How to freeze your credit: Everything you need to know

What is a credit freeze?

A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, is a safeguard that restricts access to your credit report. The terms are used interchangeably under U.S. law, so don’t worry if you see either one on a bureau’s website.

When you apply for credit, lenders usually request your credit file from one or more bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) so they can decide whether to approve you. If your file is frozen, the bureau doesn’t release it, so the creditor has nothing to base a decision on. Even if someone gets hold of your Social Security number or birthdate, they can’t use it to open an account while your file is locked.

While the freeze is active, lenders can’t pull your file for a hard credit check, so they typically decline new applications outright. That makes it significantly harder for bad actors to create new credit accounts in your name.

Free credit freezes have been federal law since September 2018,¹ when the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act required all three bureaus to offer them at no cost nationwide. Before that, several states charged a small fee to freeze or unfreeze a file.

Credit freeze vs. fraud alert

A credit freeze is different from monitoring or a fraud alert, which flags your file so lenders double-check your identity before extending credit. The three kinds of fraud alerts are:

• An initial fraud alert lasts for one year
• An extended fraud alert can last seven years if you’ve filed an identity theft report
• An active duty fraud alert can last for one year for military members deployed away from their usual duty station

A fraud alert is quicker to set up since contacting one bureau notifies the other two automatically. Compared to a freeze, it offers weaker protection and needs to be renewed. A freeze also doesn’t expire on its own. While it blocks access outright, a freeze doesn’t touch your existing accounts, credit score, or current loans, and you can lift it anytime you need to apply for credit.

How to freeze your credit with all three bureaus

If you want to freeze your credit with all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), you’ll need to reach out to each one separately. You can do this online, over the phone, or by mail. If you choose the online or phone option, your credit may be frozen within one business day. But if you mail the bureaus a letter, it might take up to three business days to process the freeze.

Use the following contact information to freeze your credit with all three credit reporting agencies:

You’ll set a PIN or password with each bureau when you first activate the freeze. Keep that PIN somewhere safe since you’ll need it to manage or lift the freeze later.

Once you freeze your credit, it stays that way until you decide to lift the freeze yourself.

How to freeze your credit with Experian

To freeze your credit with Experian, follow these steps:

1. Go to experian.com.
2.  Create an account if you don’t have one and log in.
3. Be prepared to provide your personal information like your full name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number to verify your identity.
4. After you log in, freeze your credit by following the on-screen instructions.
5. Create a PIN that you'll later use to unfreeze your credit.

And done! Experian will inform you when the credit freeze is active.

How to freeze your credit with Equifax

Follow these steps to freeze your credit with Equifax:

1. Go to equifax.com.
2. If you don't have an Equifax account, create one and log in.
3. Enter personal details, such as your full name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number, to verify your identity.
4. Look for the option to freeze your account and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Create a 6-digit PIN so you can later manage your credit freeze.

How to freeze your credit with TransUnion

To freeze your credit with TransUnion:

1. Go to transunion.com.
2. Create an account if you don't have one and log in.
3. Provide your full name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number to verify your identity.
4. Follow the prompts to freeze your identity.
5. Confirm your identity again.
6. Create a PIN that you will later use to lift the freeze.

Once your credit freeze is active, you'll get a confirmation from TransUnion.

What information do you need to freeze your credit?

To freeze your credit, have this information ready:

• Personal information. Be prepared to submit your full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and your address (current and previous addresses for the last few years).
• Proof of identity. Some credit bureaus may request identification, such as your driver's license, a copy of your utility bill, or government-issued ID, to verify your identity.
• PIN or password. When freezing your account, most credit bureaus require you to create a PIN or password. You'll need this if you want to lift the freeze or manage it in the future.
• Contact information. A credit bureau might ask for your email address or phone number for verification or notifications about the freeze.

When should you freeze your credit?

You should freeze your credit as soon as you’re not actively applying for new credit, especially right after a data breach exposes your Social Security number or other personal data. Note that freeze requests made online or by phone usually take one business day, while requests done by mail can take up to three business days, as per USAGov.²

A data breach is one of the clearest signs that it’s time to freeze your credit. Companies are required to notify you when your personal data is exposed, and once you get that notice, a criminal may already have your name, SSN, or account details.  

