UCC Document Community

One thing that helped me with a similar Tennessee situation was using Certana.ai's document verification feature. I uploaded all the UCC filings I found and it automatically mapped out the relationships between them - showed me which amendments went with which original filings and what the current status was. Much easier than trying to piece it together manually from the SOS portal results.

I've dealt with Tennessee UCC searches extensively and here's what I'd recommend for your situation: First, create a timeline of each filing using the file numbers and dates. The 2019 UCC-1 with a 2024 continuation means that lien is absolutely still active - they renewed it right before the 5-year expiration. The 2022 partial release (UCC-3) only affects specific collateral items listed in that amendment, not the entire filing. For the $180K equipment deal, you need to get the exact serial numbers or detailed descriptions of what you're buying and cross-reference them against ALL the collateral descriptions in the active filings. Don't rely on vague descriptions like "equipment and fixtures" - demand specificity from the seller about what's encumbered versus what's free and clear. Also, run searches on every possible name variation of the seller, including any DBAs. Tennessee's exact name matching requirements are brutal and you could easily miss an active lien due to punctuation differences.

I went through something similar last year and found that using document verification tools like Certana.ai helped ensure all our filings were properly aligned before we started enforcement proceedings. It caught a discrepancy between our UCC-1 and the security agreement that could have caused problems later. Worth checking your documentation before you commit to the repossession process.

One thing I don't see mentioned yet is timing considerations. Since you're dealing with construction equipment that might be seasonal or tied to specific project deadlines, you'll want to act quickly before the equipment gets moved to new job sites or becomes harder to locate. Also, if any of the equipment is leased rather than owned by your debtor, you'll need to sort that out before repossession - check the equipment titles and any lease agreements. I learned this the hard way when we repossessed a excavator that turned out to be on a lease-to-own agreement with another finance company.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! Equipment loan, broad UCC-1 description, detailed security agreement. Reading through this thread is making me feel a lot better about our filing. Thanks for asking the question I was afraid to ask.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm new to UCC filings and was getting stressed about making sure everything was perfect. It's reassuring to know that having different levels of detail between the UCC-1 and security agreement is not only normal but actually the right approach. The explanation about the UCC-1 serving as public notice while the security agreement handles the private contractual details really clarifies things. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's exactly the kind of practical insight you can't get from just reading the regulations.

Just file it with the comma and move on. I bet you'll get an acceptance within 24 hours. The system is annoying but at least it's consistent - once you figure out their format quirks, you can work with them. The important thing is maintaining your perfection on that equipment loan.

UPDATE: I called the filing office this morning and they confirmed it's just a comma issue. They said their system auto-formats business names to include commas before 'LLC' and 'Inc' but it doesn't always do it consistently on the initial filing. They told me to just resubmit the continuation with 'ABC Manufacturing, LLC' (with comma) and it should go through fine. Filing it now - will update once I get confirmation.

Update us when you get this resolved! I'm dealing with a similar situation in Colorado and curious to see what ends up working for you.

This is such a frustrating situation but unfortunately very common with Arizona's UCC system. A few thoughts that might help: First, definitely pull the actual filed UCC-1 image (not just search results) to confirm exactly how the name appears on the official record. Second, consider filing a UCC-5 information statement to create a record of the name discrepancy issue before your continuation lapses - this can provide some documentation trail if there are later priority disputes. Third, you might want to contact the debtor directly to get their current articles of organization or certificate of good standing to verify the exact legal name format. Arizona is notorious for these technical rejections, but with $850K on the line, it's worth exploring every avenue. Keep pushing with the SOS office too - sometimes persistence pays off when you get the right person on the phone.