Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Pennsylvania
Central filing office
Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
Opens pa.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- Financing statement, amendment or correction statement: $84 each, no extra charge for attached pages. UCC-11 information request: $12 per debtor name; copies $3 per page; certification $28.
- Certified search
- Submit Form UCC-11 Information Request, online through Business Filing Services or by mail to Uniform Commercial Code, PO Box 8721, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8721: $12 per debtor name searched; copies $3 per page; certification adds $28.
- Last verified
What to know in Pennsylvania
- Online UCC searching is in the Department's Business Filing Services portal (Search, then the UCC tab); the portal guide says you can browse without logging in and are asked to log in only for actions such as filing.
- Debtor names are indexed exactly as they appear on the financing statement; multiple debtors entered in one name block are indexed as one debtor.
- Attachments cannot be uploaded with online UCC filings, and the Department will not index debtor or secured party names that appear only in attachments.
- UCC section phone: 717-787-1057, option 3.
Sources
- 01Pennsylvania Department of State, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) (opens in a new tab)
- 02Pennsylvania Department of State, Fees and Payments (opens in a new tab)
- 03Pennsylvania Department of State, Customer Portal Overview (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · Describes the UCC Search tab in Business Filing Services and when login is required
About this tool
Is Pennsylvania the right filing office to search?
Search Pennsylvania when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Pennsylvania is located in Pennsylvania (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Pennsylvania is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Pennsylvania, search its formation state first, then Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania debtor search
Open the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations 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 Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, UCC records are kept by the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. 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 Pennsylvania?
Financing statement, amendment or correction statement: $84 each, no extra charge for attached pages. UCC-11 information request: $12 per debtor name; copies $3 per page; certification $28. 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 Pennsylvania?
Submit Form UCC-11 Information Request, online through Business Filing Services or by mail to Uniform Commercial Code, PO Box 8721, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8721: $12 per debtor name searched; copies $3 per page; certification adds $28.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Pennsylvania 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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