The UCC-1 financing statement (Form UCC1) is the national-version form that the Louisiana Secretary of State publishes for filing a UCC financing statement. It names the debtor, the secured party and the collateral covered. Louisiana accepts the national UCC forms beginning July 1, 2023, alongside its own UCC forms, and this is the Rev. 07/01/23 edition. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF stays with the agency, and the finished form goes to the filing office, one of the 64 Clerks of Court, with the required fee.
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What is UCC1?
The UCC-1 Financing Statement (National Version), printed as Form UCC1, is the paper UCC financing statement on which a filer identifies the debtor, the secured party and the collateral covered. Louisiana accepts it, in the Rev. 07/01/23 edition, alongside its own UCC forms.
The Louisiana Secretary of State publishes the form and its instructions on its UCC forms and fee schedule page. The agency states that, beginning on July 1, 2023, Louisiana accepts the new national UCC-1, UCC-1AD, UCC-1AP, UCC-3, UCC-3AD, UCC-3AP and UCC-5 forms in addition to the Louisiana UCC forms (revised 2010 or after). The Louisiana forms, such as UCC-1F Financing Statement, are described as dual-purpose forms. The national Form UCC1 is a different form, with the numbered items shown below.
The form has these parts:
- Items A to C: optional contact details and the acknowledgment address.
- Item 1: the debtor's name and mailing address; item 2: an additional debtor.
- Item 3: the secured party, or the assignee of an assignor secured party.
- Item 4: the collateral description.
- Items 5, 6a, 6b and 7: check boxes for trusts, special transaction types, non-UCC filings and alternative designations such as lessee/lessor.
- Item 8: optional filer reference data.
Two companion forms extend it: the Financing Statement Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) and the Additional Party (Form UCC1AP). The printed instructions are written for paper forms; electronic UCC filing parameters and instructions may differ.
Who needs to file UCC1?
The filer of a UCC financing statement completes Form UCC1. In practice that is the secured party or the person submitting for it, who supplies the debtor's name, the secured party's name and a description of the collateral.
Other situations the form covers:
- Alternative designations. At the filer's option, item 7 lets you use lessee/lessor, consignee/consignor, seller/buyer, bailee/bailor or licensee/licensor instead of debtor and secured party.
- Trusts and decedents. Item 5 applies when the collateral is held in a trust or is being administered by a decedent's personal representative. If more than one debtor has an interest and the box does not fit every debtor's interest, the instructions suggest considering a separate Form UCC1 for each debtor.
- Special filings. Item 6a covers a Public-Finance Transaction, a Manufactured-Home Transaction or a Debtor that is a Transmitting Utility. Item 6b covers an Agricultural Lien or a non-UCC filing such as a tax lien or judgment lien.
- More than one debtor or secured party. Attach Form UCC1Ad or Form UCC1AP.
The instructions say the filing office cannot give legal advice and that you should consult your attorney with questions.
When to file UCC1
Neither the form nor the Louisiana Secretary of State's page prints a due date for Form UCC1, so it is filed when you are ready to file the financing statement itself. What the agency does fix is the edition. Louisiana accepts the national UCC-1 from July 1, 2023, and a non-standard form penalty applies to national UCC forms with revision dates before July 2023 and to Louisiana UCC forms revised before 2010. This page covers the Rev. 07/01/23 edition. If the financing statement covers timber to be cut, as-extracted collateral or a fixture filing, the instructions say to consult applicable state UCC law for the filing location. For timing questions, ask your attorney or call the Secretary of State's UCC Department at 225.925.4701.
Documents you need
- Financing Statement Addendum (Form UCC1Ad): attach it for an additional debtor or secured party, for an individual debtor name that does not fit in line 1b, or to continue the collateral description in item 12.
- Additional Party (Form UCC1AP): an alternative to the Addendum for adding additional debtors or secured parties.
- Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) with items 13, 14, 15 and 16 completed: required if the financing statement covers timber to be cut, covers as-extracted collateral or is filed as a fixture filing.
- Additional page(s) for the collateral description, incorporated by reference in item 12 (for example, See Exhibit A), if the space in item 4 is not enough.
- Any other items required under applicable law, attached when you check the Agricultural Lien or Non-UCC Filing box in item 6b (for example, for a tax lien or judgment lien).
How to fill out UCC1
Add optional contact and acknowledgment details
Items A and B (contact name, phone and e-mail at the submitter) are optional. Complete item C only if you want an acknowledgment sent to you.
Enter the debtor's name in item 1
Enter only one name: the organization's name in 1a or the individual's name in 1b. Use the exact, full legal name, include any corporate ending and do not use a trade name, DBA or AKA.
Format an individual debtor's name
In 1b, enter the surname, first personal name and any additional names or initials; lineage such as Jr. or III may go in the Suffix box. A single-word name goes in the surname box with the other boxes blank.
Enter the debtor's mailing address
Item 1c asks for the mailing address, city, state, postal code and country of the debtor named in 1a or 1b.
