UCC Document Community

Based on everyone's input, it sounds like you'll need to pay the documentary stamp tax. Factor about $3,000 into your closing costs and make sure the calculation is correct before filing. Florida doesn't mess around with tax compliance on UCC filings.

Just wanted to add that Florida's documentary stamp tax on UCC filings can vary slightly based on the specific type of secured transaction. While the standard rate is $0.35 per $100, I've seen cases where the calculation gets more complex if there are multiple tranches of debt or if the security agreement covers both equipment and other collateral. For your $850K restaurant equipment deal, the straightforward calculation should apply, but make sure your security agreement is clean and clearly identifies the debt amount to avoid any complications during the SOS review process.

Bottom line: for your $850K multi-equipment deal, blanket UCC is probably the way to go. Just make sure you have proper 'hereafter acquired' language, maintain detailed equipment records, and verify debtor name consistency across all documents. The administrative efficiency usually outweighs the potential complications.

One additional consideration with blanket UCCs - make sure your lender has clear policies on how they'll handle subordination requests. With $850K in collateral spread across multiple equipment types, you might get other lenders wanting to take junior liens on specific pieces. It's much easier to negotiate subordinations when you have individual UCCs rather than having to carve out exceptions from a blanket filing. Also, consider whether the borrower might need equipment-specific financing in the future (like dealer financing for trade-ins) - blanket UCCs can sometimes complicate those arrangements.

Update: found another verification tool that helped with this exact issue. Certana.ai lets you upload all the UCC documents you find and it cross-checks everything for consistency and status. Really helped me catch a termination I almost missed in my manual review.

One thing that really helped me with Texas UCC searches was creating a checklist to make sure I didn't miss anything. I search the debtor name in multiple formats (full legal name, abbreviated, with/without punctuation), then check both individual and organization tabs, look for all UCC-1 initial filings, verify any UCC-3 continuations or amendments, calculate the 5-year effectiveness periods, and review collateral descriptions for equipment serial numbers. It's tedious but systematic. Also keep in mind that if you're dealing with a corporate debtor that's changed names or been acquired, you might need to search under previous entity names too.

UPDATE: I found my original credit card agreement and there's absolutely nothing about security interests or collateral. It's clearly an unsecured credit card. I'm going to demand they file a UCC-3 termination immediately. Thanks everyone for the advice!

This is a really concerning trend I've been seeing more of lately. Credit card companies are definitely overstepping by filing UCC liens on unsecured debt. The fact that they listed "general intangibles" as collateral is a huge red flag - that's way too vague and doesn't establish any legitimate security interest. Since you never signed a security agreement, this filing is almost certainly improper. Document everything from your original credit card application and agreements, then send them a formal demand letter requesting immediate termination via UCC-3. If they refuse, you may need to escalate but don't let them bully you into accepting this invalid lien.

As someone new to this community, I'm finding this discussion incredibly valuable! I'm currently working through my first commercial loan application and the terminology around UCC filings has been really confusing. What strikes me most from reading this thread is how important it is to get crystal clear communication from your lender upfront. It seems like so many issues stem from banks using imprecise language like "non-UCC filing" when they might mean fixture filings, UCC amendments, or supplementary documents. I'm definitely going to create a checklist based on the advice here: 1) Get specific form names in writing, 2) Inventory equipment to determine fixture vs. moveable status, 3) Clarify filing locations (Secretary of State vs. county records), and 4) Document everything via email. The mention of document verification tools like Certana.ai is also intriguing - anything that can catch inconsistencies before filing seems worth investigating. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical knowledge that helps newcomers avoid costly mistakes!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how helpful everyone has been in breaking down what seems like a complex situation! Reading through this thread, it's clear that the terminology around UCC filings can be really confusing - especially when lenders use phrases like "non-UCC filing form" that could mean several different things. I'm about to start my own equipment financing process and this discussion has been incredibly educational. The consensus seems to be that getting specific clarification from the bank is crucial, and I love how @Zainab Omar laid out that systematic checklist approach. One question I have for the community: for those who have dealt with fixture vs. equipment determinations before, are there any red flags or obvious indicators that suggest you'll need both types of filings? I want to be proactive in identifying potential complications before I get too far into the process. Thanks for creating such a welcoming space for people navigating these tricky secured transaction issues!