UCC Search Logic Help

How to Search UCC Records
There are two basic ways to perform a search with the Oregon UCC office. You can do an uncertified search yourself through our web page, or request our office to perform a certified search for you for a fee.

The web page will allow you to do an Expanded UCC Information Search to find names that may not come up when using the standard UCC Information Search logic. It will also mimic, if you wish, the standard UCC Information Search logic to find the same results that a certified search in our office would. If you have the filing number of a document held in our office, you can simply select the File Number Search tab and retrieve the specific file you want.

We recommend that you use the Expanded UCC Information Search before a standard search to ensure you know the exact debtor name used on the filing.

What is the standard UCC Information Search Logic?
Many people have questions about the standard search logic under the Oregon Administrative Rules. The filing office is required to enter the information into the database exactly as it is written in the form. For example, when a filer submits:

Last name: Brown
First name: John and Mary
Middle: (blank)

The database will show a single debtor named John and Mary Brown. Clearly, the filer needs to be extremely careful about how the name is presented to our office, and the searcher must use care as well.

The Oregon Administrative rules in question can be found in Sections 500-506, with 503.8 being worthy of note, as it is by far the most complicated. Please see below.

The following is a simple explanation of the new search logic.

How does it work?
Because the legal name of an individual debtor is often uncertain, the basic idea of a search on an individual is to cast the widest net possible. However, searches on business names are more restrictive, because the legal name of a business is easily determined. Moreover, the rules are written to be completely automated: "Human judgment does not play a role in determining the results of the search."

Some rules apply to both businesses and individual names: punctuation, case, and spaces are disregarded. Results show only filings related to exact names given, as interpreted by 502.7, in the case of individuals. Business names are fairly straightforward, with extraneous details left out of search criteria, such as entity types (Inc., LP) at the end of a name. Individual names are much more complex, but basically revolve around the "name field": if there's a hit in each name field (last, first and middle initial) AND all the fields together, then it will show up in the search report.

Given the last name, a hit in the remaining name fields will be made if the initial letter of the name, if no name or initial is listed, or all the letters are matched. For example, "B" will show "B", "Bill" and "Bob", while "Bob" will show "B" or "Bob" only. The lack of middle initial brings up all middle names and initials.

Search Name	Matching Debtor Name on Report?
Below shows the different variations; note that each search name successfully brings up each variation.	G. Ruth	George Ruth	G. H. Ruth	George H. Ruth	G. Herman Ruth	George Herman Ruth
G. Ruth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
George Ruth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
G.H. Ruth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
George H. Ruth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
G. Herman Ruth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
George Herman Ruth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Clearly, things that are reasonably similar to the search name will be found. But what about other names that seem close but are easily distinguishable? Under the rules, some will be found, others will not, as below.

Search Name	Matching Debtor Name on Report?
	Babe Ruth	Greg Ruth	Greg H. Ruth	G. Howard Ruth	G. William Ruth	Gary Howard Ruth
G. Ruth	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
G.H. Ruth	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
George Ruth	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
George H. Ruth	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
G. Herman Ruth	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
George Herman Ruth	No	No	No	No	No	No

UCC Public Records Image Information
Online access to UCC images is available for documents filed after July 1, 2007. To request a copy of UCC filings that are not available, please complete and submit form UCC-11. Oregon law changed in 2007 to allow the Corporation Division to reject filings containing un-redacted Social Security Numbers. All filings are inspected for redaction of personal information, such as SSN and account information, and filings with un-redacted personal information are rejected.

Oregon Administrative Rule Ch. 160-040-0500

General requirements

The filing officer maintains for public inspection a searchable index for all Active Records in the UCC information management system. Active Records will be retrievable by the name of the debtor or by the file number of the related initial financing statement, and each Active Record related to an initial financing statement is retrieved with the initial financing statement using either retrieval method.

160-040-0501

Search requests

Search requests shall contain the following information.

(1) Name searched. A search request must set forth the name of the debtor to be searched using designated fields for organization and individual first, middle and last names. A search request will be processed using the data and designated fields exactly as submitted, including the submission of no data in a given field, without regard to the nature or character of the debtor that is the subject of the search.

(2) Requesting party. The name and address of the person to whom the search results is to be sent. equesting party. The name and address of the person to whom the search report is to be sent.

(3) Fee. The appropriate fee shall be tendered by a method described in rule 160-040-0105.

160-040-0502

Search requests -- Optional Information

A UCC search request may contain any of the following information.

(1) Copy request. The request may ask for copies of UCC records identified on the primary search response.

(2) Mode of delivery. A search request may specify a mode of delivery for search results and that request will be honored if the requested mode is made available by the filing office, and all requisite fees are tendered.

