How Do I Freeze My Credit Report at All Three Bureaus?

To freeze your credit at all three bureaus, you contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately — online, by phone, or by mail — and submit a security freeze request to each one. It is free by federal law, and no single portal handles all three at once.¹ Online is the fastest route: the bureau must place the freeze within one business day of an online or phone request, and within three business days of a mailed one.²

What a Freeze Actually Does

A security freeze restricts who can pull your credit report. While it is in place, most lenders and creditors cannot access your file, so they will not approve new loans or credit cards in your name. Identity thieves rely on that credit check happening; a freeze cuts off the step and blocks unauthorized accounts from opening.³

A freeze has no expiration date. It does not affect your credit score, and you can still request and review your own credit reports while it is active.³

Information To Gather Before You Start

Each bureau will ask for the same core details, so pull these together first:

Full legal name as it appears on your government-issued ID
Social Security number
Date of birth
Current and previous addresses covering the last two years

Expect identity verification questions that only you should be able to answer, such as the amount of a recent payment or which lender holds a particular account. The questions differ between bureaus because each pulls from different data.⁴ If the bureau cannot verify you online, it may ask you to upload or mail a copy of a government-issued photo ID and a recent utility bill. If you mail your request, send copies of your documents (never originals) by certified mail so you have proof of delivery.

How To Freeze Your Credit at Each Bureau

Submit a request to each of the three bureaus using any of the three channels below. Contact information comes from IdentityTheft.gov.⁵

Equifax

Online: the Equifax security freeze page at equifax.com
Phone: 800-685-1111
Mail: Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348-5788

Experian

Online: experian.com/help/credit-freeze
Phone: 888-397-3742
Mail: Experian, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013

Experian no longer uses a PIN. You manage your freeze through a free Experian account, and you authenticate through their standard login process.⁶

TransUnion

Online: transunion.com/credit-freeze
Phone: 888-909-8872
Mail: TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Confirmation, PINs, and Lost Logins

After the freeze is placed, each bureau must send you a written confirmation within five business days. That confirmation includes a PIN or instructions for creating an online account, which you will need later to lift or remove the freeze.² Store the credentials somewhere secure. Losing them can delay your own access to your credit when you need to apply for something.

If you do lose them, the recovery process depends on the bureau. Experian handles a lost password through standard account recovery.⁶ Equifax and TransUnion can issue a replacement PIN, but you will need to verify your identity again, which may include answering security questions or mailing copies of your ID. That can add days to your timeline.

Lifting the Freeze When You Need Credit

When you apply for a mortgage, auto loan, credit card, or utility service, you will need to lift the freeze at the bureau the lender checks. Contact that bureau the same way you placed the freeze, using your PIN or account login.¹ Federal law requires the bureau to act within one hour on an online or phone request, and within three business days on a mailed one.²

You have two options:

A temporary lift, where you specify a date range or, at some bureaus, a specific creditor. The freeze snaps back into place automatically when the window closes.
A permanent removal, which returns your file to its fully accessible state indefinitely. You can place a new freeze later at no cost.

Ask the lender which bureau they pull from before you apply. Lifting at just that one is often enough, and it keeps the other two frozen.

Freezing a Child’s or Dependent’s Credit

Federal law lets parents and legal guardians freeze the credit files of anyone under 16. If the bureaus do not already have a file on the child, they must create one solely to freeze it; that file cannot be used for credit purposes. You will need to provide proof of your authority, such as a birth certificate, along with the child’s identifying information. Placing and removing a child’s freeze is free at all three bureaus.⁷

The legal guardian of an incapacitated adult can also freeze that person’s credit. You will need proof of your identity, proof of theirs, and documentation showing you are their authorized representative. Each bureau uses its own form; contact them directly for the paperwork.⁸

Freeze vs. Lock, and Fraud Alerts

A credit lock is a commercial product offered by individual bureaus, usually through a mobile app. Lock terms are governed by the bureau’s terms of service rather than federal law, and some bureaus bundle locking into a paid subscription. A freeze provides the same core protection at no cost, so paying for a lock only makes sense if you specifically want the app convenience. For a child, a freeze is the only available option.

A fraud alert is a separate protection that works alongside a freeze. Rather than blocking access to your report, it tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before approving a new account, usually by calling you. An initial fraud alert is free, lasts one year, and you only need to contact one of the three major bureaus to place it; that bureau notifies the other two on your behalf.⁹ A fraud alert covers gaps a freeze does not, including the window when you have temporarily lifted a freeze to apply for credit.

What a Freeze Will Not Block

A freeze stops most new creditors from seeing your report, but some entities keep access:

Companies where you already hold accounts can review your file for account management.
Certain federal and state agencies, including law enforcement and child support agencies, can access your report.
Credit monitoring services you have signed up for can continue to see your file.

The federal freeze law also does not cover employment screening, tenant screening, or insurance underwriting requests.³ And it will not stop prescreened credit or insurance offers from arriving in your mail. To stop those, opt out separately through OptOutPrescreen.com or by calling 1-888-567-8688. You can opt out for five years through the website or phone line, or permanently by returning a signed written form.¹⁰

The three major bureaus are not the only companies that maintain consumer files. Specialty agencies such as Innovis, ChexSystems (checking and savings applications), and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange (phone, internet, and utility service) also accept freeze requests, and each has its own process. If you want to close those gaps as well, contact them directly after finishing the three main bureaus.

1
USAGov. How to Place or Lift a Security Freeze on Your Credit Report
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
3
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Is a Credit Freeze or Security Freeze on My Credit Report
4
Federal Trade Commission. Free Credit Reports
5
IdentityTheft.gov. Credit Bureau Contacts
6
Experian. Freeze or Unfreeze Your Credit File for Free
7
Federal Trade Commission. New Protections Available for Minors Under 16
8
Equifax. How Do I Place a Security Freeze on an Incapacitated Adult’s or Minor’s Equifax Credit Report
9
Federal Trade Commission. Fraud Alerts and Credit Freezes: What’s the Difference
10
Federal Trade Commission. What to Know About Prescreened Offers for Credit and Insurance