Form UCC1 at a glance
What it is: UCC Financing Statement (Form UCC1): item 4 indicates the collateral covered by this financing statement.
Where and when to file: Send the completed form and any attachments to the filing office, with the required fee.
A filled-in Form UCC1 example: a lender files against one individual Debtor
How to fill out Form UCC1, box by box
Items A, B and C, the submitter and the acknowledgment
A is the name and phone of a contact at the submitter, and B is an e-mail contact at the submitter. Items A and B are optional: the filer may provide information in them to assist filing offices that might wish to communicate with the filer. Complete C, the name and address to send the acknowledgment to, if the filer desires an acknowledgment sent to them.
Item 1, the Debtor's name and mailing address
Carefully review applicable statutory guidance about providing the Debtor's name. Enter only one Debtor name in item 1, either an organization's name (1a) or an individual's name (1b).
A sole proprietorship is not an organization, even if the individual proprietor does business under a trade name.
If a corporate ending (for example, corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company) is part of the Debtor's name, it must be included. Do not use words that are not part of the Debtor's name.
Indications of lineage (for example, Jr., Sr., III) generally are not part of the individual's name, but may be entered in the Suffix box.
Enter individual Debtor's surname (family name) in Individual's Surname box, first personal name in First Personal Name box, and all additional names in Additional Name(s)/Initial(s) box. If a Debtor's name consists of only a single word, enter that word in Individual's Surname box and leave other boxes blank.
Common mistake: Enter the Debtor's correct name. Do not abbreviate words that are not already abbreviated in the Debtor's name. If a portion of the Debtor's name consists of only an initial or an abbreviation rather than a full word, enter only the abbreviation or the initial.
Common mistake: Do not use the Debtor's trade name, DBA, AKA, FKA, division name, etc. in place of or combined with the Debtor's correct name; the filer may add such other names as additional Debtors if desired (but this is neither required nor recommended).
If any part of the Individual Debtor's name will not fit in line 1b, check the box in item 1, leave all of item 1 blank, check the box in item 9 of the Financing Statement Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) and enter the Individual Debtor name in item 10 of the Financing Statement Addendum (Form UCC1Ad).
In 1c, enter a mailing address (postal code, city, state and country) for the Debtor named in item 1a or 1b.
Item 2, an additional Debtor
If an additional Debtor is included, complete item 2, determined and formatted per Instruction 1. For additional Debtors, attach either Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) or Additional Party (Form UCC1AP) and follow Instruction 1 for determining and formatting additional names.
Item 3, the Secured Party
Enter the name and mailing address for the Secured Party or full Assignee who will be the Secured Party of record. Provide only one Secured Party name (3a or 3b).
For additional Secured Parties, attach either Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) or Additional Party (Form UCC1AP). Optional: attach Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) giving Assignor Secured Party's name and mailing address in item 11.
Item 4, the collateral
If space in item 4 is insufficient, continue the collateral description in item 12 of the Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) or attach additional page(s) and incorporate by reference in item 12 (for example, See Exhibit A).
If this financing statement covers timber to be cut, covers as-extracted collateral, and/or is filed as a fixture filing, attach Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) and complete the required information in items 13, 14, 15, and 16. Consult applicable state UCC law for filing location.
Item 5, a trust or a decedent's personal representative
If collateral is held in a trust or being administered by a decedent's personal representative, check the appropriate box in item 5. If more than one Debtor has an interest in the described collateral and the check box does not apply to the interest of all Debtors, the filer should consider filing a separate Financing Statement (Form UCC1) for each Debtor.
Items 6a and 6b, check only if applicable
In 6a and 6b, check only if applicable and check only one box.
If this financing statement relates to a Public-Finance Transaction, Manufactured-Home Transaction, or a Debtor is a Transmitting Utility, check the appropriate box in item 6a. If a Debtor is a Transmitting Utility and the initial financing statement is filed in connection with a Public-Finance Transaction or Manufactured-Home Transaction, check only that a Debtor is a Transmitting Utility.
If this is an Agricultural Lien (as defined in applicable state's enactment of the Uniform Commercial Code) or if this is not a UCC security interest filing (for example, a tax lien, judgment lien, etc.), check the appropriate box in item 6b and attach any other items required under applicable law.
Item 7, the alternative designation
If the filer desires (at the filer's option) to use the designations lessee and lessor, consignee and consignor, seller and buyer (such as in the case of the sale of a payment intangible, promissory note, account or chattel paper), bailee and bailor, or licensee and licensor instead of Debtor and Secured Party, check the appropriate box in item 7.
Item 8, the optional filer reference data
Item 8 (optional filer reference data) is for the filer's use only, to provide reference information the filer may find useful.
Before you go
Type or print this form. Be sure it is completely legible. Forms with handwritten entries may be rejected. Read and follow all Instructions.
Fill in the form very carefully; mistakes may have important legal consequences. If you have questions, consult your attorney. The filing office cannot give legal advice.
Unless specifically required by applicable state law, do not include social security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers or other non-public personally identifiable information anywhere on the form.
Form instructions are intended for paper forms. Electronic UCC filing parameters and instructions may differ from the instructions for the paper form.
Common questions about Form UCC1
What is a UCC-1 form and what is its purpose?
UCC Financing Statement (Form UCC1): item 4 indicates the collateral covered by this financing statement. This applies to both organization and individual Debtors. Name variations may be optionally provided as additional debtors. Do not combine multiple names in one section. Provide each name variation and address as described in the instructions for item 2.
Where do I file it?
Send the completed form and any attachments to the filing office, with the required fee.
Sources
[1] Form UCC1 (Rev. 07/01/2023), UCC Financing Statement, International Association of Commercial Administrators (the Official source link on this page).
