How to Freeze Your Credit for Free at Each Bureau

You can freeze your credit for free by contacting each of the three major credit bureaus separately — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — and requesting a security freeze online, by phone, or by mail. Federal law requires all three to place the freeze at no cost, and online or phone requests take effect within one business day.¹ A freeze placed at one bureau does not carry over to the others, so plan to complete the process three times.

A freeze blocks the bureaus from releasing your credit report to most new creditors. Since lenders pull your report before approving a new credit card, loan, or line of credit, an active freeze stops someone with your personal information from opening accounts in your name. Placing or removing a freeze has no effect on your credit score.²

What to Gather Before You Start

Each bureau will verify your identity before placing the freeze. Have the following ready:

Your full legal name, including any suffix such as Jr., Sr., or III.
Your Social Security number.
Your date of birth.
Your current mailing address, and any previous address from the last two years so the bureau can match its records.

Online, the bureaus use knowledge-based authentication questions about past addresses, loans, or accounts to confirm you are who you say you are. If you request the freeze by mail, plan to include a copy of a government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or passport, plus a document showing your current address, like a utility bill or bank statement. Make sure everything is legible and the name matches your ID exactly.

Placing the Freeze at Each Bureau

Online is the fastest route, followed by phone, then mail. For online and phone requests, the bureau must place the freeze within one business day. For a mailed request, the deadline is three business days after the bureau receives it.¹

Online

Each bureau maintains a dedicated security freeze page. Visit equifax.com, experian.com, or transunion.com, create or sign in to an account, and follow the prompts. You will answer authentication questions, and once verified, the freeze takes effect. Each bureau usually takes under ten minutes.

By Phone

You can call each bureau’s freeze line and follow the automated or agent-guided process:

Equifax: 888-378-4329
Experian: 888-397-3742
TransUnion: 800-916-8800

By Mail

If you want a paper trail, send a certified letter with a return receipt to each bureau:

Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Include your full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, current and previous addresses if you have moved in the past two years, and a copy of a government-issued ID. Standardized forms are available on each bureau’s website if you prefer a structured format. The return receipt is your proof the bureau got the request, which starts the three-business-day clock.¹

Confirmations and PINs

After processing your request, each bureau will send a confirmation that may include a personal identification number or passcode. Some bureaus have moved away from PINs and instead let you manage the freeze through your online account with standard login credentials. Either way, store any PIN or account login somewhere safe. You will need it every time you lift or remove the freeze.

Lifting the Freeze When You Need Credit Pulled

A freeze stays in place until you actively remove it. It does not expire on its own.² When you apply for a mortgage, car loan, credit card, apartment, or a job that requires a credit check, you can temporarily lift the freeze and put it back afterward.

The quickest approach is to ask which bureau the lender or screener plans to check, then lift the freeze only at that one. Use the same online portal or phone number you used to place it. The bureau must lift the freeze within one hour of receiving an online or phone request, and within three business days for a mailed request.¹ Lifting is free, just like placing the freeze.³

Lost your PIN or password? Check the bureau’s website for reset options. Some bureaus now let you manage freezes entirely through your online account without a PIN; others require you to verify your identity again to receive a replacement. Contact the bureau directly if the online reset does not work.

Freezing a Child’s Credit

Children under 16 are “protected consumers” under federal law, and a parent, guardian, or other authorized representative can place a freeze on their behalf.¹ Because most children have no credit history, the bureau will typically create a protected record just so it can be frozen. That record cannot be used for any creditworthiness assessment.

To place a freeze for a child, plan to submit documentation by mail rather than online. The required proof includes:

Proof of parentage or guardianship, such as a birth certificate naming you as parent or a court order appointing you as guardian.
A copy of your own government-issued photo ID.
A copy of the child’s Social Security card or birth certificate.
If the child is in foster care, a written communication from the county welfare or probation department certifying that placement.¹

Mail these documents to the addresses listed above. The bureau will route your request to a specialized department for review and send a confirmation once the protected record is in place. This is one of the most effective ways to prevent someone from exploiting a minor’s clean Social Security number, since that kind of fraud often goes undetected until the child applies for credit years later.

Freezing Credit for an Incapacitated Adult

An incapacitated adult with a court-appointed guardian or conservator also qualifies as a protected consumer under the same federal provision that covers minors.¹ Whoever manages the person’s finances under a court order or a valid power of attorney can request the freeze.

Submit the request by mail with:

Proof of authority: a court order naming you as guardian or conservator, or a valid power of attorney granting authority over the person’s financial matters.⁴
Proof of your identity: a government-issued photo ID, Social Security card, or birth certificate.
The protected person’s identifying details, including their Social Security number.

The bureau verifies your legal authority before placing the freeze. Once approved, the confirmation comes to you as the representative, and you keep control over the freeze for as long as your authority is valid.

What a Freeze Won’t Cover

A freeze is a strong layer of protection, not a complete shield. It does not stop fraud on accounts already open in your name, so keep monitoring your bank and credit card statements. It does not prevent someone from filing a fraudulent tax return using your Social Security number, collecting government benefits in your name, or misusing your identity in ways that skip a credit check. Certain parties can still view a frozen file, including creditors on accounts you already hold, some government agencies such as child support enforcement, and any company you have hired to monitor your credit. A freeze also does not block employment screening, tenant screening, or insurance underwriting, which run under different legal provisions.³ Even so, an employer or landlord running a credit check may need you to lift the freeze temporarily.

If a Bureau Doesn’t Comply

If a bureau fails to place, lift, or remove your freeze within the required time frames, or otherwise violates the federal freeze requirements, you have legal recourse. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a bureau that willfully fails to comply is liable for statutory damages between $100 and $1,000 per violation, plus any actual damages you suffered.⁵ A court can also award punitive damages and reasonable attorney’s fees in a successful action.

You can file complaints about bureau violations with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov or the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov. Both agencies oversee bureau compliance and can take enforcement action on behalf of consumers.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
2
Consumer Advice. Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
3
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Is a Credit Freeze or Security Freeze on My Credit Report
4
Consumer Advice. Managing Someone Else’s Money – New Protection From ID Theft and Fraud
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681n – Civil Liability for Willful Noncompliance