diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/user_data.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_data.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f2cb282
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_data.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#include "user_data.hpp"
+
+#include "pel_types.hpp"
+
+#include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace pels
+{
+
+using namespace phosphor::logging;
+
+void UserData::unflatten(Stream& stream)
+{
+    stream >> _header;
+
+    if (_header.size <= SectionHeader::flattenedSize())
+    {
+        throw std::out_of_range(
+            "UserData::unflatten: SectionHeader::size field too small");
+    }
+
+    size_t dataLength = _header.size - SectionHeader::flattenedSize();
+    _data.resize(dataLength);
+
+    stream >> _data;
+}
+
+void UserData::flatten(Stream& stream)
+{
+    stream << _header << _data;
+}
+
+UserData::UserData(Stream& pel)
+{
+    try
+    {
+        unflatten(pel);
+        validate();
+    }
+    catch (const std::exception& e)
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Cannot unflatten user data",
+                        entry("ERROR=%s", e.what()));
+        _valid = false;
+    }
+}
+
+UserData::UserData(uint16_t componentID, uint8_t subType, uint8_t version,
+                   const std::vector<uint8_t>& data)
+{
+    _header.id = static_cast<uint16_t>(SectionID::userData);
+    _header.size = Section::flattenedSize() + data.size();
+    _header.version = version;
+    _header.subType = subType;
+    _header.componentID = componentID;
+
+    _data = data;
+
+    _valid = true;
+}
+
+void UserData::validate()
+{
+    if (header().id != static_cast<uint16_t>(SectionID::userData))
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Invalid user data section ID",
+                        entry("ID=0x%X", header().id));
+        _valid = false;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        _valid = true;
+    }
+}
+
+} // namespace pels
+} // namespace openpower