{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-28-9-516","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 28:9-516","heading":"What constitutes filing; effectiveness of filing.","body":"(a)\nExcept 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.\n\n(b)\nFiling does not occur with respect to a record that a filing office refuses to accept because:\n(1)\nThe record is not communicated by a method or medium of communication authorized by the filing office;\n(2)\nAn amount equal to or greater than the applicable filing fee is not tendered;\n(3)\nThe filing office is unable to index the record because:\n(A)\nIn the case of an initial financing statement, the record does not provide a name for the debtor;\n(B)\nIn the case of an amendment or information statement, the record:\n(i)\nDoes not identify the initial financing statement as required by § 28:9-512 or 28:9-518, as applicable; or\n(ii)\nIdentifies an initial financing statement whose effectiveness has lapsed under § 28:9-515;\n(C)\nIn 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 surname; or\n(D)\nIn the case of a record filed or recorded in the filing office described in § 28:9-501(a)(1), the record does not provide a sufficient description of the real property to which it relates;\n(4)\nIn 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;\n(5)\nIn 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:\n(A)\nProvide a mailing address for the debtor; or\n(B)\nIndicate whether the name provided as the name of the debtor is the name of an individual or an organization.\n(C)\n[Repealed].\n(6)\nIn the case of an assignment reflected in an initial financing statement under § 28:9-514(a) or an amendment filed under § 28:9-514(b), the record does not provide a name and mailing address for the assignee; or\n(7)\nIn the case of a continuation statement, the record is not filed within the 6-month period prescribed by § 28:9-515(d).\n\n(c)\nFor purposes of subsection (b):\n(1)\nA record does not provide information if the filing office is unable to read or decipher the information; and\n(2)\nA record that does not indicate that it is an amendment or identify an initial financing statement to which it relates, as required by § 28:9-512, 28:9-514, or 28:9-518, is an initial financing statement.\n\n(d)\nA 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.","path":["Title 28. Commercial Instruments and Transactions. [Enacted title]","Subtitle I. Uniform Commercial Code.","Article 9. Secured Transactions.","Part V. Filing.","Subpart 1. Filing Office; Contents and Effectiveness of Financing Statement."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/28:9-516","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"024a84c75dfce2e6478dbeb375ce527cd395e991a46d41919bc1f523670c37bc","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-28-9-515","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-28-9-517"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}