How to Freeze Your Credit for Free, and Lift It in an Hour

A credit freeze stops most new lenders from pulling your credit report, which makes it hard for anyone to open an account in your name. Federal law makes it free to place and to lift [2], and it doesn’t affect your credit score [1].

How to freeze

You have to contact each of the three bureaus separately [1]:

• Equifax: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
• Experian: experian.com/help
• TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-help

Each bureau will give you a PIN or an account login. Keep it, because you’ll need it to lift the freeze.

Lifting a freeze when you apply for credit

When you apply for a loan, card or apartment, ask the lender which bureau it uses and lift the freeze at that bureau, either for a set time or until you put it back. Online or by phone, the bureau has to lift it within one hour. By mail, it has three business days [2].

Freeze or fraud alert?

A fraud alert is lighter. Lenders can still see your report, but they’re supposed to take extra steps to check that it’s really you [1].

• Initial fraud alert: lasts one year and can be renewed. Contact one bureau and it has to tell the other two [1].
• Extended fraud alert: lasts seven years. You need an FTC identity theft report or a police report [1].
• Active duty alert: for service members, lasts one year and can be renewed for the length of a deployment [1].

Freezing a child’s credit

If your child is under 16, you can ask each bureau for a free freeze on their file. It stays in place until you ask the bureaus to remove it. Each bureau has its own process [1].