Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)

The Stearns County Recorder's Office is a satellite office of the Minnesota Secretary of State Uniform Commercial Code Division (UCC).

Financing Statement
(Personal Property Collateral)
UCC-1

A Financing Statement (UCC-1) is a document stating that someone (a secured party) has a claim (security interest) in certain property (collateral) belonging to someone else (debtor). To illustrate: a business owner borrows money from a bank and uses the assets of a business as collateral for the loan. The bank, as the secured party, can file a Financing Statement with the County Recorder’s Office.  By filing a Financing Statement, the bank establishes its priority in the event the business owner files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent. The UCC filing gives notice upon search of records to other banks and/or lenders that the secured party has a "perfected security interest" in the business' assets.  

After 5 years, a Financing Statement will lapse unless a continuation (UCC-3) is filed.  The continuation must be filed within a 6 month window prior to lapse.

NOTE: If you are looking for Minnesota organization information to complete a Financing Statement, try the “Business Name Search” at the website of Minnesota Secretary of State.

Fixture Financing Statement
(Personal Property Collateral Affixed to Real Estate)
UCC-1

A Fixture Financing Statement (UCC-1) covers personal property collateral which is affixed to real estate.  This real estate form is recorded with county real estate records only.  It does not get filed or processed through the Uniform Commercial Code System.

Financing Statement Amendment
UCC-3

A Financing Statement Amendment (UCC-3) is a document used for many reasons such as: 

  • Termination of filing 
  • Continuation of a filing 
  • Full or partial assignment of a filing 
  • Amendment of secured party or debtor name 
  • Amendment of collateral

When terminating or continuing it is helpful to include the debtor name in the Optional Filer Reference Data section of the form.

Information Request
UCC-11

A UCC-11 is an Information Request form used to obtain a certified record search from the County Recorder”s Office.  Information Requests, sometimes called searches, are used to determine what liens are filed against a debtor. 
If you would like ALL documents, including lapsed filings, check the ALL box.  If you only want documents that have NOT lapsed, check the UN-LAPSED box.

If you are searching a debtor with a common name, you can give special instructions in the Additional Services section to clarify the debtor.  An example would be requesting the search to be limited to a specific city.  Be aware that the search might not show all filings because a person can live in the same location for many years and have a different address assigned.  In some small towns post offices have closed, which also creates an address change. 

Central Notification System (CNS): The Minnesota Secretary of State is responsible for operating Minnesota's Central Notification System (CNS) for farm product liens.  The Central Notification System is a method for buyers of farm products to receive information about outstanding liens against farm products.