How Do You Report to Credit Bureaus?

Yes - you can report consumer payment data to the major credit bureaus, but only after you qualify as a data furnisher and follow the industry standards for Metro2 formatting and e‑OSCAR submission. First, verify that your business meets the eligibility criteria (see 'qualify as data furnisher now'). Then collect accurate payment histories, decide whether to send files directly or use a reporting service, and register with each bureau - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - before building a Metro2‑compliant file. Once the file validates, you'll upload it securely through e‑OSCAR, after which the bureaus will add the information to consumer credit reports.

The next steps cover gathering data, choosing a submission path, and registering with Equifax.

You can qualify as a data furnisher now by meeting the basic eligibility requirements set by the credit bureaus.

1. Be a legitimate business or organization - have a registered name, Tax ID (EIN), and a physical address that matches your public records.
2. Collect consumer‑reported financial data - you must have verifiable payment history, such as loan repayments, utility bills, or rent payments, that you intend to share.
3. Comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) - adopt policies for data accuracy, consumer disputes, and data security; keep documentation ready for audit.
4. Sign a data furnisher agreement - each bureau requires a signed contract that outlines reporting obligations, usage limits, and liability.
5. Maintain a secure IT environment - ensure you can generate and transmit files in Metro2 format and protect consumer information per industry standards.

Once these conditions are satisfied, you're ready to move to the next step: registering with Equifax and the other bureaus to obtain credentials for e‑OSCAR submission.

• Secure signed borrower authorization before any data leaves your system, because reporting without consent breaches the Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements and invites penalties.
• Pull every payment record from the accounting platform: date, amount, currency, and any late fees, ensuring no gaps for the reporting period.
• Match each transaction to the consumer's unique identifier (SSN, Tax ID, or DOB) exactly as the credit bureaus require for the Metro2 file.
• Flag disputed or adjusted entries with the appropriate Metro2 status codes to avoid future rejections.
• Consolidate the cleaned set into a CSV that mirrors the Metro2 schema, ready for the 'Pick Direct vs Service Path' step later.

Direct reporting sends your own Metro2 file straight to the credit bureaus via e‑OSCAR; you register yourself, build the file, and manage validation. This route gives full control over timing, costs, and data integrity, but requires you to meet each bureau's security standards and maintain a dedicated technical workflow.

A service path hands the file to a reporting vendor who formats, validates, and submits it on your behalf. The vendor handles e‑OSCAR connections, reduces internal overhead, and often offers bundled compliance checks, yet you incur subscription fees and rely on the provider's schedule and error‑handling processes. Choose direct if you have in‑house expertise; choose a service if you prefer outsourced simplicity and can tolerate the extra cost.

Credit bureaus require a formal enrollment before accepting any data. Register with Equifax today by navigating to the Equifax Business Services portal Equifax Business Services portal, completing the online application, and receiving a unique Furnisher ID. Only entities with a legitimate permissible purpose under the FCRA qualify, so have your tax ID, DUNS number, and proof of purpose ready.

The portal guides you through uploading Metro2 format files via a secure SFTP or web interface once the Furnisher ID is active. After this step, the next section walks through the exact file‑building rules, while later we'll compare Equifax's upload method to the e-OSCAR system used for TransUnion submissions.

Metro2 format basics define a fixed‑length, ASCII‑based layout that data furnishers use to send consumer‑credit information to the credit bureaus. Each record spans 400 characters, fields occupy exact positions, and every value follows a prescribed code list. The specification, published by the three bureaus, dictates field length, padding rules, and permitted codes; deviation triggers automatic rejections in e‑OSCAR. For the complete rulebook see the Metro2 format specifications.

Account (AT), Consumer (CT) and Account History (AH) records illustrate typical usage. A CT line must contain the consumer's SSN (positions 1‑9), full name (10‑39), and current address (40‑89). An AT line includes the lender‑assigned account number (1‑20), product type code (21‑22), original balance in cents padded to 12 digits (23‑34), and status code (35‑36).

