What is the lien filing lifecycle?

Last updated: September 15, 2026

Nothing is filed automatically. Every UCC-1 and every UCC-3 (including terminations) happens only when you create and submit it, and org-level defaults in Lien Filing Preferences never trigger a filing on their own.

A lien filing moves through these statuses:

  • Draft: you are building the filing; nothing has been sent.

  • Requested: you have submitted it to Baselayer.

  • In Review: Baselayer’s filing team is verifying the filing before it goes to the state.

  • Needs Attention: something needs a fix, based on our review or feedback from the state. You can edit and resubmit at no additional charge, or cancel.

  • Submitted: Baselayer has filed with the Secretary of State and the state is processing it. Timing varies heavily by state.

  • Filed: the state has recorded the filing. The filing number, filing date, and lapse date are populated, and the state’s filed document is available via Download PDF in the console or GET /lien_submissions/{filing_id}/filed_document.

  • Cancelled: cancelled at your request.

What you can do at each status:

  • Edit the filing in Draft or Needs Attention only. Once it is Requested or later, the fields are locked.

  • Cancel from the console or API in Needs Attention only. If a filing is Requested, In Review, or Submitted and you need it stopped, contact us right away and we will cancel it if the state has not yet processed it.

  • Amend or terminate with a UCC-3 once the UCC-1 is Filed.

Every status change emits a LienFiling.updated webhook if you have webhooks configured, and the current status is always visible in the console.

Any questions from our filing team go to the contact email on the filing. This defaults to the Lien Filing Contact Email in your preferences and can be changed on each filing. We never contact your customer.