Georgia UCC financing statements are searched through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), whose search page offers name, file number, date-and-county and secured party searches of the Georgia UCC indexes. Ravenside Lending, a small-business funding broker in Macon, GA, explains how owners can check their own liens before lending partners do.
Where Georgia UCC records are searched
The GSCCCA search page lists the ways to search the Georgia UCC indexes (checked 2026-10-16):
- Basic Name Search: search the indexes alphabetically by debtor name.
- File Number Search: look up specific filings by file number.
- Daily Search: filings for a specific date and county.
- Secured Party Search: search by the name of the lender or funder.
- Certified Search Request: request a certified search online, which the page says requires a valid user account.
The page also lists a premium UCC index search. Check GSCCCA's site for current access terms before you search.
UCC-1 financing statements in brief
A UCC financing statement, often called a UCC-1, is a public notice that a lender or funder claims a security interest in some of a business's property. It names the debtor (your business), the secured party (the lender or funder) and the collateral. Equipment lenders, inventory lenders, banks and merchant cash advance funders all file them. A filing is a notice, not a judgment, but other lenders treat it seriously.
Searching your own business name
- Start with a name search using your business's exact registered name, as it appears in your Georgia entity records.
- Search again with common variations, such as with and without Inc. or LLC, or with an abbreviation, because a lender may have filed under a slightly different name.
- Note each filing's file number, date, county and secured party.
- Open each filing and read the collateral description.
- If you hold amendment or termination paperwork, search by file number to confirm it was recorded.
Sole proprietors should also search under their own name, since filings against a proprietorship are usually made in the owner's name.
Reading the collateral description
The collateral description is the line that matters most. A filing that names one piece of equipment by serial number affects only that asset. A blanket filing describing "all assets" or listing every category of business property, such as inventory, accounts, equipment and general intangibles, can block a new lender from taking a first position on anything. Merchant cash advance funders often file against accounts and receivables. The merchant cash advance page explains why.
Clearing a lien that should be gone
If you have paid off a loan or advance and the filing is still active, contact the secured party and ask it to file a termination statement. Keep your payoff letter, since a lender reviewing your file will want to see it. If the secured party will not respond, ask your attorney about the next step.
Why lenders check UCC filings
A lender wants to know who else has a claim on your assets and in what order. Existing filings can mean the new lender would be second in line, which may change the offer or stop it altogether. Some lenders ask an earlier secured party to subordinate its claim or limit its collateral. Equipment lenders usually want a first position on the equipment they finance, and inventory lenders on the stock.
Searching a business you plan to buy
A UCC search is not only for your own company. If you are buying a business, or buying its equipment or inventory, search the seller's name as well. A filing against the assets you are paying for means a lender or funder may claim them, and the purchase agreement should require those filings to be released or terminated at closing. Your attorney can advise on how to structure that.
Before you apply for funding
Search, list every active filing, and gather payoff letters or current balances for each. Bring that list when you call; it saves time and avoids surprises. The guide library has the other Georgia guides, including how to get a business loan in Georgia.
By Ravenside Lending ยท Updated