Dates appear as YYYYMMDD, for example 20231231 in positions 37‑44. Repeating fields, such as secondary addresses, use the 'R' indicator in the designated flag position. When reporting rent payments, the product type code switches to 'R' and the balance field reflects monthly rent. These concrete field placements prepare the file for the validation step that follows.

You create a Metro2‑compliant file, then run it through each bureau's validator before sending it to e‑OSCAR.

1. Map every data point to the Metro2 field list - use the official Metro2 specification to align customer IDs, account numbers, payment histories, and status codes with the exact column positions.
2. Generate a pipe‑delimited, fixed‑width file - ensure each record ends with a carriage return, uses ASCII encoding, and pads blank fields with spaces as required.
3. Run the file through the bureaus' validation tools - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each offer free online validators; for example, the Equifax Metro2 validation service flags syntax errors, missing mandatory fields, and invalid code combinations.
4. Review and fix all error messages - typical rejections involve incorrect date formats (YYYYMMDD), mismatched account type codes, or omitted required 'consumer consent' flags. Correct the source data, regenerate the file, and re‑validate.
5. Perform a final test batch - submit a single‑record file to each bureau's test environment via e‑OSCAR; confirm acceptance before scaling to your full daily file.

Once the file clears all validators, you're ready to move to the 'Submit securely via e‑OSCAR' section.

You submit your Metro2 file to the credit bureaus through the secure e‑OSCAR portal. After confirming eligibility in 'Qualify as data furnisher now' and formatting the file in 'Nail Metro2 format basics,' follow these steps:

• Request an e‑OSCAR ID and password from each bureau's online registration site.
• Encrypt the Metro2 file with the bureau‑provided PGP key or use TLS‑only upload as required.
• Log into the e‑OSCAR web interface and select 'Upload Batch.'
• Attach the encrypted file, enter the batch description, and submit.
• Record the batch reference number; the system returns an immediate acknowledgment (ACK) confirming receipt.
• Use the e‑OSCAR dashboard to monitor processing status and download any error reports.

With a valid batch ID and real‑time status view, you can quickly address issues before moving to 'Fix common rejection reasons fast.'

Resolve the top Metro2 rejections in minutes by correcting format, code, and data errors before you hit e‑OSCAR. The most frequent reasons and the quickest fixes are:

• Field‑length or date‑format mismatch - run the Metro2 validator, enforce YYYYMMDD dates, and pad strings to the exact length the bureau requires.
• Invalid or deprecated status codes - reference the latest bureau code tables, replace outdated codes (e.g., 01 → 00 for 'current'), and update your mapping logic.
• Missing required fields - double‑check the bureau‑specific field checklist (e.g., account‑type, balance, payment‑status) and add any blanks before file generation.
• Incorrect consumer identifiers - verify Social Security numbers, Tax IDs, and account numbers for length and numeric only; flag and correct any alphanumeric entries.
• Duplicate records in the same submission - de‑duplicate by unique account‑consumer key, and ensure only the latest version of a record is included.
• Encryption or file‑transfer errors - confirm PGP encryption uses the bureau's current public key and that the file is uploaded via the e‑OSCAR portal's secure API.
• Checksum or total‑record count mismatch - recalculate the trailer record count and totals after any edit, then regenerate the file.
• Schema version mismatch - set the Metro2 version header to the exact version (e.g., '02') the receiving bureau expects.

Address each point before submitting, and the e‑OSCAR response will shift from rejection to acceptance, clearing the way for the rent‑payment reporting section that follows.

Report rent payments legally by first obtaining each tenant's signed consent and registering yourself as an approved data furnisher with the credit bureaus. The consent satisfies the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and registration (for example through Equifax data furnisher registration) grants the IDs needed to submit data.

Next, format the rent data in the Metro2 specification, using transaction type 03 (rent) with the tenant's SSN, payment date, and amount. Build a compliant file and validate it before sending it through the secure e-OSCAR portal. This ensures the bureaus accept the report without rejection.

Finally, maintain accurate monthly records for at least seven years, reconcile any disputes promptly, and never submit duplicate or estimated amounts. Continuous compliance keeps your reports trustworthy and lets tenants benefit from positive rental history on their credit reports.