How to Freeze Your Credit With All Three Bureaus (Free, Step-by-Step)

To freeze your credit, you contact each of the three nationwide credit bureaus separately—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and place a "security freeze" on your file. It is completely free under federal law, it does not hurt your credit score, and once in place it stops lenders from pulling your report, which blocks identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name. You can do all three online in about 15 minutes, by phone, or by mail.

What a credit freeze actually does

A security freeze (sometimes called a credit freeze) restricts access to your credit report. When a freeze is active, the bureau will not release your report to most new creditors. Because lenders almost always pull a credit report before approving a loan, a credit card, a car lease, or a cell phone plan, a freeze effectively stops new accounts from being opened in your name—whether by you or by a fraudster.

A freeze does not affect your existing accounts. Your current credit cards, mortgage, auto loan, and bank accounts keep working normally. It also does not lower your credit score, and it does not stop you from getting your own free credit reports. Companies you already do business with, certain government agencies, and debt collectors acting on existing accounts can still access your file.

The federal law behind free freezes

Credit freezes are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). In 2018, a federal law—the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act—amended the FCRA to make security freezes free for everyone in every state. Before that, some states allowed bureaus to charge a small fee; that is no longer permitted. Placing a freeze, lifting it temporarily, or removing it permanently must all be free of charge.

The law also sets real, enforceable deadlines:

• If you ask online or by phone, the bureau must place the freeze within one business day.
• If you ask by mail, the bureau must place it within three business days of receiving your request.
• When you later ask to lift the freeze (online or by phone), the bureau must do so within one hour.

These rules are enforced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Your state Attorney General may also enforce consumer-protection laws, and some states add their own protections on top of the federal baseline—the exact extras vary by state.

Step-by-step: freeze all three bureaus

You must freeze each bureau individually. A freeze at only one does not protect you, because lenders may pull from any of the three. Set aside 15–20 minutes and handle all three in one sitting.

What to have ready

Each bureau will verify your identity. Have these on hand:

• Your full name, current and recent addresses, and date of birth.
• Your Social Security number.
• Answers to identity-verification questions (about old loans, addresses, or accounts), or copies of ID documents if you freeze by mail.

If you create an online account with each bureau, save your login credentials and any PIN the bureau issues. Equifax and Experian historically issue a PIN you may need to lift a freeze; TransUnion typically uses an online login. Store these somewhere secure—you will need them every time you want to unfreeze for a new application.

Equifax

• Online: Equifax security-freeze page (equifax.com, look for "Credit Freeze" or use the myEquifax account portal).
• Phone: 1-888-298-0045.
• Mail: Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348-5788.

Experian

• Online: Experian security-freeze center (experian.com/freeze).
• Phone: 1-888-397-3742.
• Mail: Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.

TransUnion

• Online: TransUnion credit-freeze page (transunion.com/credit-freeze).
• Phone: 1-800-916-8800.
• Mail: TransUnion LLC, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094.

Phone numbers and mailing addresses can change over time, so it is worth confirming the current contact details on each bureau's official website before you mail anything sensitive. If you freeze by mail, send copies (never originals) of your ID, and consider using certified mail so you have proof of the date the bureau received your request—that date starts the three-business-day clock.

Don't forget children and other agencies

Under the same 2018 federal law, parents and guardians can place a free freeze on a minor child's credit file (for children under 16). Child identity theft often goes undetected for years, so this is a valuable, no-downside step. You will need to send documentation proving you are the parent or guardian.

The big three are the most important, but there are smaller specialty consumer-reporting agencies. If you have been a victim of fraud, you may also want to look into freezing or adding alerts with agencies such as Innovis, the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE, used for phone and utility accounts), and ChexSystems (used for checking-account openings). These are optional for most people but useful after a confirmed identity theft.

How to temporarily lift (thaw) a freeze

A freeze is not permanent and you do not need to remove it just to apply for one thing. When you need to apply for credit—a loan, a new card, an apartment—you can temporarily lift the freeze and then it re-freezes automatically, or you can lift it permanently if you choose.

• Find out which bureau the lender uses if you can, so you only thaw the one you need. If you are unsure, lift all three.
• Lift online or by phone using your login and PIN. By law the bureau must complete an online or phone lift within one hour.
• Set a date range if the bureau offers it, so the freeze reinstates itself automatically after your application window.

Because lifting is fast and free, there is rarely a reason to leave your credit unfrozen between applications.

Freeze vs. fraud alert vs. credit lock

These three tools get confused often:

• Security freeze: Free, governed by the FCRA, blocks most new-creditor access until you lift it. The strongest standard protection.
• Fraud alert: Free, and you only have to contact one bureau—it must tell the other two. It does not block access; it tells lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity. An initial fraud alert lasts one year; an extended alert (for confirmed identity-theft victims with a report) lasts longer. This is a lighter-touch option you can use alongside or instead of a freeze.
• Credit lock: A product the bureaus market, often through paid subscriptions or apps. It can be convenient, but it is a contractual service, not the statutory protection guaranteed by the FCRA. Read the terms carefully—some locks are bundled with paid monitoring you do not need.

For most people focused on fraud prevention, the free statutory freeze is the better choice because your rights are backed by federal law rather than a company's terms of service.

If you are already a victim of identity theft

Freezing is prevention. If accounts have already been opened or your information was misused, take these additional steps:

• Report it at IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC's official site. It generates an Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan, which you can use to dispute fraudulent accounts.
• Dispute fraudulent items with the bureaus and the businesses involved. Under the FCRA you have the right to dispute inaccurate information and have it investigated, typically within 30 days.
• Keep records. Document every call (date, time, name of the rep), and keep copies of every letter. A paper trail matters if you have to escalate.
• File a police report if a creditor or the situation requires one.

When to talk to a lawyer

Most freezes are simple do-it-yourself tasks and do not need a lawyer. But some situations are higher stakes. If a bureau refuses to remove fraudulent accounts, if a debt collector is pursuing you for a debt that resulted from identity theft, or if you have been sued over a debt you do not recognize, it is worth talking to a consumer-protection attorney. Many offer free consultations, and some take FCRA and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) cases on contingency, meaning you pay little or nothing up front.

One deadline matters more than almost any other: if you are served with a debt-collection lawsuit, you generally have a strict, limited window to file a written answer with the court—often just a few weeks, and the exact number of days varies by state and court. Missing it can lead to a default judgment against you even if the debt is not yours. If you have been sued, do not ignore the papers; respond on time or get help quickly.

This article is general information to help you protect yourself, not legal advice. The right move for your specific situation—especially if money or a lawsuit is on the line—may call for advice from a licensed attorney in your state.

Quick recap

Freeze all three bureaus, save your logins and PINs, lift temporarily when you apply for credit, and consider freezing your children's files too. It is free, it is your right under federal law, and it is one of the single most effective things you can do to stop new-account fraud.

Know the law

The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to free reports, to dispute errors, and to have inaccurate or unverifiable items removed.

Key federal laws:

• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.

Where to get help or file a complaint:

• AnnualCreditReport.com — your free official credit reports
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — submit a complaint

Your state matters too. Federal law is the floor — your state sets the statute of limitations on debt, garnishment and exemption limits, payday and repossession rules, and has its own Attorney General and consumer-protection laws. Always check your state’s rules. This is general legal information, not legal advice.