The Uniform Commercial Code (MCL440.1101 through MCL 440.11102), or UCC, governs commercial transactions. The Code includes 11 articles covering a variety of topics, such as sales, negotiable instruments, bank deposits and collections, and investment securities. Article 9 of the UCC, (Secured Transactions), designates the Office of the Secretary of State as the location for filing public notice of a secured transaction. This notice, called a financing statement, is evidence of a commercial agreement between two parties known as the “debtor” and the “secured party.” Upon request, UCC also searches the filed information by debtor name. When a debtor pledges collateral on a loan, UCC search results show lenders whether others have filed a claim against the same collateral.
A debtor borrows money and pledges collateral (something of equal or greater value) against the value of the loan in the event that the debtor defaults on the loan payments.
The secured party is the lender, seller or other entity that has rights to the collateral pledged against a loan in the event that the debtor defaults.
Michigan Department of State
UCC Unit
P.O. Box 30197
Lansing, MI 48909-7697
Phone: 517-335-6167
Send express mail by private courier to this address:
Michigan Department of State
UCC Unit
7064 Crowner Drive
Dimondale, MI 48821
Phone: 517-335-6167
Sending regular mail to the express mail address will delay delivery. Send regular mail to:
Michigan Department of State
UCC Unit
PO Box 30197
Lansing, MI 48909-7697
UCC business hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
*Most of Michigan is in the Eastern Time Zone. Four counties (Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson, and Menominee) in the western Upper Peninsula that share their southern border with Wisconsin are in the Central Time Zone. Michigan uses Daylight Savings Time from 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March until 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November.
No. UCC does not issue the bar codes or UPC symbols used by scanning equipment to capture data. Contact the GS1 US for information about these codes.
Article 9 or the entire UCC Code can be downloaded by selecting the appropriate link:
Forms can be downloaded for free from the Department of State website. Fees are charged for other UCC transactions, such as submitting a filing or conducting a search.
Yes. A monthly subscription service is available for the bulk purchase of UCC filing information. The Department of State does not offer a full file of historical images. The fees are as follows:
| Bulk filing data |
|
| One month | $500 |
| Six months | $3,000 |
| Bulk filing images |
|
| 12 month | $6,000 |
|
Call 517-335-6167 or |
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Contact the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for copies, certificates, or general information.
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Commercial Services
Corporation Division P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, Michigan 48909-7554.
517-241-6470
If you frequently request searches or file financing statements in UCC, contact our Accounts Receivable Unit at 517-335-3124 to establish a billing account. After a billing account has been established, you will receive a monthly invoice from the Accounts Receivable Unit.
In order to pay using your new billing account, you will need to contact the UCC Office via email and provide your new billing account number and a list of user names of employees whose searches or financing statements need to be included on your monthly invoice.
Make your check or money order payable to "State of Michigan."
Contact the UCC Office by calling 517-335-6167 or via email.
A financing statement provides public notice of the security agreement between a debtor and the secured party, the lender. The financing statement describes the types of collateral or personal property that is pledged against the value of the loan, and it identifies the parties that have an interest or stake in the collateral if the debtor defaults. A financing statement filing includes all UCC documents related to the initial financing statement.
A financing statement amendment is a UCC document that amends the information in a financing statement. Amendments include continuations (extends the effective filing period for five more years), changes to debtors or secured parties, terminations (terminates the filing), and assignments (assigns all or part of a security interest to another secured party).
If a continuation is not filed, the financing statement will lapse in five years from the initial filing date. Continuations may be filed in increments of five years and always expire on the anniversary date of the initial filing. A continuation may be filed up to six months before the expiration date of the financing statement. Under Article 9, all lapsed and terminated filings remain active on system for search reporting purposes only for one year after the initial financing statement lapsed (or would have lapsed).
Use the UCC1 form to file an initial financing statement. If you have more than two debtor names, you must include a UCC1 addendum form. Debtor names must be entered as an individual or as an organization, but not both.
Use the UCC3 form to file an amendment. Always include the reference number for the initial UCC filing when filling out the UCC3. A separate UCC3 form is required for each amendment to the initial financing statement. For example, a continuation and an assignment would need to be submitted on two separate UCC3 forms, and two filing fees will be charged.
The UCC1 form has designated spaces for two debtor names. If you have more than two debtor names, you must include the appropriate addendum form. Debtor names must be entered as an individual, or as an organization, but not both.
When filing an initial financing statement with more than two debtor names, attach a UCC1Ad Initial Addendum or a UCC1AP Initial Additional Party form.
When filing an amendment with more than two debtor names, attach a UCC3Ad Amendment Addendum or a UCC3AP Amendment Additional Party form.
