Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Illinois
Central filing office
Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, UCC Division
Opens apps.ilsos.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- Online search free. UCC-11 $10 per debtor name; copies of UCC images $1 per page. UCC-1, UCC-3 and UCC-5 filings $20 (UCC terminations free).
- Certified search
- File a UCC-11 Information Request (with the UCC58 Payment Cover Sheet): $10 per debtor name. The online search page says a UCC-11 is required to obtain a certified search with images. Federal Tax Lien name search $5.
- Last verified
What to know in Illinois
- Images of filed documents are not online because some contain Social Security, federal ID or account numbers; order copies through a UCC-11.
- The online index covers all UCC and Federal Tax Lien filings managed by the Secretary of State; search by debtor personal name, business name (RA-9 or Pre RA-9), a single word within any business name, or file number.
- Official search logic ignores case, punctuation, accents and ending noise words such as Incorporated or Limited; each UCC-11 is limited to one debtor name and processed exactly as submitted.
About this tool
Is Illinois the right filing office to search?
Search Illinois when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Illinois is located in Illinois (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Illinois is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Illinois, search its formation state first, then Illinois 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 Illinois, 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 Illinois debtor search
Open the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, 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 Illinois?
In Illinois, UCC records are kept by the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, 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 Illinois?
Online search free. UCC-11 $10 per debtor name; copies of UCC images $1 per page. UCC-1, UCC-3 and UCC-5 filings $20 (UCC terminations free). 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 Illinois?
File a UCC-11 Information Request (with the UCC58 Payment Cover Sheet): $10 per debtor name. The online search page says a UCC-11 is required to obtain a certified search with images. Federal Tax Lien name search $5.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Illinois 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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