Add any additional debtor
Complete item 2 the same way as item 1 if you include an additional debtor, and attach Form UCC1Ad or Form UCC1AP for further debtors.
Identify the secured party
In item 3, enter the name and mailing address of the secured party, or of the full assignee who will be the secured party of record. Use only one name, in 3a or 3b.
Describe the collateral
Item 4 states the collateral covered by the financing statement. If the space is not enough, continue in item 12 of Form UCC1Ad or attach pages and refer to them in item 12 (for example, See Exhibit A).
Check item 5 if it applies
Check the box in item 5 only if the collateral is held in a trust or is being administered by a decedent's personal representative, and check only one box.
Mark special transactions in items 6a and 6b
Use 6a for a Public-Finance Transaction, Manufactured-Home Transaction or a Debtor that is a Transmitting Utility. Use 6b for an Agricultural Lien or a Non-UCC Filing, and attach any items the applicable law requires.
Choose an alternative designation
Item 7 is optional. Check lessee/lessor, consignee/consignor, seller/buyer, bailee/bailor or licensee/licensor only if you want to use those terms instead of debtor and secured party.
Add filer reference data
Item 8 is optional reference information for your own use.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every name against the debtor's records, confirm that no personal identifiers appear and that attachments are ready. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then send it to the filing office as described under How to submit.
How to submit UCC1
Form UCC1 is filed on paper: the instructions say to send the completed form and any attachments to the filing office with the required fee.
- Where to file in Louisiana. The Secretary of State's page says the filing office is one of the 64 Clerks of Court, the one with which you are filing. It tells filers not to send the filing or the filing fee to the Secretary of State's Office.
- Fees. Filing fees are payable to the filing office, and the agency's fee schedule sets different fees by type of filing, attachments, additional debtor names and non-standard forms. The amounts are not repeated here; check the fee schedule at https://www.sos.la.gov/business-services/forms-fee-schedule-ucc or call the UCC Department at 225.925.4701.
- Acknowledgment. Complete item C if you want an acknowledgment sent to you.
- Electronic filing. The form notes that electronic UCC filing parameters and instructions may differ from the paper instructions.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting a handwritten form: the instructions say to type or print it legibly and warn that forms with handwritten entries may be rejected.
- Putting a Social Security number, driver's license number or financial account number anywhere on the form unless state law specifically requires it.
- Entering a trade name, DBA, AKA, FKA or division name in place of, or combined with, the debtor's correct name.
- Abbreviating words in the debtor's name that are not already abbreviated, or leaving out a corporate ending such as corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company.
- Filling in both 1a and 1b, or combining several name variations in one section; item 1 takes only one debtor name.
- Trying to squeeze a long individual name into line 1b instead of checking the box in item 1, leaving item 1 blank and using item 10 of Form UCC1Ad.
- Checking more than one box in item 5, 6a or 6b; each says to check only one box.
- Mailing the filing or the fee to the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office instead of to the Clerk of Court that is the filing office.
- Using a national UCC form with a revision date before July 2023, which can bring a non-standard form penalty in Louisiana.
Frequently asked questions
What is a UCC-1 financing statement?
A UCC-1 financing statement is the form on which a filer names the debtor, the secured party and the collateral covered. Form UCC1 is the national version that the Louisiana Secretary of State accepts beginning July 1, 2023, alongside Louisiana's own UCC forms.
Where do I file a UCC-1 in Louisiana?
Send it to the filing office, which the Secretary of State's page says is one of the 64 Clerks of Court, with the required fee. Do not send the filing or the fee to the Secretary of State's Office. Questions can go to the UCC Department at 225.925.4701.
Can I fill out the UCC-1 financing statement online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not file it: you deliver the completed form to the Clerk of Court that is the filing office, with the fee, as the instructions direct.
Is there a fee to file Form UCC1 in Louisiana?
Yes. Fees are payable to the filing office, and the Secretary of State's fee schedule lists different fees by filing type, attachments, additional debtor names and non-standard forms. Check the schedule on the agency's page or call 225.925.4701 for current amounts.
Can I use a trade name or DBA as the debtor name?
No. The instructions say not to use a trade name, DBA, AKA, FKA or division name in place of, or combined with, the debtor's correct name. You may add such names as additional debtors, but the instructions call that neither required nor recommended.
What if the debtor's name does 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's name in item 10 of that addendum.
What is the difference between Form UCC1 and Louisiana's UCC-1F?
Form UCC1 is the national version, while UCC-1F Financing Statement is a Louisiana form that the agency describes as dual purpose. Louisiana accepts both, but national forms with revision dates before July 2023 can bring a non-standard form penalty.
Do I need to attach anything to the UCC-1?
Only in some cases. Attach Form UCC1Ad or Form UCC1AP for additional debtors or secured parties, and Form UCC1Ad items 13 to 16 for timber, as-extracted collateral or fixture filings. Extra collateral pages are referenced in item 12, and item 6b filings need any items the applicable law requires.
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