CFPB Announces File Format Verification Tool for 2018 HMDA Data

The CFPB recently released the File Format Verification Tool (FFVT), a new resource for HMDA data collected in 2018 and submitted in 2019 that allows users to test whether their HMDA file meets certain formatting requirements under the HMDA Filing Instructions Guide (FIG).  Along these lines, the FFVT tests to ensure a file is, among other things, in a pipe-delimited format and has the proper number of data fields.  It is not used to actually submit HMDA data and does not test for data validity or consistency.  The CFPB’s instructions to the FFVT indicate that the tool was developed with no login functions, and does not log identifying information about users or the files they upload.  Therefore, no federal agency will receive or be able to view the files that are tested.

The FFVT may be found on the FFEIC’s website, here.