Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Alabama
Central filing office
Alabama Secretary of State, UCC Division
Opens arc-sos.state.al.us in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- Simple online search (no images): free. Advanced search with images through Alabama Interactive (non-subscriber): $15 per name search plus $1 per page, file number search $0 plus $1 per page, plus a $5.50 efficiency fee (portal also lists a $9.75 electronic access fee per transaction). UCC-11 debtor name search: $20 plus $1 per page for copies.
- Certified search
- Submit a UCC-11 Search Request to the Secretary of State UCC Division (mailing address PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103). Certified search by debtor name: $20 for the name, plus $1 per page and $5 per file number. Expedite fee: $100 per search.
- Last verified
What to know in Alabama
- The free Simple Search (no images) runs by debtor name or filing number with no login; enter personal names as "last name, first name".
- The Type filter covers more than UCC financing statements: federal and state tax liens, child support, farm, manufactured home, utility and other lien types. Use "All Records" for a full check.
- The search page shows a filings-completed-through date; check it before relying on a clean result.
- Document images are only in the paid Advanced Search run by Alabama Interactive, LLC under a state contract.
About this tool
Is Alabama the right filing office to search?
Search Alabama when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Alabama is located in Alabama (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Alabama is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Alabama, search its formation state first, then Alabama as well. A filing in the wrong state may not perfect anything, but it still shows that another funder believes it has a claim.
How to search UCC filings in Alabama, step by step
- 1
Confirm the exact legal name
Copy the carrier's name from its formation record, entity suffix and punctuation included. A financing statement against a registered organization has to use the name on its public organic record (UCC §9-503).
- 2
Run the Alabama debtor search
Open the Alabama Secretary of State, UCC Division search and search the exact name. Its online debtor search is free and needs no account.
- 3
Repeat with the variations
Search the DBA, former names, the owner's individual name for a sole proprietor, and the name with and without "LLC" or "Inc.". Each filing office applies its own search logic (UCC §9-506), so one search is rarely enough.
- 4
Open every hit's full history
Read the UCC-1 collateral description, then every UCC-3 filed against the same initial file number: amendments, assignments, continuations and terminations.
- 5
Record what you found
Save the results with the search date and time in the carrier's file. When you need an official record, order the certified search described above.
What to look for in the results
- Blanket liens: collateral described as "all assets" or "all personal property" reaches accounts, so it covers the invoices you plan to buy.
- Accounts and receivables: a description naming "accounts" or "receivables" usually means another factor or an asset-based lender.
- Lapse dates: a UCC-1 is effective for five years after filing unless a continuation is filed in the six months before it lapses (UCC §9-515).
- Assignments and terminations: an assignment changes who you ask for a release, and a filed termination ends the financing statement's effectiveness (UCC §9-513).
If you find a lien
Contact the secured party on a number you find yourself, and ask for a letter of release covering the accounts or a UCC-3 termination before you fund. The free NOA and release letter generator drafts the letter. If the prior factor has already notified the carrier's brokers, read two NOAs, one carrier.
For the full process, see UCC lien searches before you fund a carrier and the UCC-1 glossary entry.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search UCC filings in Alabama?
In Alabama, UCC records are kept by the Alabama Secretary of State, UCC Division. Its online debtor search is free and needs no account. Use the official search, enter the carrier's exact legal name, then repeat with its DBA and name variations.
How much does a UCC search cost in Alabama?
Simple online search (no images): free. Advanced search with images through Alabama Interactive (non-subscriber): $15 per name search plus $1 per page, file number search $0 plus $1 per page, plus a $5.50 efficiency fee (portal also lists a $9.75 electronic access fee per transaction). UCC-11 debtor name search: $20 plus $1 per page for copies. These figures come from the official sources listed on this page as of October 19, 2026; confirm them on the filing office's site before you order.
How do I get a certified UCC search in Alabama?
Submit a UCC-11 Search Request to the Secretary of State UCC Division (mailing address PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103). Certified search by debtor name: $20 for the name, plus $1 per page and $5 per file number. Expedite fee: $100 per search.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Alabama stay effective?
Generally five years from the filing date under UCC §9-515, unless the secured party files a continuation in the six months before it lapses. Each continuation adds another five years, so check the lapse date and look for continuations on every hit.
For factoring companies
Stop paying the wrong account.
CarrierKYC verifies that the person onboarding controls the carrier and that the bank account belongs to it, then re-verifies every remit-to change before the next ACH. Free 60-day pilot for small factors.
Monthly · free
The Freight Identity Risk Report
New authorities, revocations, insurance cancellations, and shared-contact clusters from FMCSA data, every month. One email. Unsubscribe in one click.