How do I freeze my credit?

Freeze your credit for free at each bureau: Equifax (equifax.com), Experian (experian.com), and TransUnion (transunion.com). Create an account, verify your identity, and request the freeze. You'll get a PIN to lift or thaw the freeze later.

Does freezing credit hurt your credit score?

No. A credit freeze has no impact on your credit score. It simply prevents new creditors from accessing your credit report. Your existing accounts continue to report normally, and you can still use your current credit cards and loans.

Should I freeze my credit if I'm not a victim of identity theft?

Yes. Freezing credit is a proactive security measure that prevents criminals from opening accounts in your name. Unless you frequently need new credit, keeping your credit frozen is a smart precaution at no cost.

How to Freeze Your Credit: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

What Is a Credit Freeze?

Freeze Overview

Aspect	Details
What it does	Blocks access to your credit report
Cost	Free (by federal law)
Duration	Until you lift it
Credit score impact	None
Existing accounts	Unaffected

What a Freeze Prevents

Prevented	Not Prevented
New credit card applications	Using existing credit cards
New loan applications	Existing loan payments
New accounts in your name	Credit score changes
Most utility accounts	Soft inquiries (pre-approvals)
Cell phone contracts (often)	Government agency access
Rental applications (often)	Existing account reviews

How to Freeze Your Credit

All Three Bureaus

Bureau	Website	Phone
Equifax	equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze	800-349-9960
Experian	experian.com/freeze/center.html	888-397-3742
TransUnion	transunion.com/credit-freeze	888-909-8872

You must freeze your credit at ALL THREE bureaus separately.

Step-by-Step: Equifax

Step	Action
1	Go to equifax.com
2	Click “Place a Security Freeze”
3	Create account or log in
4	Verify identity (SSN, DOB, address)
5	Request freeze
6	Save your PIN securely

Step-by-Step: Experian

Step	Action
1	Go to experian.com/freeze
2	Click “Add a Security Freeze”
3	Create account or log in
4	Verify identity
5	Request freeze
6	Save your PIN securely

Step-by-Step: TransUnion

Step	Action
1	Go to transunion.com/credit-freeze
2	Click “Freeze My Credit”
3	Create account or log in
4	Verify identity
5	Request freeze
6	Save your PIN securely

Freeze Timeline

How Long It Takes

Action	Online	Phone	Mail
Place freeze	Immediate	Within 1 hour	3 business days
Temporary lift	Immediate	Within 1 hour	3 business days
Permanent lift	Immediate	Within 1 hour	3 business days

What You’ll Need

Information	Required By
Full legal name	All bureaus
Social Security Number	All bureaus
Date of birth	All bureaus
Current address	All bureaus
Previous addresses	Sometimes
Government ID	If online verification fails

Lifting a Credit Freeze

When to Lift

Situation	Action
Applying for credit card	Lift temporarily
Applying for mortgage	Lift temporarily
Applying for car loan	Lift temporarily
Renting an apartment	Lift temporarily
New cell phone plan	Lift temporarily
Getting a new job (background check)	Lift temporarily

How to Lift

Method	Process
Online	Log in, request lift, choose dates
Phone	Call with PIN, request lift
Mail	Send written request with PIN

Temporary vs Permanent Lift

Lift Type	Best For
Temporary (specific dates)	Single application
Temporary (specific creditor)	When you know who will pull
Permanent	No longer want freeze

Lift for Specific Creditor

Bureau	How to Specify
Equifax	Enter creditor name when lifting
Experian	Provide creditor with one-time code
TransUnion	Enter creditor name when lifting

Which Bureau to Unfreeze

Common Bureaus Used

Application Type	Commonly Used Bureau(s)
Credit cards	Varies by issuer
Mortgages	All three often
Auto loans	Varies, often Experian/Equifax
Apartments	Varies widely
Utilities	Often Equifax

Credit Card Issuers by Bureau

Issuer	Often Uses
American Express	Experian
Capital One	All three
Chase	Experian
Citi	Equifax or Experian
Discover	Experian or TransUnion
Bank of America	Experian

Bureau usage varies by location and other factors.

If Unsure Which to Lift

Option	Approach
Ask the creditor	“Which bureau will you pull?”
Lift all three	Safest for mortgage/major apps
Lift one, see if denied	Minimizes exposure

Credit Freeze vs Credit Lock

Comparison

Feature	Freeze	Lock
Cost	Free	Free or paid
Legal protection	Federal law	Contract terms
Lift time	Immediate-1 hour	Usually instant
Offered by	All bureaus	Some bureaus, third parties
Convenience	Moderate	Higher

Credit Lock Services

Service	Cost	Notes
Experian CreditLock	Free (basic)	Part of free account
TransUnion TrueIdentity	Free	Lock included
Equifax Lock & Alert	Free	Basic lock free
LifeLock	$12-$35/month	Lock + monitoring
Identity Guard	$7-$20/month	Lock + monitoring

Should You Use Lock or Freeze?