The benefits of freezing your credit go beyond one-time protection because it’s an ongoing safeguard that keeps your file locked until you decide otherwise. So you’re still covered if your information turns up on the dark web months or years after a breach. Parents freezing a minor’s credit and retirees who don’t plan to take out new loans have a good reason to freeze now instead of waiting for a problem to show up.

Freezing your credit is also worth considering if:

• You notice unfamiliar accounts or hard inquiries on your credit report
• Your wallet or important documents were stolen
• You receive a notice that your personal information was compromised

Who has access to your frozen credit reports?

The purpose of a credit freeze is to restrict new creditor access to your credit report and prevent identity theft or fraud. However, it doesn't block access completely — some entities can still check your credit report:

• Existing creditors. Your current creditors can check your credit file for account review or risk management.
• Debt collectors. If you owe debt, collectors working for your creditors may access your frozen reports to find your contact details.
• Government agencies. In certain situations, such as in the case of a court order, subpoena, or search warrant, the government might still be able to check your frozen credit report.
• Insurance companies. In some states, insurers may see your credit report when reviewing or renewing your insurance policy.
• Employers. Some companies might want to check your credit file before hiring you, but only with your consent.
• You. And, of course, you can access your own credit report, whether it's frozen or not.

What’s the difference between a credit freeze and a credit lock?

A credit freeze and a credit lock both prevent access to your credit report, but they work differently.

A credit freeze is a free service required by U.S. federal law, and you activate it by contacting Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion directly. A credit lock is a feature that the bureaus offer through an app or website. Some are free, others are bundled with paid plans, and terms vary by bureau. Unlike a freeze, a lock is a contractual product — not backed by federal law.

Both options can help restrict access to your credit file, but a freeze is generally the better choice if you simply want a free, legally protected way to secure your credit report.

Coveron's Credit Lock lets you lock and unlock your TransUnion credit file in a couple of taps, which is useful if you apply for new credit often — though for full three-bureau coverage, you would still need to freeze or lock your Equifax and Experian files separately.  A credit freeze takes more effort to set up since you’re dealing with three separate bureaus, but once it’s active, it doesn’t expire and stays in place until you decide to lift it.

For a closer look at how the two compare, check out our full breakdown of credit lock vs. credit freeze.

How to unfreeze your credit

If you're planning a purchase for which you need credit or a loan, you'll have to lift your credit freeze first. Just like freezing your credit, you can thaw it permanently or temporarily by contacting the three major credit bureaus.

You can unfreeze your credit online, over the phone, or by mail. If you call the credit bureau, it will lift the freeze almost immediately. Online requests are usually processed within an hour, while a request via mail could take up to three business days.

A permanent thaw means that your credit stays unfrozen until you decide to freeze it again, while a temporary thaw lets you schedule when your credit should be accessible and when it should be frozen again. For example, you could schedule it to temporarily lift when you need to open that new credit line and have it freeze automatically a day or two later.

Other ways to protect your credit report

Besides freezing your credit, you can do a few other things to protect your credit report:

• Monitor your credit regularly. Check your credit report for fraudulent activity and unfamiliar transactions at least twice a year. Coveron’s credit monitoring service can help you track your credit file and alert you about any changes or suspicious activity on your credit report. If you’re not sure which service you’d benefit from, see our article on which one to choose — credit monitoring or identity theft protection.
• Use strong passwords and turn on two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication wherever it’s offered. Create strong and unique passwords for your financial accounts. Make sure they contain uppercase and lowercase letters, special characters, and numbers. Two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) add a second checkpoint, so even if someone stole your password, they can’t easily get into your account.
  
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  Pair these habits with dark web alerts, which tell you the moment your email, password, or SSN shows up somewhere it shouldn’t. Catching a leak early gives you time to freeze your credit or change your password.

• Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions. Never carry out financial transactions over public Wi-Fi. However, if you must, use a VPN.
• Shred personal documents. Destroy personal documents containing your sensitive information, such as Social Security number, full name, addresses, and contact details.

If you'd like to learn more about protecting your financial assets, take a look at our guide on what someone can do with your bank account number.

References

1 Starting Today, New Federal Law Allows Consumers to Place Free Credit Freezes And Yearlong Fraud Alerts (September 2018). https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2018/09/starting-today-new-federal-law-allows-consumers-place-free-credit-freezes-yearlong-fraud-alerts opens in a new tab

2 How to place or lift a security freeze on your credit report (November 2025). https://www.usa.gov/credit-freeze opens in a new tab