Free tool · Directory
UCC lien search in Washington
Central filing office
Washington State Department of Licensing, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Program
Opens fortress.wa.gov in a new tab
- Online access
- Anyone can search debtor names online at no cost, with no account.
- Fees
- Online search responses: no fee; online search report with copies $15 per debtor name; hold-to-reflect search $10 per debtor name; online filings and amendments $23; paper UCC1, UCC3 or UCC5 $30
- Certified search
- Request for information on a UCC11 form by mail: $10 per debtor name, $15 per debtor name with copies. Certification fee not published.
- Last verified
What to know in Washington
- Online search results are free and immediate; non-subscribers are prompted for credit card details only when ordering copies.
- The online system offers Browse Names, Search Records and Search by File Number.
- Subscribers are advised to log in through Secure Access Washington (SAW).
- Bulk data: full database $500 without images, $1,000 with images, weekly updates $150 per week.
About this tool
Is Washington the right filing office to search?
Search Washington when the carrier is located there for UCC purposes, which is not always where its trucks run. An LLC or corporation organized in Washington is located in Washington (UCC §9-307), wherever it dispatches from. A sole proprietor is located at their principal residence, so an owner-operator who lives in Washington is searched here.
If the carrier was organized somewhere else but operates in Washington, search its formation state first, then Washington 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 Washington, 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 Washington debtor search
Open the Washington State Department of Licensing, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Program 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 Washington?
In Washington, UCC records are kept by the Washington State Department of Licensing, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Program. 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 Washington?
Online search responses: no fee; online search report with copies $15 per debtor name; hold-to-reflect search $10 per debtor name; online filings and amendments $23; paper UCC1, UCC3 or UCC5 $30. 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 Washington?
Request for information on a UCC11 form by mail: $10 per debtor name, $15 per debtor name with copies. Certification fee not published.
How long does a UCC-1 filed in Washington 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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