Section 9-516 - What constitutes filing; effectiveness of filing. - Maryland Statutes

§ 9-516. What constitutes filing; effectiveness of filing.
 

(a)  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), communication of a record to a filing office and tender of the filing fee or acceptance of the record by the filing office constitutes filing. 

(b)  Filing does not occur with respect to a record that a filing office refuses to accept because: 

(1) The record is not communicated by a method or medium of communication authorized by the filing office; 

(2) An amount equal to or greater than the applicable filing fee is not tendered; 

(3) The filing office is unable to index the record because: 

(A) In the case of an initial financing statement, the record does not provide a name for the debtor; 

(B) In the case of an amendment or correction statement, the record: 

(i) Does not identify the initial financing statement as required by § 9-512 or § 9-518, as applicable; or 

(ii) Identifies an initial financing statement whose effectiveness has lapsed under § 9-515; 

(C) In the case of an initial financing statement that provides the name of a debtor identified as an individual or an amendment that provides a name of a debtor identified as an individual which was not previously provided in the financing statement to which the record relates, the record does not identify the debtor's last name; or 

(D) In the case of a record filed or recorded in the filing office described in § 9-501 (a) (1), the record does not provide a sufficient description of the real property to which it relates; 

(4) In the case of an initial financing statement or an amendment that adds a secured party of record, the record does not provide a name and mailing address for the secured party of record; 

(5) In the case of an initial financing statement or an amendment that provides a name of a debtor which was not previously provided in the financing statement to which the amendment relates, the record does not: 

(A) Provide a mailing address for the debtor; 

(B) Indicate whether the debtor is an individual or an organization; or 

(C) If the financing statement indicates that the debtor is an organization, provide: 

(i) A type of organization for the debtor; 

(ii) A jurisdiction of organization for the debtor; or 

(iii) An organizational identification number for the debtor or indicate that the debtor has none; 

(6) In the case of an assignment reflected in an initial financing statement under § 9-514 (a) or an amendment filed under § 9-514 (b), the record does not provide a name and mailing address for the assignee; 

(7) In the case of a continuation statement, the record is not filed within the six-month period prescribed by § 9-515 (d); or 

(8) The information required by § 9-502 (e) is not provided or recordation tax payable is not tendered with the financing statement. 

(c)  For purposes of subsection (b): 

(1) A record does not provide information if the filing office is unable to read or decipher the information; and 

(2) A record that does not indicate that it is an amendment or identify an initial financing statement to which it relates, as required by § 9-512, § 9-514, or § 9-518, is an initial financing statement. 

(d)  A record that is communicated to the filing office with tender of the filing fee, but which the filing office refuses to accept for a reason other than one set forth in subsection (b), is effective as a filed record except as against a purchaser of the collateral which gives value in reasonable reliance upon the absence of the record from the files. 
 

[1999, ch. 282, § 2.]