A fixture filing covers goods that are permanently attached to the land or real property. Fixture filings are recorded at a county Register of Deeds office. Farm products (crops, livestock and their unprocessed products) are not considered fixtures. Filings related to farm products should be filed at the UCC office rather than at a Register of Deeds office.
Submit the following when filing a UCC1:
One copy of the completed UCC1 form. Make sure all form information is complete, accurate, and legible, including names and addresses for the debtor and secured parties.
A check or money order for the appropriate fee, made payable to "State of Michigan," or the submitter's previously established billing account number in good standing.
The debtor name shown on the UCC1 form should be the debtor's legal name. The UCC1 form should include a description of the collateral covered by the financing statement.
A tax identification number is not required on initial and amendment financing statements. UCC documents are public records. Filers may wish to consider protecting their customers by excluding Social Security numbers and other personal identifying information from UCC documents.
Signatures are not required on an initial financing statement.
Signatures are not required on financing statement amendments.
Submit a UCC3 financing statement amendment form. Make sure to reference the initial filing number and mark the termination box.
A secured party may assign all or part of its rights by filing an assignment financing statement using a UCC3 form. If all of the rights are assigned, the new secured party assigned those rights becomes the secured party of record. If the assignment is for part of the rights, both the previous secured party and the new secured party are on file as secured parties of record.
A UCC5 Information Statement is filed by the debtor when a record is:
A UCC5 Information Statement is filed by the secured party when a record is:
Once the UCC5 is recorded, the secured party should file the correct action.
The UCC5 is not an amendment, and it does not alter or cancel the filing in question. The UCC office does not determine whether the UCC5 is effective or legitimate. A financing statement amendment must be used to make changes to previous filings.
A filing is made based on the location of the debtor. Filings that name an individual as the debtor are made in the debtor’s state of residence. A filing listing an organization as the debtor will be filed in the state in which the organization is registered.
Filing in the wrong office is not a sufficient reason to reject a filing.
Mortgages, fixtures, minerals and timber are filed with the county Register of Deeds in the state of the debtor or organization. All other types of collateral, including transmitting utilities, should be filed with the UCC Office.
This decision is left to the filer. Failure to list collateral or filing in the wrong office is not a reason to reject the financing statement. Mortgages, fixtures, minerals, and timber to be cut are filed with the county Register of Deeds. All other types of collateral, including filings for transmitting utilities, should be filed with the UCC Office.
Find the contact information for each Michigan county Register of Deeds office at the Michigan Association of Registers of Deeds. Use the Menu button. Select “Members” from the banner that appears; this will allow you to search by county, region or a map of the state.
The UCC1 financing statement form and the UCC3 financing statement amendment form, with revision dates of April 20, 2011, are the standard filing forms used in Michigan.
Electronic filing through UCC Online is available to UCC billing account customers, and credit or debit card customers. Visit UCC Online for more information.
The UCC Office does not accept filings by fax or email.
Filing fees apply to all UCC1 and UCC3 filings, including terminations.
$15 per filing (standard filing fee, includes attachments)
Filing Online: If you processed your filing using UCC Online, there will be an acknowledgement copy available when you complete your filing. If you don’t print your acknowledgement copy immediately, it will be kept in your Submission History for 90 days.
Filing by Mail: The UCC Office will mail you an acknowledgement copy of your filing once it has been received and processed – usually in about three-to-seven days.
Filing by Mail if You Have an Online Account: You will receive an email notification once your filing has been received and processed. Your acknowledgement copy will be placed in your online account Submission History for 90 days.
Corporate jurisdiction, type and identification number are no longer required on a UCC financing statement. Records for Michigan companies are kept with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Commercial Services, Corporation Division. Visit the Corporation Division for more information.
Terminate the financing statement in the office that received the original filing, either the Michigan Department of State UCC Office or the County Register of Deeds.
Searches
Debtor Name
$6 per debtor name
Expedited Search
$31 per debtor name ($6 standard search fee plus $25 expedited search fee)
Filing Copies
$2 per page
Request for Official Seal
$12 per request ($6 standard search fee plus $6 Official Seal fee)
Online account holders and debit and credit card users may request a search by using UCC Online.
A search also may be requested by submitting a UCC11 Information Request form through mail or express mail, or in person at the Secretary of State UCC Office.
Debtor names will be searched on system as they were submitted. To ensure accurate results, make sure debtor names are spelled correctly. The search request should also include whether you need an information listing of financing statements and tax liens, copies of these documents, or both. Collateral from financing statements does not show on information listings.
UCC information requests submitted by mail or express mail should include a check or money order for $6 made payable to the “State of Michigan.” You will be billed for any balances due if the costs of compiling a search request exceed $6.
Search results are usually returned within three-to-seven business days.
An itemized list of fees for each search is included on the Work Order Receipt page of the search results.
