Indiana UCC Search and Filing: Liens on Business Assets
Indiana UCC Search and Filing: Liens on Business Assets
Before you borrow money, lease equipment, or sign a supplier's credit application, you want to know who else has a claim on your business's assets. In Indiana, the main public record for that question is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filing system run by the Indiana Secretary of State. This guide covers what a UCC filing does, how to run an Indiana UCC lien search, how to read a financing statement, how to make an Indiana UCC filing, and why a separate check for tax warrants is still needed.
Disclaimer: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Lien priority, perfection, and enforcement depend on the facts of each transaction and on Indiana law. For a loan, a lease, or a dispute, talk to a qualified attorney. If your tax position is complicated, talk to a CPA.
What a UCC filing does
A UCC financing statement is a public notice that a secured party, such as a bank, equipment lessor, or supplier, may have a claim on specific property of a debtor. The debtor is the business or person that owes the obligation. Indiana's version of Article 9 of the UCC is codified at IC 26-1-9.1. The filing is how a secured party gives the public notice of its interest. The record's date and content affect who gets paid first if the business cannot pay its debts.
A UCC record tells you that a claim may exist. It does not tell you how much is owed, whether the loan is current, or whether the collateral is still pledged. Those answers come from the secured party and from the loan documents.
Where Indiana UCC records are kept
Indiana UCC filings are made with the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, through INBiz at https://inbiz.in.gov/. Financing statements, amendments, and information statements can all be filed online. The Secretary of State's general business page is https://www.in.gov/sos/business/.
The UCC filing rules are set by the statute, IC 26-1-9.1, and by the Indiana Administrative Rules linked from the INBiz UCC page. Read those rules before you file if your transaction is not routine.
How to run an Indiana UCC lien search
Browsing UCC lien records on INBiz is free. If you need an official search result, you can purchase a debtor-name or file-number search with a search certificate and images. Here is the practical sequence:
- Confirm the exact legal name. For an LLC or corporation, look up the registered name in the Secretary of State's public business search at https://bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch. A UCC search is name-based, so the name you search matters.
- Search the variations. Try the legal name with and without LLC or Inc., the trade name, and any former name. A debtor may have filed under a name that differs from the one on your invoice.
- Browse the results for free. Note each financing statement's file number, filing date, secured party, and collateral description.
- Check the fee before you order. The INBiz UCC page does not print UCC filing or search fees. It points to the INBiz fee calculator, and this guide does not state an amount because we have not confirmed one from an official page. Read the amount in the INBiz fee calculator before you order a certificate or file anything.
- Order images of the records that matter. The search results are a list. The images are the actual filings, and they are the documents you need to read.
How to read a financing statement
Every financing statement you pull should be read in three parts. Each one answers a different question.
| Part | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Debtor | The exact name and address on the filing | Confirms the filing is against your business. A name mismatch can mean the record is not yours, or that a search missed it. |
| Secured party | The lender, lessor, or supplier named as holding the claim | Tells you who to contact for the current balance and payoff status. |
| Collateral | The description of the property covered | Defines what the claim reaches. Phrases such as "all assets" or "all equipment" cover a wide range of property. Specific descriptions cover less. |
Also note the file number and filing date, which you will need to order images, check amendments, and confirm the record's status. Read the latest amendment, not just the original filing. An amendment can add or remove collateral, change the secured party, or terminate the record altogether. A filing you see in a search may not reflect the current position.
A financing statement shows that a filing exists. It does not show the loan amount, the payment history, or whether the underlying obligation has been paid. Ask the secured party for a written payoff or release if that information matters to your deal.
How to file a UCC financing statement
Lenders, equipment lessors, and suppliers who extend credit to an Indiana business usually file their own financing statement. The steps below describe the online route through INBiz:
- Gather the debtor's exact legal name and address, the secured party's name and address, and a clear description of the collateral.
