How Do I Report to TransUnion?

You can report to TransUnion if you are a data furnisher that meets FCRA and GLBA requirements, maintains required data‑privacy safeguards, and can submit tradeline fields in Metro 2 format.

Typical eligible furnishers include banks that report credit‑card balances, auto lenders that send loan performance, collection agencies that file charged‑off accounts, and fintech platforms that use a direct feed or approved reporting vendor. A small credit union that uploads monthly Metro 2 files also qualifies, whereas an individual consumer or an unauthorised third party does not.

Meeting FCRA, GLBA, and data‑privacy obligations starts with obtaining explicit consumer consent, using credit data only for a permissible purpose, and implementing reasonable safeguards to protect that data.

Before you can send any file to TransUnion you must register as a data furnisher, complete the required certification, and receive a vendor ID that identifies you in every Metro 2 format submission.

Once the vendor ID is active, format every report in Metro 2 format with all required tradeline fields and the correct industry codes, then pick a delivery method - direct feed, secure file upload, or an approved reporting vendor. Submit the file through the TransUnion portal or your chosen service provider, keep an audit trail of each batch, and verify that testing and certification have been passed before going live.

For detailed registration instructions see TransUnion Furnisher Registration Guide.

Direct feed lets you upload Metro 2 format files yourself, giving full control over tradeline fields, timing, and FCRA/GLBA compliance checks.

Reporting vendor handles the upload, provides a dashboard, and typically manages certification, but you rely on the vendor's schedule and pay service fees. TransUnion approved reporting vendors can ease the technical burden, though they may limit custom field use and batch frequency.

TransUnion accepts data only in the Metro 2 format, a strict fixed‑width layout defined by the credit reporting industry. Follow the Metro 2 file specifications and secure transmission rules to ensure your feed passes validation.

1. Download the spec - Retrieve the latest TransUnion Metro 2 file specifications and review column positions, padding rules, and required record types (header, tradeline, trailer).
2. Build fixed‑width records - For each record, place every data element in its exact column range; pad with spaces or zeros as the spec dictates. No delimiters are used.
3. Include required codes - Insert the FCRA‑approved transaction codes, GLBA‑compliant consumer identifiers, and other mandatory tradeline fields exactly as defined.
4. Validate locally - Run the provided schema‑check tool or a custom script to verify record lengths, required fields, and checksum values before submission.
5. Encrypt the file - Apply PGP encryption (or the agreed‑upon method) to protect consumer data in transit.
6. Upload via secure channel - Transfer the encrypted file to TransUnion using SFTP or the vendor‑specified portal, following the batch‑submission schedule outlined in the next section.

• Provide all mandatory tradeline fields in Metro 2 format exactly as TransUnion requires, using the correct numeric or alphanumeric codes.
• Include the consumer identifier (field 18 Account Number) and the TransUnion Consumer Reference Number (field 19).
• Report Account Type (field 20) with codes 01 for credit card, 02 for installment, 03 for mortgage, etc.
• Supply Balance (field 35) and Credit Limit (field 36) as numeric values, rounded to the nearest dollar.
• Submit Date Opened (field 61), Date Reported (field 62), and Last Payment Date (field 63) in MMDDYYYY format.
• Use Status Codes (field 38) such as 01 for open‑current, 02 for closed‑paid, 09 for charged‑off, 11 for collection, matching the Metro 2 format specifications.

Complete testing and certification before go-live by sending a full‑scale Metro 2 test file that uses the exact tradeline fields you will report, passing TransUnion's validation checks, and securing the official go‑live certificate. This step follows eligibility, FCRA/GLBA compliance, and file‑format preparation, and it unlocks the reporting frequency schedule in the next section.

• Build a test file that mirrors your production payload, including every mandatory tradeline field and code.
• Run the file through TransUnion's File Validation Tool to catch Metro 2 syntax or FCRA/GLBA rule violations.
• Correct any errors flagged by the validator, then resubmit until the tool returns a clean result.
• Upload the clean file to TransUnion's Test Environment for a formal acceptance review.
• Receive a 'PASS' status and the go‑live certification email from TransUnion.
• Archive the certified test file and validation reports for audit and ongoing compliance.

Report to TransUnion on a monthly cadence, sending each Metro 2 format batch no later than the 15th day after the month's close; high‑volume lenders may opt for weekly uploads, provided every file contains the required tradeline fields and meets FCRA and GLBA standards.

