{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-commercial-law-9-516","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Commercial Law § 9–516","heading":"","body":"(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.\n(b) Filing does not occur with respect to a record that a filing office refuses to accept because:\n(1) The record is not communicated by a method or medium of communication authorized by the filing office;\n(2) An amount equal to or greater than the applicable filing fee is not tendered;\n(3) The filing office is unable to index the record because:\n(A) In the case of an initial financing statement, the record does not provide a name for the debtor;\n(B) In the case of an amendment or information statement, the record:\n(i) Does not identify the initial financing statement as required by § 9–512 or § 9–518, as applicable; or\n(ii) Identifies an initial financing statement whose effectiveness has lapsed under § 9–515;\n(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 surname; or\n(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;\n(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;\n(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:\n(A) Provide a mailing address for the debtor; or\n(B) Indicate whether the name provided as the name of the debtor is the name of an individual or an organization;\n(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;\n(7) In the case of a continuation statement, the record is not filed within the six–month period prescribed by § 9–515(d); or\n(8) The information required by § 9–502(e) is not provided or recordation tax payable is not tendered with the financing statement.\n(c) For purposes of subsection (b):\n(1) A record does not provide information if the filing office is unable to read or decipher the information; and\n(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.\n(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.","path":["Article - Commercial Law"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcl\u0026section=9-516","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:56:33Z","sha256":"6d905a2b4e188d47ed1f7d898cb4807fd0319f0a2ab2020ce832db8a85513cf2","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-commercial-law-9-515","next":"us-md/md.-code-commercial-law-9-517"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}