- Sign in to INBiz at https://inbiz.in.gov/ and select the UCC filing option.
- Enter the financing statement details exactly as the debtor's name appears in the Secretary of State's records.
- Read the filing amount in the INBiz fee calculator and pay it through the portal.
- Save the confirmation and file number, then run a search to confirm the record appears as you entered it.
The state's processing time for UCC filings is not stated on the pages we reviewed. Check INBiz for the current timing before you rely on a filing date for a closing.
Financing statements do not last forever. Lapse, continuation, and termination rules are set out in IC 26-1-9.1, so read the statute or ask an attorney before assuming a record is still in force.
Lender uses
Lenders use UCC searches in three main ways:
- Before lending: Search the borrower's name to find existing liens on the assets you plan to take as collateral. An earlier filing on the same property can put your claim behind it.
- To perfect your own interest: File your financing statement with the Secretary of State so the public record shows your claim. The debtor name and collateral description must be accurate.
- During the loan: Search again before you advance new funds or accept new collateral. A new filing by another creditor can appear after your loan closes.
Landlord uses
Commercial landlords often run UCC searches on a tenant before signing a lease, especially when the tenant will bring in equipment, inventory, or furnishings. A recorded lien on those items tells the landlord that a lender may claim them if the tenant defaults. The search does not tell the landlord how a lender's claim would rank against the landlord's own rights under the lease. That question belongs to an attorney who reviews the lease and IC 26-1-9.1 together.
Landlords should also check the lease for any clause that restricts the tenant from granting security interests, and confirm the tenant's legal name against the Secretary of State's business search before signing.
Tax warrants: a separate check
A tax warrant is a state claim for unpaid taxes. It is separate from a UCC record. A clean UCC search does not tell you whether the state has a tax warrant against a business, and a tax warrant does not appear in an INBiz UCC search.
We have not confirmed from an official page where Indiana tax warrants are recorded or how they are searched. Do not assume the county recorder, the Secretary of State, or the INBiz portal holds them. Before you close a sale, lend money, or sign a long lease, confirm the procedure directly with:
- The Indiana Department of Revenue at https://www.in.gov/dor/, which can tell you whether the business has an open tax warrant and how to request confirmation.
- The county clerk in the county where the business is located, to confirm where any county-level records are kept and how to search them.
If you are buying a business, ask the seller for written evidence of its tax status, and ask your attorney or CPA what Indiana requires for a clean tax check in your deal.
Common mistakes
- Searching only the trade name. The record is usually filed under the legal name, so search that first.
- Treating a clean search as a clean title. A UCC search covers UCC records. It does not cover tax warrants or every claim against the business.
- Relying on the original filing. Pull and read the amendments and termination records before you decide.
- Filing with a name mismatch. A filing under the wrong name can fail to show up when the next lender searches.
- Skipping the fee check. Read the amount in the INBiz fee calculator before you order or file, because this guide does not state one.
When to get professional help
Talk to an attorney before you grant a security interest, buy a business with existing liens, default on a secured loan, or dispute a lien's priority. Talk to a CPA when a tax warrant is possible, when payroll or sales tax may be unpaid, or when you need to confirm a business's tax status before a sale or a major financing.
Next steps checklist
- Confirm the exact legal name of the business in the Secretary of State's public business search.
- Run a free UCC browse on INBiz, including name variations.
- Read the fee in the INBiz fee calculator before ordering a search certificate or filing.
- Pull images of every relevant financing statement and read the latest amendment.
- Confirm the tax warrant status separately with the Indiana Department of Revenue and the county clerk.
- Have an attorney review any filing, lien priority question, or lease that involves collateral.
Official resources
- Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division: https://www.in.gov/sos/business/
- INBiz online filing portal: https://inbiz.in.gov/
- Public business search: https://bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch
- Indiana Department of Revenue: https://www.in.gov/dor/
This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Confirm current fees, processing times, and filing procedures with the agency before you act.