How to Freeze Your Credit at All Three Bureaus: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Freezing your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is the single most effective free tool to stop a thief from opening a new account in your name — and it takes about fifteen minutes total online. This guide walks you through each of the three bureaus — online, by phone, and by mail — what info you'll need, how to lift a freeze when you're applying for credit, and how to set one up for a child. It's grounded in current (https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/credit-freezes-and-fraud-alerts) and (https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-credit-freeze-en-1353/) guidance, and on (/blog/fcra-basics-your-rights-under-the-fair-credit-reporting-act).

What a Credit Freeze Actually Does (and Doesn't Do)

A credit freeze — formally a "security freeze" — restricts access to your credit report so that new lenders can't pull it. Most creditors require a credit check before opening an account, so a freeze stops new-account fraud at the gate. The (https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-credit-freeze-en-1353/) confirms that under the 2018 Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act — which amended the FCRA — placing, lifting, or removing a freeze must be free at all three nationwide bureaus. Each bureau must place a freeze within one business day of an online or phone request, and lift it within one hour.

What a freeze does NOT do: it doesn't affect your credit score, doesn't lock out existing creditors or government agencies under court order, doesn't stop prescreened mail offers (opt out separately at OptOutPrescreen.com), and doesn't undo theft that's already happened. If a thief opened accounts before you froze your file, our (/blog/credit-recovery-after-identity-theft-12-month-roadmap) walks through the 12-month sequence.

Information You'll Need Before You Start

Before you open the bureau portals, have this ready:

• Full legal name, current address, and addresses from the prior two years.
• Date of birth and Social Security number.
• A working email and phone number for verification codes.
• A government-issued photo ID — online you'll just enter the ID number; by mail, send a photocopy (never the original).
• A password manager. You'll create an account at each bureau, and "I lost my login" turns a five-minute task into a two-week ordeal.

If you've moved recently, the identity-verification questions can be fussy — they often ask about old mortgage lenders, old auto loans, or a street name from five years ago. Pulling a (https://www.annualcreditreport.com) ahead of time helps.

Freeze Your Credit at Equifax

The official starting point is equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze.

Online is the fastest. You'll create or log into a myEquifax account, answer identity-verification questions, and toggle the freeze. It takes effect in real time. Equifax no longer issues PINs the way it used to — your myEquifax login is what you'll use to lift or remove the freeze later, so don't lose it.

By phone, call 888-298-0045. The automated flow walks you through identity verification.

By mail, write to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348-5788. Include your full name, current address, prior addresses for the last two years, Social Security number, date of birth, and a copy (not the original) of your government-issued ID. Mail requests take up to three business days to process after Equifax receives them, on top of postal transit time.

Freeze Your Credit at Experian

Start at experian.com/freeze.

Online, create or log into the Experian account, verify your identity, and toggle the freeze. Under federal law it must take effect within one business day, and in practice it's usually minutes.

By phone, call 888-397-3742.

By mail, write to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013. Include your name, current address, date of birth, Social Security number, a copy of your government-issued ID, and a copy of a utility bill or other proof of address. Experian still issues a PIN for legacy phone and mail management — if you place your freeze by mail, file the PIN where you can find it years later, because you'll need it to lift the freeze by mail or phone.

Freeze Your Credit at TransUnion

The official page is transunion.com/credit-freeze.

Online, log into the TransUnion Service Center, verify your identity, and toggle the freeze. It's typically real time, though TransUnion asks you to allow up to one hour for the freeze to fully take effect.

By phone, call 800-916-8800.

By mail, write to TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094. Include your name, current address, prior addresses, date of birth, Social Security number, and a copy of your government ID. There's also a spouse-to-spouse line at 888-909-8872 for households where one partner manages the credit-administration tasks for both.

A note on the credit freeze vs. credit lock distinction TransUnion highlights: a freeze is the free, statutorily required tool. A "credit lock" is a bureau-branded product, usually sold as part of a paid credit-monitoring subscription. Both block access to your report, but only the freeze is governed by federal law — which is the version you actually want.

