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

See table below in Appendix for full list of options

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 codes exist (37, 75, or 91).
If Unsure: Consult your compliance or reference documentation for the best fit.

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

Metro 2® Field: Terms Duration (Field 13) Label in Your System: Number of Payments Required or Optional: Required Why Needed: Summarizes repayment length (e.g., how many payments).

8. Terms Frequency

Metro 2® Field: Terms Frequency (Field 14) Label in Your System: Payment Frequency Required or Optional: Required Common Frequency Codes:

M = Monthly
W = Weekly
B = Biweekly
D = Deferred

Why Needed: Indicates how often payments are due (monthly, weekly, etc.).

9. 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.

10. 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 the account is current, delinquent, charge-off, etc.

11. 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 in final month
1–5 = 30–150 days delinquent in final month
6 = 180 days or more past due in final month

Why Needed: Conveys how overdue the account was in the final reported month, if it’s now paid/closed.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. Current Balance

Metro 2® Field: Current Balance (Field 21) Format: 9 digits (zero-padded) Why Needed: Total owed on the account.

16. Amount Past Due

Metro 2® Field: Amount Past Due (Field 22) Format: 9 digits (zero-padded) Why Needed: The portion that is 30+ days overdue.

17. Date of Account Information

Metro 2® Field: Date of Account Information (Field 24) Format: MMDDYYYY Why Needed: “As of” date for the reported data.

18. 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 (negative data typically stays 7 years from this date).

19. Date Closed

Metro 2® Field: Date Closed (Field 26) Required or Optional: If the account is closed or paid off. Format: MMDDYYYY

20. Date of Last Payment

Metro 2® Field: Date of Last Payment (Field 27) Required or Optional: Required if a payment was received this period.

21. Name & Identification

Fields:

Surname (25 chars)
First Name (20 chars)
Middle Name (20 chars)
Suffix (1 char)
SSN (9 digits if available)
DOB (MMDDYYYY if available)

Why Needed: CRAs match the correct consumer by name + SSN + DOB.

22. 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)

23. 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.

24. Consumer Information Indicator

Metro 2® Field: Consumer Information Indicator (Field 38) Allowed Values (examples):

A = Chapter 7 petition
B = Chapter 11
Q = Remove BK code
… (others vary based on software/vendor)

Why Needed: For special legal conditions like bankruptcy.

25. Country Code

Metro 2® Field: Country Code (Field 39) Format: 2-letter country abbreviation (e.g., US) Optional if address is US-based.

26. 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)

Appendix - Account Number Mapping