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UCC lien search in Delaware
Central filing office
Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations (UCC)
Opens corp.delaware.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- There is no public online debtor search. Request a search from the office or use a search vendor.
- Fees
- Search requested on a UCC1: $25. Federal tax lien name search: $25 through an Authorized Searcher. Plain copies: $10 first page, $2 each additional page. Certified copies: $25 certification fee plus $10 first page and $2 each additional page per document. UCC-11 next-day expedite: $25.
- Certified search
- Order through a Delaware Authorized UCC Searcher (list on corp.delaware.gov); their searches are certified searches from the state's UCC Information System. Searcher service charges: Fee not published. State fee for a search requested on a UCC1 at filing: $25; search copies $10 first page, $2 each additional page per debtor.
- Last verified
What to know in Delaware
- No online UCC debtor search: the Division FAQ says to call (302) 739-3073 or contact a UCC Authorized Searcher.
- Since December 1, 2001, all searches other than "Search to Reflect" requests made on a UCC1 are performed by Authorized Searchers.
- A search requested on a UCC1 at filing covers UCC records filed against that debtor name on or before the filing date of that UCC1.
- The Division publishes a UCC noise words list used in its search logic.
About this tool
Is Delaware the right filing office to search?
Search Delaware when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Delaware is located in Delaware (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Delaware is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Delaware, search its formation state first, then Delaware 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 Delaware, 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 Delaware debtor search
Open the Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations (UCC) search and search the exact name. It doesn't offer a public online debtor-name search, so you request a search from the office or order one through a search vendor.
- 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 Delaware?
In Delaware, UCC records are kept by the Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations (UCC). It doesn't offer a public online debtor-name search, so you request a search from the office or order one through a search vendor. 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 Delaware?
Search requested on a UCC1: $25. Federal tax lien name search: $25 through an Authorized Searcher. Plain copies: $10 first page, $2 each additional page. Certified copies: $25 certification fee plus $10 first page and $2 each additional page per document. UCC-11 next-day expedite: $25. 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 Delaware?
Order through a Delaware Authorized UCC Searcher (list on corp.delaware.gov); their searches are certified searches from the state's UCC Information System. Searcher service charges: Fee not published. State fee for a search requested on a UCC1 at filing: $25; search copies $10 first page, $2 each additional page per debtor.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Delaware 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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