Payment for any outstanding balance must be sent within 15 days to:
Michigan Department of State
Cashier Unit
7064 Crowner Drive
Lansing, Michigan 48918
Mark the “Expedited” checkbox when completing a UCC11 Information Request. Most expedited searches are processed the day they are received. There is a $25 expeditious service fee per debtor name. All other fees apply. If you have a billing account in good standing, you may fax your request for an expedited search. The fax number is 517-335-6166. The billing account number must be included on your fax request. UCC account customers are billed monthly for the total number of searches requested.
If you do not have a billing account, fees must be prepaid before your request is processed.
A UCC copy search will include copies of state and federal tax liens, and all active financing statements. Active financing statements include all filings that have not lapsed. Lapsed financing statements are searchable for one year beyond the lapse date. To request copies of both active and lapsed filings, choose “All” on the UCC11 form.
On the UCC11 form, select checkbox 3b “Search Certificate and Copies.” Your processed search result with copies will include any collateral. Financing statements are indexed by debtor name, not collateral or secured party.
You will receive the filing number, date and time of filing, document type, and the name and address of the secured party for each financing statement associated with the debtor name submitted. Collateral is not included. To find collateral, a search with copies should be requested.
For information regarding Michigan Department of Treasury state tax liens, contact the Collections Division at 517-636-5265.
For information regarding Unemployment Insurance Agency tax liens, contact the Tax Information Support Team at 1-800-638-3994 or online at www.michigan.gov/uia.
You may also write to:
Unemployment Insurance Agency
11th Floor, Tax Office
3024 W. Grand Blvd.
Detroit, Michigan 48202
For information regarding Internal Revenue Service (IRS) federal tax liens, contact the IRS Tax Lien Department at 1-800-913-6050.
Yes, UCC search results are certified. The filing officer certifies that the search reports contain all active financing statements, tax liens and assignments for the debtor name on file, as of the current certification date. If needed, a certification seal on your search results is available for an additional fee of $6 per seal.
UCC Search Logic has specific rules for its internal logic. Understanding how it works will help ensure correct search results. For example, certain business endings are considered “noise” words and are eliminated for search purposes. Debtor names are searched exactly as submitted, even if spelled incorrectly. “All” on the UCC11 form includes all lapsed and terminated filings for one year after the filing lapse date.
Contact the UCC Office at UCCSection@michigan.gov to request a copy.
Because your billing account number has not been linked to your online user profile. Setting up a billing account and establishing an online user account are two separate operations in the UCC system. For example, if you set up a billing account as a mail customer, and later established an online profile, your user name, the user names of any employees authorized to use the system, and your billing account number must be provided to the UCC Office so that your online account can be connected with your billing account. A confirmation email will be sent once your online account and billing account have been linked.
A billing account is most beneficial for UCC customers who conduct a large number of searches and filings monthly, either by mail or online.
You should first set up a primary user account. We recommend that the primary user be the person in your organization who will handle the monthly billing account invoices. Create a generic user ID for the primary account. Once the primary account is set up, a secondary account for each employee who will process filings or searches will need to be added. To create an account for a secondary user, select the Personalization menu, then User Creation, and then Add New User.
To connect your billing account number to all of the users you created, send an email to the UCC Office and include your billing account number and all user names. You will receive a confirmation email from the UCC Office once the billing account number is connected to all of your users.
A Filing Organization allows you to electronically manage multiple users. Companies that have a large number of employees who use the UCC Online system to process financing statements or searches find a Filing Organization beneficial.
The first time you log into your primary account, the UCC Online system will require you to set up at least one Filing Organization. Each secondary user must be assigned to a Filing Organization.
The Debtor Name Quick Search is a free online service that allows you to identify debtor names and their variations before submitting a UCC11 Information Request. Debtor name quick searches provide a list of Initial Financing Statement and tax lien numbers.
Use your UCC billing account or an American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit or debit card.
Account holders are billed monthly and are customers who frequently file or search UCC documents. Contact the Accounts Receivable Unit at 517-335-3124 to set up a billing account.
No, you must select either “Billing Account” or “Credit Card” when paying for an order.
Yes. You may submit up to five financing statements, searches, or combination of the two in one order.
On the UCC Online homepage, the blue “Login or Register” button is displayed under the photo of a computer mouse.
Only your password is case sensitive.
Your password remains active for 90 days. You may change your password at any time by selecting "Change Password" on the Personalization menu. When logging into UCC Online, incorrectly typing the password three times deactivates it. To reactivate your password, contact your organization’s primary user or the UCC Office at 517-335-6167.
United States’ ZIP Codes use a five- or nine-digit format. If you are a registered user from a country other than the U.S., you must first select your country from the drop-down menu and the Zip Code field will change to the international Postal Code field.
