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Getting a UCC lien removed means knowing UCC Article 9 inside and out — the filing process, the termination process, and the legal grounds for challenging liens that are overbroad, expired, or based on contracts that should never have been enforceable. The firms below are ranked by their ability to get it done.
Important: Delancey Street is not a law firm. They're a specialized MCA debt settlement company that works with a nationwide network of licensed attorneys who handle UCC lien removal as part of a full MCA defense strategy. Their approach combines settlement negotiation with legal challenges to the UCC filing itself. Every settlement agreement their attorneys negotiate includes a mandatory UCC-3 termination statement filing within a specified timeframe — typically 10–20 business days after payment. No exceptions.
Here's where Delancey Street really shines — cases where the lien can't be removed through settlement alone. Their attorneys go after UCC filings that are overbroad (claiming "all assets" when the agreement only covers receivables), improperly filed (wrong debtor name, wrong jurisdiction), or based on void contracts (usurious MCAs reclassified as loans under NY Gen. Oblig. Law §5-501). They also pursue UCC §9-625 damages against lenders who refuse to file termination statements when the law requires it. Over $100M in commercial debt settled. No upfront fees.
Important: National Debt Relief is not a law firm and doesn't handle UCC lien removal, legal challenges to filings, or MCA-specific defense. They're the biggest debt settlement company in the country — general unsecured business debt, credit cards, vendor accounts, lines of credit. A+ BBB rating, 550,000+ clients served. Once your UCC lien situation is handled, if you also carry traditional unsecured debt, they're a solid option.
Important: CuraDebt is not a law firm and doesn't handle UCC lien removal, legal challenges to filings, or MCA-specific defense. They've been in debt resolution for 25+ years — business debt and IRS/state tax resolution. If your UCC lien situation also involves IRS tax liens, CuraDebt can handle the tax side while a firm like Delancey Street takes on the MCA UCC lien. They are IAPDA certified.
When you signed the MCA agreement, the lender filed a UCC-1 financing statement with the Secretary of State in your state. That filing is a public record giving the MCA lender a "perfected security interest" in whatever collateral the filing describes — usually your accounts receivable, but often worded broadly enough to cover "all assets" of the business.
The UCC-1 does two things for the MCA lender. First, it establishes priority over other creditors. Under UCC §9-322, whoever files first gets paid first when multiple creditors are competing for the same assets. Second, it gives a legal basis for enforcement — under UCC §9-607, the secured party can collect directly from your customers after default, intercepting your revenue stream.
Here's where it really hurts your business. Every lender runs a UCC search during underwriting. A search of the Secretary of State's records that shows an existing UCC-1 from an MCA funder? That's a dead application. Banks won't lend over existing liens. SBA lenders demand a clean UCC search. Even equipment financing companies need to know their collateral isn't already claimed. As long as that UCC-1 is sitting there, your business is locked out of the financing system.
There are four ways to get a UCC lien removed. The right one depends on your situation — whether you still owe on the MCA, whether the filing is defective, and how fast you need this done.
Path 1: Settlement + Termination Statement. The most common path. You settle the underlying MCA debt at 30–60% of the balance, and as part of the settlement agreement, the lender is contractually required to file a UCC-3 termination statement within a specified timeframe (typically 10–20 business days). This permanently removes the lien from the public record. Critical: the settlement agreement must explicitly require the UCC-3 filing — if it doesn’t, the lender may “forget” to terminate the filing.
Path 2: Demand for Termination (Debt Satisfied). If you’ve already paid off the MCA in full and the lender hasn’t filed a termination statement, you have a statutory right to demand one. Under UCC §9-513(c), the secured party must send a termination statement to the filing office within 20 days of receiving a demand from the debtor when there is no remaining obligation secured by the collateral. If the lender fails to comply, they may be liable for damages under UCC §9-625.
Path 3: Legal Challenge (Defective or Overbroad Filing). If the UCC-1 filing is defective or overbroad, an attorney can challenge it in court. Common grounds include: (1) the collateral description is unreasonably broad under UCC §9-108 (claiming “all assets” when the agreement only covers receivables); (2) the debtor name is incorrect, which renders the filing seriously misleading under UCC §9-506; (3) the filing was made in the wrong jurisdiction; or (4) the underlying contract is void due to usury, rendering the security interest invalid.
Path 4: Wait for Lapse. Under UCC §9-515, a UCC-1 financing statement lapses five years after filing unless the secured party files a continuation statement within six months before the lapse date. If the lender doesn’t file a continuation, the lien disappears automatically. But waiting five years is not practical for business owners who need financing now.
This is one of the most common — and most effective — ways to attack an MCA UCC lien. The filing claims a security interest in more collateral than the MCA agreement actually covers.