(3) Scope of search. A search request may ask for a search that reports all Active Records retrieved by the search rather than only Unlapsed Records retrieved by the search.

160-040-0503

Rules applied to search requests

Search results are produced by the application of standardized search logic to the name presented to the filing officer. Human judgment does not play a role in determining the results of the search. The following rules apply to searches:

(1) Number of matches. There is no limit to the number of matches that may be returned in response to the search criteria.

(2) Case. No distinction is made between upper and lower case letters.

(3) “&” (and). The character “&” (the ampersand) is deleted and replaced with the characters “and” each place it appears in the name.

(4) Punctuation. Punctuation marks and accents are disregarded. For the purposes of this rule, punctuation and accents include all characters other than the numerals 0 through 9 and the letters A through Z (in any case) of the English alphabet.

[Note: In order to receive the best possible results, we recommend that you search any/all applicable names using both "and" and "&". ]

(5) Organization names. The following words and abbreviations at the end of an organization name that indicate the existence or nature of the organization are “disregarded” to the extent practicable as determined by the filing office’s programming of its UCC information management system: Oregon “Ending Noise Words” List: http://www.filinginoregon.com/pages/ucc/search/noise.html

(6) "The." The word “the” at the beginning of an organization debtor name is disregarded.

[Note: If the business name you are searching has "The" at the beginning, include it in your searching criteria. Results will reflect matching business names with and without "The" at the beginning.]

(7) Spaces. All spaces are disregarded.

(8) First and middle names. For first and middle names of individual debtor names, initials are treated as the logical equivalent of all names that begin with such initials, and first name and no middle name or initial is equated with all middle names and initials. For example, a search request for “John A. Smith” would cause the search to retrieve all filings against all individual debtors with “John” or the initial “J” as the first name, “Smith” as the last name, and with the initial “A” or any name beginning with “A” in the middle name field. If the search request were for “John Smith” (first and last names with no designation in the middle name field), the search would retrieve all filings against individual debtors with “John” or the initial J as the first name, “Smith” as the last name and with any name or initial or no name or initial in the middle name field.

(9) Last name only. If the name being searched is the last name of an individual debtor name without any first or middle name provided, the search will retrieve from the UCC information management system all Unlapsed Records or, if requested by the searcher, all Active Records that pertain to financing statements with individual debtor names that consist of such last name, any or no middle name or initial and no first name.

(10) Suffixes. Suffixes of individual names, such as "Jr." and "III" will be disregarded as search criteria.

(11) After using the preceding rules to modify the name being searched, the search will retrieve from the UCC information management system all Unlapsed Records, or, if requested by the searcher, all Active Records, that pertain to financing statements with debtor names that, after being modified as provided in this rule 503, exactly match the modified name being searched.

160-040-0504

Notice of Changes

Changes in standard search logic. If the filing office changes its standard search logic or the implementation of its standard search logic in a manner that could alter search results, the filing office will provide public notice of such change.

160-040-0505

Search Responses

Reports created in response to a search request shall include the following:

(1) Filing officer. Identification of the filing officer responsible for search report.

(2) Report date. The date and time the report was generated.

(3) Name searched. Identification of the name searched.

(4) Unique search report identification number. Unique number which identifies the search report.

(5) Through date. The date at or prior to which a UCC record must have been filed with the filing office in order for it to be reflected on the search.

(6) Copies. Copies of all UCC records revealed by the search and requested by the searcher. Copies of all UCC records retrieved by the search will reflect any redaction of personal identifying information required by law.

160-040-0506

Search Report

The search report shall contain the following:

(1) Identification of financing statement. Identification of each initial financing statement, including a listing of all related amendments, correction statements, or filing officer notices, filed on or prior to the through date corresponding to the search criteria (including whether the searcher has requested Active Records or only Unlapsed Records). Financing statement information shall include, but is not limited to the following:

              (a) Initial financing statement file number. The initial financing statement file number.

              (b) Initial financing statement filing date. The date it was filed.

              (c) Lapse date. Provide lapse date as calculated as of the through date established under rule 505(5).

(2) Debtor name. The debtor name(s) that appear(s) of record.

(3) Debtor address. The debtor address(s) that appear(s) of record.

(4) Secured party name. The secured party name(s) that appear(s) of record.

(5) Secured party address. The secured party address(es) that appear(s) of record.

(6) Amendment type. An indication of type of each amendment, if any.

(7) Amendment filing date and time. The date and time each amendment, if any, was filed.

(8) Amendment file number. The amendment file number of each amendment, if any.

(9) Correction statement filing date and time. The date and time a correction statement, if any, was filed.

(10) Filing officer statement filing date and time. The date and time a filing officer statement, if any, was filed.

(11) Filing Type. The type of filing, including UCC financing statement, type of statutory lien or warrant, or EFS filing.