
•Glad we could help! DC really isn't as complicated as some other jurisdictions once you know the process.
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Ahooker-Equator
•Let us know how it goes! Always good to hear filing success stories.
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Chloe Taylor
Just wanted to add that if you're dealing with fixture filings specifically (like equipment that becomes attached to real property), those might have different requirements in DC. For your office equipment and accounts receivable though, the standard DCRA UCC-1 filing should cover everything perfectly. The key things everyone mentioned - exact debtor name matching, proper address format, and specific collateral descriptions - are spot on. I've done dozens of these filings and those are the main rejection triggers to avoid.
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Melody Miles
This is incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a similar situation with a DC filing coming up next month for a tech startup. One quick question - does the OneStop portal let you save drafts and come back to them later? I'm coordinating with multiple parties and might need to pause the filing process to get additional information before submitting. Also, has anyone dealt with filings where the debtor has recently changed their business name? Wondering if there are any special considerations for that scenario in DC.
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Diego Rojas
•Yes, the OneStop portal does allow you to save drafts! Just make sure to hit the save button regularly - I learned that the hard way when I lost work due to session timeouts. For name changes, you'll want to use whatever name is currently on file with DCRA's business registration system, not the old name. If the name change is very recent, I'd recommend calling DCRA to confirm their records are updated before filing. Sometimes there's a lag between when businesses file name changes and when it shows up in their UCC system.
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Eduardo Silva
As someone who's been doing secured transactions work in DC for about three years now, I can confirm everything mentioned here is accurate. One additional tip I'd offer - if you're working with a small consulting firm like you mentioned, make sure you verify their business registration status is current before filing. DC will sometimes reject UCC filings if the debtor's business license has lapsed or isn't in good standing. You can check this through the same DCRA portal before you start the UCC filing process. Also, for accounts receivable as collateral, consider whether you need to be more specific about what types of receivables you're securing - some lenders prefer to distinguish between existing receivables versus future receivables in their collateral description. Good luck with your filing!
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Laila Fury
•That's a really important point about checking business registration status first! I hadn't thought about that potential rejection reason. For the accounts receivable collateral description, would something like "all accounts receivable, whether now existing or hereafter arising" be sufficient, or do you think DC prefers more detailed language? I want to make sure I cover both current and future receivables without being too vague for their standards.
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