How to Unlock Your Credit Freeze Temporarily or Permanently

To unlock a credit freeze, contact each credit bureau where you placed one and ask them to lift it — online, by phone, or by mail. Federal law requires bureaus to act on online and phone requests within one hour, and on mailed requests within three business days.¹ You can lift the freeze temporarily, for a set window of days or for a single named creditor, or remove it permanently. There is no fee for any of these actions.²

One quick check before you start: if the bureau’s dashboard says your file is “locked” rather than “frozen,” you have a credit lock, which is a separate product you typically toggle off instantly in the app without following the steps below.³

What to Have Ready

Every bureau verifies your identity before touching your file. Gather this before you contact them:

Your full legal name, Social Security number, and date of birth, matching what the bureau has on record.
Your current address and any previous addresses from the past two years.⁴
The PIN you received when you placed the freeze, or the username and password for your bureau account.

Mailed requests also require copies of a government-issued ID and a utility bill or bank statement showing your current address.⁴ Online and phone requests skip the document copies; your PIN or login handles verification.

Temporary Lift or Permanent Removal

You have two options. A temporary lift opens your file for dates you choose and refreezes automatically when the window ends. Some bureaus let you lift the freeze only for a specific named creditor instead of a date range, which limits exposure further. A permanent removal takes the freeze off entirely, and the file stays open until you place a new freeze.⁵

For a mortgage, car loan, or new credit card, a temporary lift is usually the right choice. You get access during the application window without having to remember to refreeze afterward.

Before you lift anything, ask your lender which bureau they pull from. Many lenders check only one, so you can leave the other two files frozen.⁵ Lift the wrong bureau, and the lender may treat your application as incomplete.¹

How to Lift the Freeze at Each Bureau

You placed each freeze separately, and each has to be lifted separately. The fastest method at all three bureaus is online through your account. Phone works well too. Mail is the slowest.

Online

Log into your account at the bureau. Find the security freeze or freeze management section, choose a temporary lift or permanent removal, enter the dates or the creditor’s name, and confirm. You should see a confirmation screen or reference number immediately. Some bureaus also let you manage the freeze from a mobile app.

By Phone

Call the bureau’s freeze line, follow the automated prompts, and enter your PIN and identifying information on the keypad. A successful request ends with an automated confirmation and reference number; write it down. If the automated system can’t process your request, a representative will verify your identity through security questions.

By Mail

Write a letter stating whether you want a temporary lift with a date range or a permanent removal. Include your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and current address, along with copies of a government-issued ID and a utility bill or bank statement.⁴ Send it certified mail with a return receipt. Plan for delivery time on top of the three-business-day processing window.

Bureau Contacts

Experian: experian.com/help/credit-freeze, 888-397-3742, or Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.⁴
Equifax: through your myEquifax account, or 888-298-0045.
TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-freeze, or 888-909-8872.

How Long It Takes and How to Confirm It Worked

Online and phone requests must be processed within one hour. Mailed requests must be processed within three business days of receipt. The same deadlines apply to temporary lifts and permanent removals.¹³

After submitting, log back in and check the freeze status. Some bureaus also send a confirmation email or letter. If your lender still can’t pull your report, verify that you lifted the right bureau’s freeze and that the date range covers the day the lender is pulling.

If You Lost Your PIN or Password

Most bureaus now use account-based management, so a username and password matter more than a standalone PIN. Start with the “Forgot Password” link on the bureau’s sign-in page.

If the online reset fails or you can’t reach the recovery email, call the bureau’s freeze line. A representative can verify your identity using your Social Security number, date of birth, address, and security questions. Some bureaus can mail a new PIN to the address on file, which adds a few days. Having a government-issued ID nearby helps if the representative asks for it.

Does Lifting a Freeze Affect Your Credit Score?

No. A freeze controls who can view your report, not what the report contains, and the CFPB has confirmed that security freezes have no impact on credit scores.³ Placing a freeze, lifting it, and placing it again will not move your score.⁵

Lifting a Freeze for a Minor or Incapacitated Adult

Freezes on a child’s file cannot be managed through the standard online dashboard. A parent or legal guardian has to send a written request to each bureau with:

Proof of your own identity, such as a driver’s license, Social Security card, or birth certificate.
Proof of authority over the child, such as the child’s birth certificate, a court order, a power of attorney, or a foster care certification.
Proof of the child’s identity, such as the child’s Social Security card and birth certificate.

For an incapacitated adult whose credit is managed by an authorized representative, the process is similar. The representative sends proof of authority — a court order naming them as guardian or conservator, or a valid power of attorney — along with proof of their own identity.⁶

Specialty Bureaus Are Separate

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the three major bureaus, but they are not the only ones. If you placed a freeze at a specialty agency like Innovis or ChexSystems, lifting your freeze at the big three does not carry over.

Innovis handles temporary and permanent lifts online, by phone at 800-540-2505, or by mail to P.O. Box 530088, Atlanta, GA 30353-0088, using the PIN you received when you placed the freeze.⁷ ChexSystems, commonly checked when you open a bank account, has its own separate process. If you’re applying for a checking account or utility service, confirm which agency the company uses and lift that freeze ahead of time.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
2
Federal Trade Commission. Starting Today, New Federal Law Allows Consumers to Place Free Credit Freezes and Yearlong Fraud Alerts
3
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Is a Credit Freeze or Security Freeze on My Credit Report
4
Experian. Freeze or Unfreeze Your Credit File for Free
5
Federal Trade Commission. Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
6
Federal Trade Commission. Managing Someone Else’s Money: New Protection From ID Theft and Fraud
7
Innovis. Security Freeze Request Online