Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Rhode Island
Central filing office
Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division
Opens business.sos.ri.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- UCC1, UCC3, UCC5 on paper: $16 (1 or 2 pages) or $32 (3 or more pages); online: $8 plus $2 enhanced access fee. UCC 11: $5 on paper, $5 plus $2 enhanced access fee online. Copies: $0.15 per page.
- Certified search
- Request a certified search with Form UCC-11, online through the Department's UCC filing system ($5 plus $2 enhanced access fee) or on paper ($5). Copies $0.15 per page.
- Last verified
What to know in Rhode Island
- The default online search type is "Article 9" (standard search logic), the same method used for certified searches; "Begins with" and an informational "Exact Match" search are also offered.
- Financing statements stay in the database at least one year after lapse; older lapsed filings are reached through a separate lapsed-filings search link on the search page.
- Search logic does not treat abbreviations as equivalent (St. and Saint, Jr. and Junior), so search both spellings.
- Individual name searches need at least the first two letters of the last name; file numbers are 6 or 12 digits.
About this tool
Is Rhode Island the right filing office to search?
Search Rhode Island when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Rhode Island is located in Rhode Island (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Rhode Island is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Rhode Island, search its formation state first, then Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island debtor search
Open the Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services 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 Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, UCC records are kept by the Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services 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 Rhode Island?
UCC1, UCC3, UCC5 on paper: $16 (1 or 2 pages) or $32 (3 or more pages); online: $8 plus $2 enhanced access fee. UCC 11: $5 on paper, $5 plus $2 enhanced access fee online. Copies: $0.15 per page. 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 Rhode Island?
Request a certified search with Form UCC-11, online through the Department's UCC filing system ($5 plus $2 enhanced access fee) or on paper ($5). Copies $0.15 per page.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Rhode Island 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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