Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Virginia
Central filing office
Virginia State Corporation Commission, Clerk's Office
Opens cis.scc.virginia.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- Search response, noncertified $7.00; search and all copies $7.00 plus $10.00 if 26 or more pages (no copy charge for 25 or fewer); certification $6.00; UCC filings $20.00 each
- Certified search
- Submit a UCC-11 Information Request online through CIS or by mail to the Clerk's Office: noncertified search response $7.00, plus $6.00 for certification of information provided
- Last verified
What to know in Virginia
- The CIS UCC and federal lien search needs no login; search by debtor name or file number.
- Unofficial PDF images of UCC and federal tax lien filings since October 1, 2003 can be viewed and downloaded in CIS.
- UCC and tax lien searches can be run separately or combined.
- CIS asks first-time visitors to accept cookies before the search page loads.
About this tool
Is Virginia the right filing office to search?
Search Virginia when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Virginia is located in Virginia (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Virginia is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Virginia, search its formation state first, then Virginia 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 Virginia, 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 Virginia debtor search
Open the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Clerk's Office 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 Virginia?
In Virginia, UCC records are kept by the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Clerk's Office. 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 Virginia?
Search response, noncertified $7.00; search and all copies $7.00 plus $10.00 if 26 or more pages (no copy charge for 25 or fewer); certification $6.00; UCC filings $20.00 each. 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 Virginia?
Submit a UCC-11 Information Request online through CIS or by mail to the Clerk's Office: noncertified search response $7.00, plus $6.00 for certification of information provided.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Virginia 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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