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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

  1. Match the Underlying Product: Pick the code that best describes the loan’s structure (mortgage vs. line of credit vs. installment, etc.).

  2. Government Loans: If a loan is guaranteed or insured by a government agency, use relevant codes like 66, 67, 68, or 69.

  3. Utilities & Telecom: Typically 92 for utilities and 4D for telecom/cellular.

  4. Collection Agency: For a third-party collection agency, code 48.

  5. Lease vs. Loan: Leases sometimes are 13 or 3A (auto lease).

  6. Consolidated or Debt Consolidation: Various code references exist (37, 75, or 91).

  7. 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

  1. Consumer Identification: Surname, First Name, SSN, DOB, Address, Phone

  2. Account Identification: Account Number, Portfolio Type, Account Type, Date Opened

  3. Payment & Status Fields: Scheduled Payment, Account Status, Current/Delinquent Balances, Payment History, Date of First Delinquency

  4. Closing/Ending Fields: Date Closed, Payment Rating (if Paid), ECOA Code, Additional Comments (Special/Compliance Condition)


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