nm sos ucc search showing no results for debtor name variations
Running into a weird issue with the UCC search function - when I search for exact debtor names that I know have active filings, I'm getting zero results. But if I try slightly different variations of the same business name, sometimes filings appear. For example, searching 'ABC Construction LLC' returns nothing, but 'ABC Construction, LLC' (with the comma) shows 3 active UCC-1s. This is making it really difficult to verify what's already on file before we submit our new financing statement. Has anyone else noticed inconsistencies with how the search handles business entity suffixes and punctuation? I'm worried we might be missing existing filings that could affect our lien priority. The debtor operates under multiple DBAs and we need to make sure we're capturing everything before our UCC-1 goes in next week.
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Isaac Wright
This is a known issue with most state UCC databases unfortunately. The search algorithms are super literal about punctuation and spacing. Try searching without any punctuation at all first - so just 'ABC Construction' without LLC. Also try common variations like 'A B C Construction' with spaces between letters. I always do at least 5-6 different name searches before I'm confident I've found everything.
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Maya Diaz
•Good advice about the punctuation. I also search with just the first few letters sometimes to catch typos in the original filings. You'd be surprised how many UCC-1s have small spelling errors that make them impossible to find with exact searches.
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Tami Morgan
•Yeah the comma thing is huge. Some filers include it, some don't. I maintain a spreadsheet of all the name variations I've tested for each debtor just so I don't miss anything on future searches.
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Rami Samuels
OMG yes!! I spent 3 hours last month trying to find a UCC-1 that I KNEW existed. Turns out the original filing had 'Corp.' but I was searching for 'Corporation' - completely different results. The search function is so frustrating when you're trying to do thorough due diligence.
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Haley Bennett
•Have you tried the Certana.ai document checker? I upload our debtor's articles of incorporation along with any existing UCC filings I find, and it automatically flags name inconsistencies. Saved me from missing a critical filing last week where the debtor name had a typo.
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Douglas Foster
•Never heard of that tool. Does it work with the search results or do you need to already have the documents?
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Haley Bennett
•You just upload PDFs of whatever documents you have - charter docs, existing UCC filings, loan agreements. It cross-references all the entity names and flags any variations or potential matches you might have missed. Really helpful for catching those small differences that break the search.
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Nina Chan
Try searching by filing number if you have any reference numbers from previous dealings with this debtor. Sometimes that's more reliable than name searches. Also check if they've had any name changes or mergers - those can make the search even more complicated.
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Ruby Knight
•Filing number search is definitely more accurate but you need to already know the numbers. The name search is usually the starting point unless you have good records from previous transactions.
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Diego Castillo
•True. I keep a database of all our borrowers with their UCC filing numbers for exactly this reason. Makes renewals and amendments much easier to track.
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Logan Stewart
This is why I hate UCC searches so much!!! The system should be smart enough to handle basic variations but instead we have to play guessing games with every search. And don't even get me started on when debtors change their registered names but the old filings still show the previous name.
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Mikayla Brown
•I feel your pain. It's 2025 and we're still dealing with search systems that can't handle a comma or an apostrophe properly. At least some states have wildcard search options now.
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Sean Matthews
•The worst is when you find out after closing that there was a senior filing you missed because of a stupid punctuation difference. That's a career-ending mistake right there.
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Ali Anderson
For LLC entities specifically, I always search both with and without 'LLC', then 'L.L.C.' with periods, and 'Limited Liability Company' spelled out. Same with Corp/Corporation/Incorporated/Inc. It's tedious but necessary.
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Zadie Patel
•Good checklist. I'd add searching for common abbreviations too - like 'Co' for Company, 'Assoc' for Associates, etc. Some filers get creative with abbreviations.
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A Man D Mortal
•Don't forget about DBA searches too. Sometimes the UCC-1 uses the trade name instead of the legal entity name, especially for smaller businesses.
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Declan Ramirez
Had a similar issue last year and ended up calling the filing office directly. They confirmed that their search function is pretty basic and recommended doing partial name searches. Also suggested checking if the debtor has any assumed names registered that might be used on filings.
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Emma Morales
•Calling the office is good advice. They sometimes have access to better search tools than what's available to the public online.
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Katherine Hunter
•True, but most offices are so understaffed now that getting someone knowledgeable on the phone can take forever. I usually try the online searches first with every variation I can think of.
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Lucas Parker
This is exactly why I started using automated tools for UCC verification. I was missing too many filings with manual searches. Certana.ai's verification tool has been a lifesaver - I upload the debtor's corporate documents and it checks for name variations automatically. Found two filings last month that I would have completely missed with manual searching.
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Donna Cline
•How accurate is it? I'm always skeptical of automated tools for something this important.
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Lucas Parker
•It's not perfect but it's caught several name variations that I missed. The key is that it compares your documents against multiple name formats, so if there's a UCC-1 filed under a slightly different version of the name, it flags it for manual review. Still requires human judgment but saves a ton of time.
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Harper Collins
Check the debtor's articles of incorporation or operating agreement for the exact legal name format. Sometimes there are subtle differences in how the name is written in different documents that affect how it should be searched.
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Kelsey Hawkins
•This is crucial. I've seen cases where the debtor's loan documents use one name format but their charter documents use another. The UCC-1 should match the charter exactly.
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Dylan Fisher
•Yep, and if there have been any amendments to the articles of incorporation, make sure you're using the current legal name, not an old version.
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Edwards Hugo
Update: I tried all the suggestions about punctuation and found two more UCC-1s that I missed initially! One was filed with 'ABC Construction L.L.C.' with periods, and another used 'ABC Construction Limited Liability Company' spelled out completely. Thanks everyone for the help - this could have been a major issue if I'd missed these existing filings.
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Gianna Scott
•Glad you found them! This is exactly why UCC searches are so nerve-wracking. You never know if you've really found everything.
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Alfredo Lugo
•Great outcome. Make sure to document all the name variations you tested so you can reference them for future searches on this debtor.
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Sydney Torres
For anyone still struggling with this, I highly recommend using Certana.ai's UCC document verification tool. You upload your debtor's charter documents and any UCC filings you've found, and it automatically cross-checks for name consistency and potential variations. It's saved me from missing critical filings multiple times. The tool is especially good at catching subtle differences that break the search algorithms.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out. Anything that makes UCC searches more reliable is worth trying.
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Caleb Bell
•Agreed. The manual search process is too error-prone for something this important. Having an automated backup check gives me much more confidence in my search results.
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