How to Temporarily Lift or Permanently Remove a Freeze

A freeze isn't a wall — it's a switch. When you apply for credit, you lift the freeze long enough for the lender to pull your report, then put it back.

Ask the lender which bureau they'll pull from. Mortgage lenders typically pull all three; auto lenders, card issuers, and apartment-screening services often pull just one. If it's just Experian, lift the freeze at only Experian — you save time and limit the exposure window. You can lift online for a specific date range (handy for car-loan shopping across multiple dealerships), or until you re-freeze.

Online and phone lift requests must be processed within one hour by federal law, and in practice are typically instant. Mail lifts take up to three business days after receipt. NerdWallet's walkthrough is a good practical reference. Permanent removal works the same way — but there's rarely a reason to do it.

How to Freeze a Child's Credit

All three bureaus offer a free Protected Consumer Freeze (sometimes called a minor freeze) for children under 16. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each (https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/credit-freezes-and-fraud-alerts) — typically a mail-in process where a parent or legal guardian sends proof of authority (birth certificate, court order, or power of attorney) plus copies of both parent and child ID.

If your child has no credit file yet, the bureau creates one and immediately freezes it. The freeze stays in place until you ask for it to be removed (or the child requests removal once they're 16 or older). Child SSNs are a favored fraud target because misuse can go undetected for years — an hour today saves a multi-year cleanup later.

Credit Freeze vs. Fraud Alert vs. Credit Lock

These three tools sound similar and get confused constantly:

• Credit freeze. Free, federal-law-backed, blocks new credit pulls until you lift it. The default tool for everyone, identity-theft victim or not.
• Fraud alert. Free, doesn't block credit pulls but requires lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account. An initial fraud alert lasts one year. An extended fraud alert (which requires an FTC identity-theft report or police report) lasts seven years. Active-duty alerts last one year. Place an alert at any one bureau; that bureau is required to notify the other two.
• Credit lock. A bureau-branded product, usually bundled with paid monitoring. Functionally similar to a freeze, but governed by a private contract instead of federal law — meaning the bureau can change the terms, attach fees, or condition the lock on continued subscription.

A freeze plus a fraud alert is a reasonable belt-and-suspenders setup if you've been the victim of a data breach or identity theft. A paid "credit lock" subscription almost never adds enough on top of a freeze to justify the cost — and our piece on (/blog/credit-repair-scam-red-flags-ftc-warns-about) covers the kinds of upsells that show up in this category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does freezing my credit hurt my credit score?

No. A credit freeze does not affect your credit score, and the bureaus aren't permitted to charge you for it. Your existing accounts continue to report normally — the freeze only blocks new creditors from pulling your file to open a new account.

How long does it take for a credit freeze to go into effect?

Federal law requires Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to place a freeze within one business day of an online or phone request, and lift it within one hour of an online or phone request. In practice, online freezes and lifts at all three bureaus happen in real time or within minutes.

Do I really have to freeze my credit at all three bureaus separately?

Yes. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each maintain a separate credit file, and a lender may pull from any of them. A freeze placed at one bureau does not propagate to the other two, so you'll need to place three separate freezes to be fully protected.

Can I still get a credit card or loan with a credit freeze in place?

Yes — you'll just need to temporarily lift the freeze before you apply. If you know which bureau the lender uses, you can lift the freeze at only that bureau, then re-freeze when the application is decided. Lifts can be timed to specific date ranges.

How do I freeze my child's credit?

All three bureaus offer a free Protected Consumer Freeze (sometimes called a minor freeze). A parent or legal guardian submits proof of identity and authority — typically by mail — and the bureau creates and freezes a file in the child's name. It remains in place until the child requests removal (generally at age 16) or you do.

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The Bottom Line

Freezing your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is free, fast, and the most effective single thing you can do to stop new-account fraud — and federal law guarantees the price, the speed, and the right. The next step is straightforward: open three tabs, go to the three bureau portals above, and place all three freezes today. Bookmark each lift flow so you can open the freeze in minutes when you need to apply for something. Freezes don't expire; treat the frozen state as your default, lift it deliberately when credit needs to be pulled, and re-freeze when the application is decided.