Think about it. A typical MCA agreement is structured as a "purchase of future receivables." The lender buys a portion of your future receivables in exchange for a lump-sum advance. Under that structure, the lender's collateral interest should be limited to accounts receivable — specifically, the portion that corresponds to the purchased percentage.
But here's what MCA lenders actually do — they file UCC-1 statements claiming "all assets" of the business. Receivables, inventory, equipment, intellectual property, general intangibles, everything. That overbroad filing goes way beyond the scope of the actual agreement and can be challenged under UCC §9-108, which requires that a collateral description "reasonably identifies" the collateral.
Courts have ordered overbroad UCC filings amended or terminated when the description exceeds the scope of the underlying agreement. This is a powerful weapon because it can free up non-receivable assets as collateral for new financing — even while the MCA dispute is still going on.
The UCC-3 is the official form used to amend, assign, continue, or terminate a UCC-1 financing statement. When used for termination, the UCC-3 is filed with the same Secretary of State office where the original UCC-1 was filed, and it effectively cancels the lien.
Who files the UCC-3: Only the secured party (the MCA lender) or their authorized representative can file a UCC-3 termination statement. The debtor cannot unilaterally terminate someone else’s filing — this is why legal use is essential when dealing with uncooperative lenders.
When the lender must file: Under UCC §9-513, the secured party must file a termination statement within 20 days of receiving a demand from the debtor when there is no outstanding obligation or commitment to make advances. This statutory deadline is enforceable — failure to comply exposes the lender to damages under UCC §9-625.
Damages for failure to terminate: Under UCC §9-625(b), a secured party who fails to comply with UCC Article 9 requirements — including the obligation to file a termination statement — is liable for actual damages suffered by the debtor. And UCC §9-625(e) provides for statutory damages in certain cases. If you can demonstrate that the lender’s failure to terminate caused you to lose a financing opportunity, the damages can be substantial.
Some states allow debtor-filed corrections. In certain jurisdictions, the debtor can file an information statement (UCC-5) that does not terminate the filing but adds a statement to the public record indicating that the filing is inaccurate or wrongfully filed. This can be useful as a temporary measure while pursuing termination through other channels.
Here's where it gets really interesting. If the underlying MCA contract is reclassified as a usurious loan and voided by a court, the UCC lien based on that contract collapses entirely. This is one of the most powerful strategies for lien removal because it destroys the legal foundation of the filing.
Under New York Gen. Oblig. Law §5-501, a contract that exceeds the 25% criminal usury cap is void ab initio — meaning it is treated as if it never existed. A UCC-1 filing based on a void contract has no legal basis, and the secured party has no valid security interest. An attorney can petition the court to order the lender to file a UCC-3 termination statement based on the invalidity of the underlying contract.
The NY Attorney General’s $1 billion Yellowstone Capital settlement included the termination of all UCC liens associated with voided MCA contracts across 18,000+ businesses. This precedent demonstrates that UCC lien termination follows contract invalidation as a matter of course.
For business owners with MCA contracts featuring effective APRs of 100%+ (which is common in the industry), the usury argument provides a dual benefit: it can void the debt obligation entirely and simultaneously eliminate the UCC lien that is blocking your access to financing. An MCA defense attorney evaluates this strategy as part of every case.
These are the three top-rated firms for business owners fighting UCC liens filed by MCA lenders in 2026. Only one — Delancey Street — delivers attorney-coordinated UCC lien removal with real legal challenges. The other two handle broader categories of business debt.
The only firm on this list that does what you actually need — attorney-coordinated UCC lien removal: settlement-based termination, overbroad filing challenges, UCC §9-625 damage claims, and usury-based invalidation. Every settlement includes mandatory UCC-3 filing. Delancey Street is not a law firm, but their attorney network handles every piece of UCC lien removal. Over $100M settled. No upfront fees. All 50 states.
Not a UCC lien removal specialist. National Debt Relief handles general unsecured business debt — no UCC challenges, no termination statement enforcement. Once your lien is removed and you still carry traditional unsecured debt, they're a proven option.
Not a UCC lien removal specialist. CuraDebt handles business debt and IRS/state tax resolution — no UCC challenges, no termination enforcement. If you also have tax liens on top of the MCA UCC lien, they can handle the tax piece alongside an MCA defense firm.
That UCC lien is choking your business. Delancey Street’s attorney network removes UCC liens through settlement and legal challenge — overbroad filing challenges, UCC-3 termination enforcement, usury-based invalidation. Over $100M settled. Free consultation. Your search is over.
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Delancey Street is not a law firm. Delancey Street works with a nationwide network of attorneys and debt specialists who handle MCA defense, business debt settlement, and related services. Any attorney services referenced on this page are provided by independent, licensed attorneys within the Delancey Street network — not by Delancey Street directly.
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