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Uniform Commercial Code
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Personal Property Security Registry (PPSR)

(Canada)

What is a PPSR?

In Canada, Government databases that maintain public records showing security interests in personal property (chattels) for lenders, sellers, repairers, taxing authorities, government agencies, purchasers and the general public, are known as Personal Property Security Registries (PPSR). They are governed by Provincial Statutes known as Personal Property Security Acts (PPSA) and nine out of the ten provinces as well as the two of the three territories have enacted Personal Property Security Acts based roughly on Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code of the United States. It is expected that Nunavut will follow in the near future. (They currently use the Act from the North West Territories) In addition, the Civil Code of Quebec has recently been revised so as to provide a system of general application for taking security interests in moveable property, thus bringing that province's system closer to the mainstream of North American developments in this area of the law. You can view each provincial statute by clicking on the "Legislation Link" button on our website.

The PPSR system records and reproduces information concerning consumer and business loans where goods and other personal property are used as collateral to secure loans. Lenders and borrowers enter into what are called "security agreements." For example, a person buys a car and borrows money from a bank to pay for it. The borrower and the bank enter into a security agreement giving the bank rights to the car if the borrower does not repay the loan. The lender registers a "notice" of the agreement in the PPSR system. This is done by completing and submitting a document called a "financing statement" to the PPSA office in the jurisdiction in which the security agreement was executed. Since the financing statement is a notice, only essential information relating to the loan is required. In the case of a consumer car loan this would include: the borrower's name, address and date of birth, the lender's name and business address, the registration period, classification of the collateral as either serial or general or both, initial amount of the loan, maturity date and description of the collateral. If the collateral is a motor vehicle the data would include the motor vehicle identification number (VIN). The VIN is a 17 digit identification number affixed to the vehicle by the manufacturer and is usually located on the dashboard of the vehicle. The VIN should be obtained directly from the vehicle as the VIN set out on the vehicle permit may be incorrect. If there is any difference between the two numbers, a search should be done against both. The information is then recorded by the PPSA office, usually electronically and is available for searching by potential lenders and buyers.

Before buying a used car or other used goods, consumers should do a Personal Property Security Act (PPSA) search to protect themselves financially. For example, a search may indicate that the seller or a previous owner has obtained a loan and that the lender may have rights in a used car that a consumer intends to buy. If so, the search results will enable the consumer to contact the lender to confirm whether or not the loan is still in effect, and to obtain further details. If the loan has been repaid, the buyer should insist that the seller require the lender to promptly register a discharge before the sale is completed. However, if there is an outstanding loan, the consumer may either decide against completing the sale or require the seller to arrange for payment of the loan as well as registration of a discharge. If a lender has rights in the used car and a search is not done, the car could later be seized if the borrower fails to repay the loan. (Note: a search is not required when buying a new car or other new goods from the dealer.

In The United States, these security interest registrations are governed by one Legislative Code called the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) See below.


Uniform Commercial Code

(United States)

What is the Uniform Commercial Code? (In The United States )

The Uniform Commercial Code is a set of uniform laws written by the American Law Institute and the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws governing commercial transactions. It took over ten years to originally draft the UCC, and a further fourteen years for the UCC to be implemented across the United States . The creation of the UCC began in 1940 in an effort to "attack major commercial problems with comprehensive legal solutions." The Code became effective at midnight on June 30, 1966 , and applies to transactions entered into and events occurring after that date. The UCC helps to promote interstate commerce by making it simpler to pursue transactions in various jurisdictions. The Code covers the sales of goods, commercial paper, bank deposits and collections, letters of credit, bulk transfers, warehouse receipts, bills of lading, investment securities and secured transactions. The UCC has been adopted by all states except Louisiana .

The Uniform Commercial Code adopts the same "notice filing" approach as PPSA, under which an abbreviated notice or financing statement is filed with the appropriate filing officer evidencing that a debtor and secured party intend to engage in a secured transaction using specified collateral as security. In plain language, the Uniform Commercial Code allows a creditor to notify other creditors about a debtor's assets used as collateral for a secured transaction by filing a public notice (financing statement) with a particular filing office. When a business applicant pledges collateral on a loan, UCC search results tell lenders whether others have filed a claim against the same collateral.

How can Registriesonline.com help you with PPSR and UCCs?

We can register a security interest, amend it, renew it or discharge it and we can search that security interest utilizing several basic criteria such as debtor's name, business or corporate name and collateral registration number or collateral description all through easy-to-use web-based templates. We receive your order, complete it and quickly respond to you, and we do it all electronically through an SSL (128 bit secure socket layer) gateway throughout Canada and the United States .

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Motor Vehicle & Drivers Licence Records

(Canada & The United States)

Motor Vehicle Records

A motor vehicle record is a government database of information that is used for the recording of motor vehicles and all information that pertains to that vehicle. This often includes general information such as the vehicle's manufacturer, VIN number, models, model year, licence plate (tag) attached to a vehicle as well as the registrant of the vehicle. All provinces, territories and states maintain their own motor vehicle database.

One may only query a motor vehicle database. Depending on the jurisdiction, you may search the database using a registrants name, a vehicles' identification number (VIN), licence plate number or drivers licence number.

Due to recent Federal and Provincial legislation in Canada regarding the protection of Privacy, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain motor vehicle and drivers licence information and it is next to impossible to get the necessary information in all jurisdictions. We have designed our web site to guide you through the process of obtaining the motor vehicle information you are looking for in the jurisdictions that still allow for this information. We have limited search capabilities for some provinces and none for others (i.e. Quebec). Please call to find out availabilities for these searches.  

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Bankruptcy & Insolvency Records

(Canada)

Bankruptcy and Insolvency Records

A search of the records at the office of the Official Receiver in Ottawa will indicate whether a corporation or individual is or has been bankrupt, whether an assignment, proposal to creditors or receiving order has been made against the corporation or individual under The Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act of Canada. A search of the Petition Book can also be conducted at The Superior Court of Justice in Ontario which indicates petitions filed in Toronto .

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Business & Corporation Records

(Canada & The United States)

Corporate and Business Records

Corporate and Business Records are maintained by all jurisdictions in Canada and the United States . A Corporate Report would display all current information on the public record for the subject corporation. All active directors and officers are listed as well as the head office address and all addresses of service. Some historical information, such as amalgamating corporations, where the subject corporation is an amalgamation, and name history, are also included in the report. By using our easy to use web-based templates, customized for each jurisdiction, you will receive accurate results quickly and electronically. Business style searches and limited partnership searches are also available. We also offer abbreviated profile searches to confirm the correct corporate name.

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Real Property Records

(Canada)

Real Property Records

Real Property Records refer to the legislated record keeping of real property (real estate) data and are kept in each jurisdiction across Canada . These government offices are typically called Land Registry Offices (LRO) and are used to register, store and manage documents such as deeds, mortgages and plans of survey, etc.
All registered and deposited records are available to the public to search title or obtain information about the ownership of real property and any encumbrances thereon.


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How We can Help


How can Registries Online Help?

We can perform a full range of searches for Motor Vehicles,  Real Estate, Corporate and Bankruptcy including but not limited to ownership, encumbrance or abutting owners for Real Estate, Corporate Profiles, Certificates of Compliance and Status, Insolvency and Writs, and we can provide copies of all salient documents directly to your monitor. Using our highly functional website, you have point-and-click access to a plethora of Public databases across Canada and the United States .

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