Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in South Carolina
Central filing office
South Carolina Secretary of State, Uniform Commercial Code Division
Opens ucconline.sc.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Online search costs money per search or needs a paid subscription.
- Fees
- UCC-1, UCC-3, UCC-5: $8.00 for pages 1 and 2, $2.00 for page 3, $1.00 per page after that, $2.00 per debtor from the 3rd. UCC-11 search $5.00; document request $1.00 per page; certification $2.00 per document. SC.GOV online fee: $8.00 per filing, $10.00 per search.
- Certified search
- Run a UCC-11 search through UCC Online (certified results available online) or mail Form UCC-11 to the Secretary of State: search fee $5.00, documents $1.00 per page, certification $2.00 per document. Online searches add a $10.00 SC.GOV electronic records access fee per search.
- Last verified
What to know in South Carolina
- No subscription is needed: non-subscribers search and pay by credit or debit card, while South Carolina Interactive subscribers are billed monthly.
- Mortgages, fixtures, minerals, timber and tax liens are filed with the county Clerk of Court or Register of Deeds, not the Secretary of State.
- Enter individuals as Last Name First Name Middle; case, punctuation and spaces are disregarded and there is no limit on the number of matches.
- Online search results are available immediately; mailed search requests are processed within two business days after receipt.
Sources
- 01South Carolina Secretary of State, Uniform Commercial Code (opens in a new tab)
- 02South Carolina UCC Electronic Filing, Search and Retrieval System (opens in a new tab) · Payment and fee structure, including the SC.GOV per-search fee
- 03South Carolina Secretary of State, FAQs About Uniform Commercial Code (opens in a new tab)
About this tool
Is South Carolina the right filing office to search?
Search South Carolina when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in South Carolina is located in South Carolina (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in South Carolina is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in South Carolina, search its formation state first, then South Carolina 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 South Carolina, 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 South Carolina debtor search
Open the South Carolina Secretary of State, Uniform Commercial Code Division search and search the exact name. Its online search charges per search or needs a paid subscription.
- 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 South Carolina?
In South Carolina, UCC records are kept by the South Carolina Secretary of State, Uniform Commercial Code Division. Its online search charges per search or needs a paid subscription. 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 South Carolina?
UCC-1, UCC-3, UCC-5: $8.00 for pages 1 and 2, $2.00 for page 3, $1.00 per page after that, $2.00 per debtor from the 3rd. UCC-11 search $5.00; document request $1.00 per page; certification $2.00 per document. SC.GOV online fee: $8.00 per filing, $10.00 per search. 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 South Carolina?
Run a UCC-11 search through UCC Online (certified results available online) or mail Form UCC-11 to the Secretary of State: search fee $5.00, documents $1.00 per page, certification $2.00 per document. Online searches add a $10.00 SC.GOV electronic records access fee per search.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in South Carolina 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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