Metro 2® Onboarding Guide
In order to create accurate and compliant Metro 2® files, each account needs certain information. Some fields are always required; others are required only if your account meets certain conditions (like delinquencies or bankruptcies). Below is an overview of the commonly needed fields, along with why each is important, how it’s typically formatted, and the typical or allowed values.
1. Consumer Account Number
Metro 2® Field: Consumer Account Number
Label in Your System: Account Number, Loan ID, or Customer ID
Required or Optional: Required
Why Needed: Ensures uniqueness and no duplication in reporting.
Format:
Up to 30 alphanumeric characters.
Keep it consistent across monthly reporting.
Notes:
If this number changes, you typically must report an L1 Segment to tie old and new numbers.
2. Identification Number
Metro 2® Field: Identification Number
Label in Your System: Furnisher ID, Internal Code, Subscriber ID
Required or Optional: Required
Why Needed: Identifies you (or the current owner/holder) as the furnisher.
Format:
Up to 20 alphanumeric characters.
3. Portfolio Type
Metro 2® Field: Portfolio Type (Field 8)
Label in Your System: Account Category, Loan Type
Required or Optional: Required
Allowed Values:
I = Installment (auto loans, personal loans)
R = Revolving (credit cards)
O = Open (utility/charge accounts paid in full)
C = Line of Credit (personal/home equity lines)
M = Mortgage (real estate-secured)
Why Needed: Defines how credit is extended or how the debt is structured.
4. Account Type
Code | Description / Usage |
00 | Auto (generally used for an unsecured auto loan) |
01 | Unsecured (personal loans not backed by collateral) |
02 | Secured (typically collateralized by an asset such as a vehicle, but not specifically an auto loan) |
03 | Partially Secured |
04 | Home Improvement (non-federally insured) |
05 | FHA Home Improvement |
06 | Installment Sales Contract (e.g., purchase financed at point of sale) |
07 | Charge Account (an older term for some revolving store lines) |
08 | Real Estate Mortgage, unknown specific type |
10 | Business Loan |
11 | Recreational Merchandise (e.g., RV, boat, or off-road vehicle financed) |
12 | Education/Student Loan |
13 | Lease (non-auto) |
15 | Line of Credit (generic personal lines of credit) |
17 | Manufactured Housing |
18 | Credit Card |
19 | FHA Real Estate Mortgage |
20 | Note Loan (various notes not specifically listed) |
25 | VA Real Estate Mortgage |
26 | Conventional Real Estate Mortgage (Purchase Money First or other standard mortgages) |
29 | Rental Agreement (often used by rental companies or for residential leases) |
37 | Combined Credit Plan (represents multiple credit products on one billing) |
43 | Debit Card (linked to line of credit/overdraft) |
47 | Credit Line Secured (generic) |
48 | Collection Agency/Attorney (often used by third-party collectors) |
50 | Family Support (e.g., child support in certain contexts) |
65 | Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) |
66 | Government Unsecured Guaranteed Loan |
67 | Government Unsecured Direct Loan |
68 | Government Secured Direct Loan |
69 | Government Grant |
70 | Government Overpayment |
71 | Government Fine |
72 | Government Fee for Services |
73 | Government Employee Advance |
74 | Government Misc. Debt |
75 | Debt Consolidation (various personal consolidation loans) |
77 | Returned Check |
89 | Home Equity Line of Credit (alternative code) |
90 | Medical Debt |
91 | Debt Consolidation (alternate usage) |
92 | Utility Company |
93 | Child Support |
95 | Voluntary Surrender (there may be a balance due) |
0A | Time Share Loan (a purchased timeshare property financed) |
2A | Secured Credit Card |
3A | Auto Lease |
5A | Real Estate – Junior Liens or Non-Purchase Money First |
6A | Commercial Installment Loan |
7A | Commercial Line of Credit |
8A | Business Credit Card |
9A | Secured Home Improvement |
5B | Second Mortgage |
6B | Commercial Mortgage Loan |
7B | Agricultural |
8B | Deposit Account with Overdraft Protection |
9B | Business Line Personally Guaranteed |
0C | Debt Buyer |
2C | USDA Real Estate Mortgage Loan |
0F | Construction Loan |
0G | Flexible Spending Credit Card |
4D | Telecommunications/Cellular (common code for phone or cellular providers) |
6D | Home Equity (Installment, not a line of credit) |
9X | (Some older references mention codes in the 90–99 range for local usage—these are less common.) |
Quick Tips for Selecting the Account Type
Match the Underlying Product: Pick the code that best describes the loan’s structure (mortgage vs. line of credit vs. installment, etc.).
Government Loans: If a loan is guaranteed or insured by a government agency, use relevant codes like 66, 67, 68, or 69.
Utilities & Telecom: Typically 92 for utilities and 4D for telecom/cellular.
Collection Agency: For a third-party collection agency, code 48.
Lease vs. Loan: Leases sometimes are 13 or 3A (auto lease).
Consolidated or Debt Consolidation: Various code references exist (37, 75, or 91).
If Unsure: Consult your compliance or reference documentation for any code that might best fit your credit product.
5. Date Opened
Metro 2® Field: Date Opened (Field 10)
Label in Your System: Origination Date, Date Account Opened
Required or Optional: Required
Format: MMDDYYYY
Why Needed: Reflects age of the account and timeline.
6. Highest Credit or Original Loan Amount
Metro 2® Field: Highest Credit/Original Loan Amount (Field 12)
Label: Loan Principal, Highest Balance
Required or Optional: Required
Why Needed:
Installment/mortgage: original loan amount.
