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UCC lien search in the District of Columbia
Central filing office
District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds (Office of Tax and Revenue)
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- Online access
- Online search is free, but you have to register or log in first.
- Fees
- Online records portal: free registration to search and view images; downloads $4 per document plus a $1.50 surcharge per transaction (a $175 per month subscription lowers downloads to $2 per document). Office copies: $2.25 per page, plus $2.25 per document for certification. UCC recording: $25 plus $5 surcharge.
- Certified search
- The Recorder of Deeds does not publish a UCC-11 certified search service: Fee not published. Certified copies of recorded documents: $2.25 per page plus $2.25 per document for certification (in person or by mail with the instrument number).
- Last verified
What to know in the District of Columbia
- DC has no Secretary of State UCC office: UCC documents are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds.
- The online records portal is run by a private vendor (GovOS) and is linked from the Office of Tax and Revenue; index and images go back to August 1921.
- You must register (free) before you can search the portal.
- OTR directs people to the portal to review documents, liens or releases recorded in a name.
About this tool
Is the District of Columbia the right filing office to search?
Search the District of Columbia when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in the District of Columbia is located in the District of Columbia (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in the District of Columbia is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in the District of Columbia, search its formation state first, then the District of Columbia 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 the District of Columbia, 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 District of Columbia debtor search
Open the District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds (Office of Tax and Revenue) search and search the exact name. Its online search is free, but you have to register or log in before you can search.
- 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 the District of Columbia?
In the District of Columbia, UCC records are kept by the District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds (Office of Tax and Revenue). Its online search is free, but you have to register or log in before you can search. 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 the District of Columbia?
Online records portal: free registration to search and view images; downloads $4 per document plus a $1.50 surcharge per transaction (a $175 per month subscription lowers downloads to $2 per document). Office copies: $2.25 per page, plus $2.25 per document for certification. UCC recording: $25 plus $5 surcharge. 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 the District of Columbia?
The Recorder of Deeds does not publish a UCC-11 certified search service: Fee not published. Certified copies of recorded documents: $2.25 per page plus $2.25 per document for certification (in person or by mail with the instrument number).
How long does a UCC-1 filed in the District of Columbia 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.
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