To save entered information, Select the “Save and Add to Cart” button on the Review screen. The information will be saved in your cart for 10 days. If you exit without saving, your information will be lost.
Once a filing is in the Shopping Cart it cannot be edited. If you realize a mistake has been made, you may delete the filing and begin a new one.
If you are still on the same page, select the “Edit” button next to the debtor, secured party or assignee’s name in the table. Your previously entered information in the name and address fields will appear and you may make any changes necessary. Select the “Save” button when you are done.
If you have entered a party in error, select the “Delete” button to remove the party’s information.
If you are on the Review screen, select the “Edit” button next to the section where the error was made. For example, if a debtor’s name was entered incorrectly, select the “Edit Debtor Info” button to return to the Debtor screen and make your corrections as explained previously.
Never use your browser’s back button to move from a screen! If you need to go back, use the “Back” button provided by the UCC application. Enter the required information and select the “Save” button. You must have at least one debtor or one secured party saved to move to the next screen. The “Continue” button will advance you to the next screen in the filing flow.
You will be returned to the login screen.
Yes. Locations outside the U.S. should select their country from the Country drop-down menu during registration.
Call the UCC Office at 517-335-6167 during normal business hours, or e-mail us.
From the UCC menu, select “UCC Filing” and then the filing type (for example, UCC1 Initial Filing Statement).
Edits can be made from the Review screen. You can delete a financing statement on the Shopping Cart screen.
No, an image of the financing statement will be provided after the filing acknowledgement is generated after Checkout.
Yes, collateral descriptions can be copied from other sources and pasted into the collateral data field. After pasting the data into the collateral field, examine the text to ensure it does not appear too small. If the text appears small and unreadable in this box, it will appear the same way on the image produced when you complete the filing.
If you experience text size or other formatting issues, contact the UCC Office at 517-335-6167.
No. Financing statements, UCC1 and UCC3 forms, and their attachments must be mailed to the UCC Office for processing. Don’t forget to include your billing account number or payment in the form of a check or money order.
Filing documents are delivered to your Submission History as PDFs once you complete checkout. You must be logged in to access your Submission History; select Work Order Number and you will be directed to the Work Order Detail screen. You may view and print your filing documents by selecting either Acknowledgment or Filing Image. Files are available in the Submission History for 90 days.
An electronic searching service for billing account customers and credit or debit card customers is available online. You must register for a user account by selecting "Login" or "Register" and then Create a User Account.
The certification date is the date that all filings submitted by mail to the UCC filing office have been completed. Filings received by mail are normally completed within two business days. The certification date is available on the UCC website and printed on the search certificate report.
You will be notified by two separate emails when your search is being processed and when your documents are ready. To retrieve files from your Submission History, you must be logged in to the system. Select the Work Order Number and you will be directed to the Work Order Details screen. You may view and print your search results by selecting “View” under Acknowledgment. The documents are kept in Zip files and are available in the Submission History for 90 days.
You will need software capable of opening Zip files.
Search results are retrievable for 90 calendar days. These stored documents will not be updated to reflect subsequent filings, so results are only current through the search certification date.
You will receive results in Zip files containing PDF documents. If you print the files, the results will be identical to the results you would have received mailing in a search request. Among the many advantages of completing a search online:
You get results quickly, instead of waiting for mail turnaround times.
You may store the electronic format on your hard drive or other external storage.
Electronically stored search results take up less space than paper search results.
Yes, as soon as you complete check out, your filing is available for searches online. Filings that are mailed will take a day or two longer to process, therefore the certification date will always be at least one day earlier. If you want search results that show your filing on or before the latest certification date, wait a couple of days before searching to give the UCC Office time to process mailed filings.
Search results display the debtor name as entered by the search submitter. If there are records for that debtor name, the following fields are shown:
File Number
Lien Type
Debtor Name
Filing Date
Lapse Date
Status (Active or Lapsed)
The only file numbers that will show on a Debtor Name Quick Search are initial financing statements or initial tax liens.
If you want to view the documents listed, complete a UCC11 search. You will have several search options, including obtaining the specific copies shown or completing a certified search of the debtor name. Search fees will then apply.
The Debtor Name Quick Search message "No Data Found with your search criteria" will be returned on your screen. UCC11 results will say "No Results Found" on the information listing page.
Editing can be done from the Review screen before saving to your shopping cart. Any search request can be deleted on the Shopping Cart screen before Checkout.
The itemized receipt for the search will appear on the Submission Confirmation page, indicating the search request was successfully submitted. An email will be sent indicating your search is being processed. A second email will be sent when the order is ready for viewing.
The UCC system search logic does not recognize individual debtor name suffixes such as senior and junior, or Roman numerals indicating birth order.
An electronic filing service for billing account and credit or debit card customers is available online. You must create a user account by selecting the “Login or Register” button.
