To place a TransUnion minor credit freeze, mail a written request for a Protected Consumer Freeze, along with identity and authority documents, to TransUnion at P.O. Box 380, Woodlyn, PA 19094. The freeze is free under federal law for any child under 16, and TransUnion only accepts these requests by mail because of the documentation involved.1TransUnion. Freeze Your Credit Report by Mail or Phone If no credit file exists for your child, TransUnion will create a restricted record for the sole purpose of keeping it frozen, and that record cannot be used to evaluate your child’s creditworthiness.2TransUnion. Child Identity Theft
Documents to Gather Before You Mail
TransUnion needs proof of three things: who your child is, who you are, and that you have authority to act for the child. Incomplete or illegible copies cause delays, so pull everything together before you start the cover letter.
- Child’s identity: a copy of the child’s Social Security card and a certified or official copy of their birth certificate.
- Your identity: a copy of your government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport) and your Social Security number or a copy of your Social Security card.
- Proof of authority over the child: a birth certificate naming you as the parent, a court order establishing guardianship, or a valid power of attorney. If the child is in foster care, include a written certification from the county welfare or probation department confirming the child is in their care.
- Your current address: a recent utility bill, bank statement, or insurance statement showing your name and residential address.
These requirements track the federal statute that created the protected-consumer freeze.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts Send copies, not originals. Keep the originals at home.
What to Put in the Cover Letter
Write a short letter that explicitly asks for a “Protected Consumer Freeze.” Include the full name, address, and Social Security number for both you and your child. Sign and date the letter.1TransUnion. Freeze Your Credit Report by Mail or Phone Naming the request precisely matters. A generic “please freeze this credit report” can be misrouted as an adult freeze, which has different rules.
Where to Send It and How Long It Takes
Mail the letter and copies to:
TransUnion
P.O. Box 380
Woodlyn, PA 19094
Use certified mail with a return receipt. That gives you proof of the date TransUnion received the package, which starts the clock on the federal three-business-day processing deadline for mail requests.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts TransUnion will mail back a written confirmation once the freeze is in place. File it with your child’s other important papers. You’ll want it later when you go to lift the freeze.
Check Whether a File Already Exists
Before you mail, consider TransUnion’s online Child Identity Theft Inquiry Form. It checks whether a credit file already exists under your child’s Social Security number.4TransUnion. Child Identity Theft Inquiry Form If nothing turns up, you can send the freeze request knowing you’re locking down a clean record. If a file does exist, that changes what happens next, because you’ll want to review the report and dispute any fraudulent accounts alongside the freeze rather than simply sealing the damage in place.
TransUnion Alone Isn’t Enough
A freeze at TransUnion only blocks access to TransUnion’s file. A lender or landlord who pulls the report from Equifax or Experian will still get through. To close the gap, place a separate freeze at each of the other two bureaus. Experian requires its own mail-in minor freeze request, sent with the same kinds of identity documents to Experian, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013. Equifax uses a similar mail-based process. Each bureau maintains its own file, so a freeze at one does nothing at the others.5Federal Trade Commission. Free Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
How Long the Freeze Lasts
The Protected Consumer Freeze stays in place indefinitely. It does not expire when your child turns 16 or 18. It stays on until someone with authority asks to remove it.6TransUnion. Credit Freeze
You can request a temporary lift or a permanent removal at any point. Once your child turns 16, they can request removal on their own. Removal requires a written request with documentation similar to what you sent to place the freeze. By law, the bureau has to process a mail removal within three business days, and phone or online removals within one hour.7USAGov. How To Place or Lift a Security Freeze on Your Credit Report
The moments you’ll actually need to lift it are predictable: a first student loan application, a first credit card, a first apartment lease. Plan ahead. If your child needs a lender to pull credit for a college loan, submit the lift request at least a week before the application to allow for mail time. A temporary lift is usually the better choice, because it reopens the file for a set window and then refreezes on its own.
If You Find Fraud Before You Freeze
A freeze prevents new damage. It does not clean up accounts a thief has already opened. If the inquiry form or the freeze process turns up a credit file with accounts you don’t recognize, contact each credit bureau and ask them to remove the fraudulent accounts, explaining that your child is a minor who cannot legally enter into contracts. Then contact the fraud department at every company where an account was opened, ask them to close it, and get written confirmation that your child isn’t liable. If a company resists, send a copy of the birth certificate proving your child was a minor when the account was opened. Report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov to generate a personalized recovery plan and an official Identity Theft Report you can use in disputes.8Federal Trade Commission. How To Protect Your Child From Identity Theft Start the disputes first, then place the freeze so nothing new lands on top of what you’re already cleaning up.