Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in South Dakota
Central filing office
South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services
Opens sosenterprise.sd.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Online search costs money per search or needs a paid subscription.
- Fees
- UCC-1 or UCC-3: $25 on paper, $20 electronic with subscription; additional debtor names $3 each. UCC 2 information request: $20 per debtor on paper, $10 electronic. Copies $2 per page. Online access: Search Only $300 per year, Full System Access $450 per year.
- Certified search
- Send the UCC2 Certified Search Request / Copy Request form (one debtor name per form) by email or by mail with payment to the Secretary of State, Attn: UCC, Pierre: $20 per debtor on paper or $10 per debtor electronically with a subscription; copies $2 per page.
- Last verified
What to know in South Dakota
- Online UCC searching is limited to prepaid (PAD) account subscribers; the Search Only subscription includes unlimited database searching plus UCC-2 certified searches and copy requests.
- The UCC Services page posts how current the index is (all filings received through a stated date and time have been processed), so check it before relying on a search.
- Non-subscribers can prepare UCC1 or UCC3 forms with the online tool but must print and mail them with payment; subscribers file and pay online.
- The office also handles EFS (farm products) financing statements alongside UCC filings.
Sources
- 01South Dakota Secretary of State, UCC Services (opens in a new tab)
- 02South Dakota Secretary of State, Fee Schedule (opens in a new tab)
- 03South Dakota Secretary of State, UCC Online Subscription Form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · Search Only and Full Access annual fees and PAD account requirement
About this tool
Is South Dakota the right filing office to search?
Search South Dakota when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in South Dakota is located in South Dakota (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in South Dakota is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in South Dakota, search its formation state first, then South Dakota 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 Dakota, 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 Dakota debtor search
Open the South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services 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 Dakota?
In South Dakota, UCC records are kept by the South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services. 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 Dakota?
UCC-1 or UCC-3: $25 on paper, $20 electronic with subscription; additional debtor names $3 each. UCC 2 information request: $20 per debtor on paper, $10 electronic. Copies $2 per page. Online access: Search Only $300 per year, Full System Access $450 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 South Dakota?
Send the UCC2 Certified Search Request / Copy Request form (one debtor name per form) by email or by mail with payment to the Secretary of State, Attn: UCC, Pierre: $20 per debtor on paper or $10 per debtor electronically with a subscription; copies $2 per page.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in South Dakota 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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