Use Freeze If	Use Lock If
Want legal protection	Need instant on/off
Free is important	Don’t mind apps
Rarely apply for credit	Frequently need credit
DIY approach	Want extra features

Credit Freeze for Children

Why Freeze Children’s Credit

Reason	Details
Identity theft prevention	Kids’ SSNs are stolen too
Synthetic identity fraud	Criminals combine SSNs with fake names
Years before detected	Kids don’t apply for credit
Free protection	No downside

How to Freeze

Bureau	Process
Equifax	Request by mail with documentation
Experian	Request by mail with documentation
TransUnion	Request by mail with documentation

Required Documentation

Document	Purpose
Child’s birth certificate	Proves identity
Child’s Social Security card	Proves SSN
Parent’s ID	Proves guardianship
Proof of address	Verification

After a Data Breach

Immediate Steps

Step	Action
1	Freeze credit at all three bureaus
2	Set fraud alerts (90 days)
3	Check credit reports
4	Monitor accounts
5	Consider identity theft protection

Fraud Alert vs Freeze

Feature	Fraud Alert	Credit Freeze
Duration	90 days (renewable)	Until lifted
Protection level	Moderate	High
Creditor action	Must verify identity	Cannot access report
Setup	One bureau notifies others	Each bureau separately
Cost	Free	Free

Setting a Fraud Alert

Bureau	Contact
Any one bureau	They notify the other two
Extended fraud alert (7 years)	Requires identity theft report

What Credit Freezes Don’t Protect

Still Vulnerable To

Threat	Why Freeze Doesn’t Help
Existing account fraud	Freeze only blocks new accounts
Account takeover	Criminal uses your existing accounts
Tax identity theft	Doesn’t require credit pull
Medical identity theft	Doesn’t require credit pull
Employment fraud	May use different verification
Government benefits fraud	Doesn’t require credit pull

Additional Protections Needed

Protection	What It Does
Monitor existing accounts	Catch unauthorized charges
IRS Identity Protection PIN	Prevents tax fraud
Social Security account	Lock to prevent fraud
Health insurance monitoring	Catch medical ID theft
Strong passwords	Protect all accounts

Freezing Other Agencies

Lesser-Known Credit Bureaus

Agency	Purpose	How to Freeze
NCTUE	Utility credit	nctue.com/consumers
ChexSystems	Banking history	chexsystems.com/security-freeze
LexisNexis	Insurance, employer	consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com
Innovis	Fourth credit bureau	innovis.com/personal/securityFreeze

Why Freeze These Too

Agency	Risk If Not Frozen
ChexSystems	Fraudulent bank accounts
NCTUE	Fraudulent utility accounts
LexisNexis	Insurance fraud
Innovis	Some creditors check this

Common Questions

What If I Lose My PIN?

Bureau	Recovery Process
Equifax	Request new PIN online or by mail
Experian	Can use online account instead of PIN
TransUnion	Request new PIN online or by phone

What If I Can’t Verify Online?

Option	Process
Phone	Call bureau directly
Mail	Send request with documentation
Documentation needed	Government ID, SSN proof, proof of address

Does Freeze Affect Pre-Approvals?

Type	Affected?
Mail pre-approvals	May still receive
Pre-qualified offers	Soft inquiries still allowed
Existing creditor reviews	Generally still allowed

Freeze Maintenance

Regular Checkup

Task	Frequency
Verify freeze still active	Quarterly
Update contact information	When it changes
Check credit reports	Annually (AnnualCreditReport.com)
Review for unauthorized inquiries	With each credit check

Keeping Track of PINs

Storage Method	Security Level
Password manager	High
Secure document	Medium-High
Written in safe	Medium
Email to yourself	Low (avoid)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for credit while frozen?

Yes, but you must temporarily lift the freeze first. You can lift for a specific creditor, a specific date range, or permanently. Plan ahead—mortgages may need all three bureaus unfrozen.

Will landlords be able to check my credit?

Not unless you lift the freeze. Many landlords run credit checks through one of the three bureaus. Ask which bureau they use and lift temporarily for your application period.

Does a freeze affect my existing credit cards?

No. Your current credit cards, loans, and accounts continue to work normally. The freeze only prevents new accounts from being opened.

How long does it take to lift a freeze?

Online and phone requests must be processed within 1 hour by law. Mail requests must be processed within 3 business days.

Credit Freeze Checklist

Setup Checklist

Task	Equifax	Experian	TransUnion
Created account	☐	☐	☐
Placed freeze	☐	☐	☐
Saved PIN	☐	☐	☐
Tested login	☐	☐	☐

Additional Agencies

Agency	Frozen
ChexSystems	☐
NCTUE	☐
LexisNexis	☐
Innovis	☐

Bottom Line

Action	How
Freeze at all 3 bureaus	Equifax, Experian, TransUnion
Cost	Free by law
Time to freeze	Minutes online
Time to lift	Within 1 hour
Credit score impact	None
Who should freeze	Everyone (it’s free protection)

Key takeaways:

Freeze credit at ALL THREE bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)
It’s completely free and has no credit score impact
Save your PINs securely—you’ll need them to lift
Lift temporarily when applying for credit
Consider freezing children’s credit too
Also freeze ChexSystems, NCTUE, LexisNexis, and Innovis for complete protection

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