Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Maryland
Central filing office
Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), UCC Division
Opens egov.maryland.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- Published search and retrieval fees apply to certified output only: $6.00 certification fee per document, $1.00 per page. Tyler Maryland technology fee: $2.00 per certified search result. Electronic payments (credit card and ACH): $4.50 convenience fee. Optional Tyler Maryland subscriber account: $125.00 per year.
- Certified search
- SDAT staff do not search records. Order certified search results and certified copies through the eGov Maryland UCC online system: certification fee $6.00 per document plus $1.00 per page, and a Tyler Maryland technology fee of $2.00 per certified search result.
- Last verified
What to know in Maryland
- Use the public File / Search Now option (no account needed), then Name Search; a CAPTCHA is required.
- Name search can be by debtor or secured party, RA9 standard or non-standard, with lapsed and unlapsed or only unlapsed filings.
- SDAT itself does not search records and refers requesters to a list of private UCC search companies.
- Lapsed and terminated filings remain available for search reporting until one year after the financing statement lapses.
About this tool
Is Maryland the right filing office to search?
Search Maryland when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Maryland is located in Maryland (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Maryland is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Maryland, search its formation state first, then Maryland 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 Maryland, 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 Maryland debtor search
Open the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), 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 Maryland?
In Maryland, UCC records are kept by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), 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 Maryland?
Published search and retrieval fees apply to certified output only: $6.00 certification fee per document, $1.00 per page. Tyler Maryland technology fee: $2.00 per certified search result. Electronic payments (credit card and ACH): $4.50 convenience fee. Optional Tyler Maryland subscriber account: $125.00 per year. 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 Maryland?
SDAT staff do not search records. Order certified search results and certified copies through the eGov Maryland UCC online system: certification fee $6.00 per document plus $1.00 per page, and a Tyler Maryland technology fee of $2.00 per certified search result.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Maryland 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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