California runs UCC filings through the Secretary of State, using the same online portal as business entity search. The key point for most readers is that searching costs nothing. You do not need an account, and the results can be saved or printed free.
Business records, forms and contacts for the office are in the California office guide. To learn what a lien search reveals, see our UCC search guide and the UCC-1 filing guide.
How do you search California UCC records?
Open the UCC search in the bizfile Online portal and choose UCC at the top of the search page. Type a debtor name, a secured party name or a file number. A name search returns matches for both debtors and secured parties, so searching "Smith" shows every filing with that name on either side.
Use at least three characters. The system ignores very common words such as Inc, LLC and Co in the search criteria. The advanced options let you filter by status, with active only, or active and lapsed filings, and by a range of lapse dates.
| Who takes UCC filings | California Secretary of State, UCC filing office (916) 653-3516 (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Search fee | Free online UCC search, no account needed (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Copies and certified searches | Plain copies free online; paper copies $1.00 first page, $0.50 after (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| File a UCC-1 | $5.00 online; $10.00 or $20.00 on paper, by page count (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Filing online | File and request certified copies online through an account (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Processing time | Certified search $5.00 per name online, $10.00 per name on paper (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | A $6.00 special handling fee applies to documents handed in at the counter (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
Each result lists the secured party, status, filing date and lapse date. Open a result to read the filing and download it.
What does a California UCC search and copy cost?
The online search is free. Plain copies are free online as well, and on paper they are $1.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each page after that.
When someone needs a certified answer, the price is $5.00 per debtor name online or $10.00 per name on paper, on a UCC-11 request. A certified copy of a document is $5.00 for each one. Each request covers one debtor name, so file a separate one for each spelling you need.
How do you file a UCC-1 in California?
- Create an account in the portal. Filing and certified copies both need one.
- Enter the debtor and secured party details and the collateral.
- Pay the fee. A financing statement is $5.00 online.
- If you use paper, send the national form. It costs $10.00 for one or two pages and $20.00 for three or more.
- Keep the acknowledgment. Search for the debtor name later to confirm the record appears.
Amendments, assignments and information statements follow the same pricing as a new filing. A UCC-3 continuation is only available within six months of the lapse date.
Online or paper, and how long does it take?
Online is the cheapest route. If you hand in paper at the public counter, a $6.00 special handling fee applies, and it is charged whether the document is accepted or returned for correction. The pages we read do not publish a set UCC turnaround, so the portal's processed through date is the best guide to how current the database is. It is shown on the search page.
What is different about California?
Liens other than UCC statements sit in the same system. The fee schedule lists judgment liens, attachment liens and federal tax liens, each with its own form. State tax lien initial filings are free. The office also sells bulk data, which is outside what most filers need.
If you want help preparing a filing, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can file with the Secretary of State yourself.
Sources
- www.sos.ca.gov/contact-information: office name, officeholder, phone, contact page, hours. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities: division, street address, business search, name check, name reservation form, online filing. Checked .
- bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/pdf/be-fee-schedule-062018.pdf: mailing address, name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, report fee, expedite fees, good standing certificate, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/cbs-search-tips: search fields, search tips. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/cbs-field-status-definitions: search disclaimer, status terms. Checked .
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CORP&division=&title=2.6.&part=&chapter=&article=1: LLC name endings, restricted words, name rule. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/name-reservations: name reservation term. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/faqs/: report due date, late penalty, certificate ordering, registered agent rule. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/processing-dates/: processing time. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/faqs: assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ucc/ucc-fee-schedule.pdf: who takes ucc filings, copies and certified searches, file a ucc-1, processing time, worth knowing. Checked .
- bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ucc/ucc-online-help.pdf: search fee, filing online. Checked .