Minnesota Secretary Of State - CNS Standard Search Requests
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CNS Standard Search Requests


Electronic Fulfillment

Requests for CNS Search Reports will be electronically fulfilled.  An email will be sent to the email address provided and will contain a link to the CNS Standard Report.  The CNS Standard Search Report can be opened for viewing, printed and/or downloaded. 

The Search Report will not contain copies of CNS filings. Copies of specific lien records can be ordered online. Ordering CNS Standard Search Reports or copies of CNS Lien Filings will require creating an account.

CNS Standard Search Reports will include all CNS Financing Statements on file for the EXACT MATCH on a debtor name and collateral listed for each record.  This type of search is referred to as a “Certified Search” and is admissible in court.

For Individual Names:

First Name: The search report will include filings that have a first name match to exactly what is entered; a First Letter Name Match of the first name initial that matches the first letter of the name entered will also be returned in the result set.  

Example:  If the first name of “Julie” is entered the results will include Julie and J.    If an initial (single letter for first name) is entered, then the search will also return any match that begins with the initial. Example:  If the first name of “J” is entered the results will include Julie, Jennifer and J.

Middle Name: The search report will include filings that have a middle name match to exactly what is entered;  a First Letter Name Match of the middle name initial only that matches the first letter of the name entered will also be returned in the result set.  

Example: If the middle name of “Marshall” is entered the results will include “Marshall”, “M” as well as no middle name.  If no middle name is entered, the results will return any middle initial or name for liens that match the first name and/or last name entered.

Example: If the first name of “Scott” and last name of “Gerdes” is entered will include “Scott Gerdes”, “Scott M Gerdes” and “Scott Marshall Gerdes”   If an initial (single letter for middle name) is entered, then the search will also return any match that begins with the initial.

Example: If the first name of “J” is entered the results will include Julie, Jennifer and J.   

Last Name: The search report will include filings that have a last name match to exactly what is entered.

Example: If the last name entered is “Smith” all liens with the debtor last name of Smith will be returned (limited by first and/or middle name if entered). 


For Organization Names:

The search report will include filings that have an organization name match to exactly what is entered.

Example: If the debtor name searched is “ABC Bus” it will return ABC Bus, ABC Bus Inc, ABC Bus Company and so on.  

See the Secured_Search_Logic_Implementation Guide.pdf to learn more about Normalization routines that all CNS debtor names go through for storage in and retrieval from the database, and Minnesota Administrative Rules that are applied to CNS Standard Search Information Requests.