Revolving: highest balance used.
Format: 9 digits (zero-padded).
7. Terms Duration & Terms Frequency
Metro 2® Fields:
Terms Duration (Field 13)
Terms Frequency (Field 14)
Label in Your System: Number of Payments, Payment Frequency
Required or Optional: Required
Common Frequency Codes:
M = Monthly, W = Weekly, B = Biweekly, D = Deferred, etc.
Why Needed: Summarizes repayment length and frequency.
8. Scheduled Monthly Payment Amount
Metro 2® Field: Scheduled Monthly Payment Amount (Field 15)
Label: Contractual Payment
Required or Optional: Usually Required if account is in repayment
Format: 9 digits (zero-padded).
Why Needed: The agreed-upon monthly payment for the current period.
9. Account Status Code
Metro 2® Field: Account Status (Field 17A)
Label: Delinquency Bucket or Status
Required or Optional: Required
Common Values:
11 = Current
13 = Paid or closed/zero balance
61, 62, 63, 64, 65 = 30–179 days past due
93 = Collection
97 = Charge-off
Why Needed: Tells if account is current, delinquent, charge-off, etc.
10. Payment Rating
Metro 2® Field: Payment Rating (Field 17B)
Label: Final Month’s Delinquency
Required or Optional:
Required for certain “final” statuses (e.g., 13 or 65).
Common Values:
0 = current for final month
1–5 = 30–150 days delinquent for final month
6 = 180 days or more past due for final month
Why Needed: Conveys how overdue the account was in the final reported month if it’s now paid or closed.
11. Payment History Profile
Metro 2® Field: Payment History Profile (Field 18)
Label: 24-Month Payment History
Required or Optional: Highly recommended
Format: 24 characters (left to right = oldest to newest)
Examples:
000000000000000000000000 = always current for 24 months
000033210000000000000000 = shows some 30–120 day lates
Why Needed: Shows 24-month performance track record.
12. Special Comment
Metro 2® Field: Special Comment (Field 19)
Label: Comments, e.g., CO = Loan Modified, AS = Account closed due to refinance
Required or Optional: Often optional unless certain conditions apply (like internal transfers).
Why Needed: Adds narrative about special account conditions or arrangements.
13. Compliance Condition Code
Metro 2® Field: Compliance Condition Code (Field 20)
Label: Dispute Condition, Account Close Reason, etc.
Allowed Values (examples):
XA = Account closed at consumer’s request
XB = Consumer disputes the account directly
XR = Remove a previously reported code
Why Needed: For certain compliance or legal statuses, like direct disputes.
14. Current Balance & Amount Past Due
Metro 2® Fields:
Current Balance (Field 21)
Amount Past Due (Field 22)
Format: 9 digits each, zero padded.
Why Needed:
Current Balance: total owed on the account.
Amount Past Due: portion that is 30+ days overdue.
15. Date of Account Information
Metro 2® Field: Date of Account Information (Field 24)
Format: MMDDYYYY
Why Needed: “As of” date for the reported data.
16. Date of First Delinquency
Metro 2® Field: FCRA Compliance/Date of First Delinquency (Field 25)
Required or Optional: Required if reporting any delinquency or charge-off.
Why Needed: Used by CRAs for purge rules (7 years from this date for negative data).
17. Date Closed
Metro 2® Field: Date Closed (Field 26)
Required or Optional: If the account is closed or paid off.
Format: MMDDYYYY
18. Date of Last Payment
Metro 2® Field: Date of Last Payment (Field 27)
Required or Optional: Required if a payment was received this period.
19. Name & Identification
Fields: Surname (25 chars), First Name (20 chars), Middle Name (20 chars), Suffix (1)
SSN (9 digits if available), DOB (MMDDYYYY if available)
Why Needed: CRAs match the correct consumer by name + SSN + DOB.
20. Address & Phone
Metro 2® Fields:
First Line of Address (32 chars)
Second Line (32 chars)
City (20 chars), State (2), ZIP (9)
Telephone Number (10 digits)
21. ECOA Code
Metro 2® Field: ECOA Code (Field 37)
Common Values:
1 = Individual
2 = Joint
5 = Co-Maker/Guarantor
7 = Maker (with co-maker)
X = Deceased
Why Needed: Relationship of the consumer to the account.
22. Consumer Information Indicator
Metro 2® Field: Consumer Information Indicator (Field 38)
Allowed Values: e.g. A = Chapter 7 petition, B = Chapter 11, Q = remove BK code, etc.
Why Needed: For special legal conditions like bankruptcy.
23. Country Code
Metro 2® Field: Country Code (Field 39)
Format: 2-letter country abbreviation, e.g. US.
Optional if address is US-based.
24. Other Segments or Fields
J1/J2 Segments: If there are multiple consumers on an account, or additional addresses.
K1 Segment: If you’re not the original creditor (e.g., debt buyer or collection agency).
L1 Segment: If the Account Number changes.
N1 Segment: If you wish to report employment information.
Summary
Consumer Identification: Surname, First Name, SSN, DOB, Address, Phone
Account Identification: Account Number, Portfolio Type, Account Type, Date Opened
Payment & Status Fields: Scheduled Payment, Account Status, Current/Delinquent Balances, Payment History, Date of First Delinquency
Closing/Ending Fields: Date Closed, Payment Rating (if Paid), ECOA Code, Additional Comments (Special/Compliance Condition)