Schedule the secure FTPS window to run early in the morning (e.g., 2 AM  -  4 AM EST) so the batch reaches TransUnion before the daily cut‑off, keep file sizes under 10 MB to avoid throttling, use a consistent name such as 'TU_YYYYMMDD_Seq.txt', and follow the TransUnion file submission guidelines before moving on to handling rejection reasons.

TransUnion rejects submissions for five common reasons; correcting each one guarantees acceptance.

• Missing or incorrect mandatory tradeline fields (e.g., account number, status, date opened). Fix: Populate every required field exactly as the Metro 2 format dictates and verify with the file checker used in the 'complete testing and certification' step.
• Invalid codes (e.g., wrong industry code, payment‑history code). Fix: Cross‑reference TransUnion's code tables, apply the correct GLBA‑compliant codes, and run a code‑validation tool before upload.
• File‑format errors (wrong delimiter, line length, or encoding). Fix: Export strictly in Metro 2 format, honor the fixed‑width layout, and validate against the provided schema validator.
• Non‑compliance with FCRA/GLBA privacy rules (e.g., sending unencrypted SSN). Fix: Mask or encrypt sensitive data, include the required consumer‑consent flag, and confirm eligibility per the 'are you eligible to report to TransUnion?' section.
• Timing or batch‑size violations (submitting outside the monthly cadence or exceeding batch limits). Fix: Align submission schedule with the monthly reporting cadence set earlier, split large files into approved batch sizes, and resend after adjusting the timestamp.

Reconcile your monthly reports by comparing the Metro 2 file you submitted to the response file TransUnion returns, then track accuracy metrics such as acceptance rate, error count, and rejection reasons.

• Pull the daily 'file acknowledgment' from TransUnion's portal; it lists each batch ID, records accepted, and any code‑level rejections.
• Match every accepted record against your internal log of tradeline fields; flag missing or mismatched fields for investigation.
• Calculate the acceptance rate = (accepted records ÷ total records sent) × 100; aim for ≥ 98 % to stay within FCRA and GLBA compliance windows.
• Record error types (e.g., invalid account status, wrong date format) and their frequencies; prioritize fixes that appear in the top three rejection reasons from the previous section.
• Update your monitoring dashboard weekly; set alerts when acceptance rate drops below 95 % or when a single error class exceeds 2 % of total rejections.
• Conduct a root‑cause review each month; adjust your data‑validation rules, then re‑run the Metro 2 file through the test environment before the next live batch.

Monitoring these metrics keeps your feed clean, reduces manual re‑submission, and ensures ongoing compliance with FCRA and GLBA as you move toward reporting bankruptcies, repossessions, and charge‑offs correctly in the next step.

Adding an authorized user or a co‑signer can lift a 679 Equifax credit score within weeks.

An authorized user rides on the primary holder's account history; the primary's positive payment record appears on the user's credit file, generally improving the 679 fair‑average rating. A co‑signer guarantees a new loan or credit line, so the lender reports the account under both names, and the co‑signer's stronger credit can pull the combined Equifax credit score upward. Both strategies rely on existing good credit, not on creating new debt, and they show up on the report after the next monthly cycle.

For example, Maria adds her mother, who has a 780 Equifax credit score, as an authorized user on her credit‑card with a low utilization rate. Within the next billing cycle, Maria's 679 score rises to the low‑700s, matching the quick wins discussed earlier.

Similarly, Tom secures a credit‑builder loan with his brother as co‑signer; the loan reports a 0 % balance and on‑time payments, and Tom's score climbs 15 points after three months, aligning with the 30 - 90‑day improvement window. authorized user accounts boost credit

Consumers cannot upload Metro 2 format files directly to TransUnion, but they can still influence their credit file. First, use the TransUnion consumer dispute portal to flag inaccurate tradeline fields; TransUnion must investigate under the FCRA and GLBA.

Second, enlist a third‑party data furnisher - such as a landlord, utility, or credit‑builder program - that submits compliant Metro 2 feeds on your behalf. These partners handle mandatory tradeline fields and stay within FCRA and GLBA requirements.

Third, contract a reputable credit‑repair service that performs disputes and coordinates with authorized furnishers. The service must follow the same FCRA and GLBA rules, ensuring any new tradeline entries meet TransUnion's Metro 2 specifications.