(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (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 of any of the following:
(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 of any of the following:
(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 information statement, either of the following applies with respect to the record:
(i) It does not identify the initial financing statement as required by Section 9512 or 9518, as applicable.
(ii) It identifies an initial financing statement whose effectiveness has lapsed under Section 9515.
(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.
(D) In the case of a record filed or recorded in the filing office described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 9501, 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 do any of the following:
(A) Provide a mailing address for the debtor.
(B) Indicate whether the name provided as the name of the debtor is the name of an individual or an organization.
(6) In the case of an assignment reflected in an initial financing statement under subdivision (a) of Section 9514 or an amendment filed under subdivision (b) of Section 9514, 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 subdivision (d) of Section 9515.
(c) For purposes of subdivision (b), both of the following rules apply:
(1) A record does not provide information if the filing office is unable to read or decipher the information.
(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 Section 9512, 9514, or 9518, 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 subdivision (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.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 531, Sec. 19. (AB 502) Effective January 1, 2014. Operative July 1, 2014, by Sec. 28 of Ch. 531.)