Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Massachusetts
Central filing office
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division (UCC)
Opens corp.sec.state.ma.us in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- UCC 11 information request: $10 listing, $30 listing with copies.
- Certified search
- File a UCC 11 Information Request online, by fax (with a Fax Voucher Coversheet) or by mail: $10 for a listing, $30 for a listing with copies.
- Last verified
What to know in Massachusetts
- Search by individual name, organization name or filing number; the default is an Article 9 search under 950 CMR 140.00, with a Begins With option.
- If unsure of the debtor's exact legal name, run a Begins With search first; an informational Exact Match search does not ignore corporate endings such as Corp. or LLC.
- Financing statements remain in the system until at least one year after lapse, and lapsed filings can be searched separately.
About this tool
Is Massachusetts the right filing office to search?
Search Massachusetts when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Massachusetts is located in Massachusetts (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Massachusetts is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Massachusetts, search its formation state first, then Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts debtor search
Open the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division (UCC) 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 Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, UCC records are kept by the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division (UCC). 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 Massachusetts?
UCC 11 information request: $10 listing, $30 listing with 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 Massachusetts?
File a UCC 11 Information Request online, by fax (with a Fax Voucher Coversheet) or by mail: $10 for a listing, $30 for a listing with copies.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Massachusetts 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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