How to Freeze Your Credit
Short answer
A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, stops new creditors from accessing your credit file until you lift the freeze. Under federal law you can place and lift a freeze for free at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You must contact each bureau yourself. A freeze does not lower your credit score. It also does not stop someone from taking over accounts you already have, and the free-freeze rules do not block every use of your report, such as some employment, tenant-screening, or insurance checks.
The short version
A credit freeze (security freeze) blocks new creditors from opening your credit file until you lift the freeze. Place one at each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. It is free. It lasts until you lift it. It does not change your credit score.
You do not need a data breach or a stolen wallet first. The FTC says anyone can freeze a credit report for any reason.
What a freeze does and does not do
According to the CFPB and FTC, while a freeze is in place:
- New creditors generally cannot pull your file to open a new credit account in your name.
- You can still review your own reports.
- Existing creditors on accounts you already hold can still see the file in the limited ways the CFPB lists.
- Some government entities (for example, child support agencies in the CFPB summary) and companies you hire to monitor your file may still access it.
- The federal free-freeze rules do not apply the same way to someone who requests your report for employment, tenant-screening, or insurance purposes.
A freeze also does not stop identity thieves from taking over accounts you already have. Close compromised accounts and report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov if that is what happened.
Freeze versus fraud alert
| Tool | Main effect | Who you contact | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Limits new-creditor access to your file until you lift it | Each of Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion | Until you lift it |
| Initial fraud alert | Businesses should verify it is you before opening new credit; file stays accessible | One bureau; it must tell the other two | One year (renewable), per FTC and CFPB |
| Extended fraud alert | Stronger verification after identity theft; free reports and marketing-list rules apply as the agencies describe | One bureau after an FTC Identity Theft Report or police report | Seven years, per FTC and CFPB |
You can use a freeze and a fraud alert together. The FTC says even with a freeze in place, you can still place a fraud alert.
How to place the freeze
Contact all three nationwide bureaus. USA.gov and the FTC list online, phone, and mail. Online or phone is usually fastest.
| Bureau | Start here |
|---|---|
| Equifax | Equifax security freeze |
| Experian | Experian credit freeze help |
| TransUnion | TransUnion credit freeze |
Create or sign in to each bureau’s freeze account, complete their identity checks, and save any PIN, password, or confirmation they give you. You will need those later to lift the freeze.
Timing rules the CFPB and USA.gov both describe:
- Place freeze (phone or secure online): within one business day
- Place freeze (mail): within three business days after the bureau receives the request
- Written confirmation: no later than five business days after the freeze is placed (CFPB)
- Lift freeze (phone or secure online): within one hour
- Lift freeze (mail): within three business days after receipt
When to lift it
Lift the freeze before you apply for something that needs a credit check, such as a card, auto loan, or some apartment applications. The FTC tip is practical: ask which bureau the lender will use, lift only that one if you can, then freeze it again when you are done.
You can lift permanently or temporarily for a window you choose. Temporary lifts follow the same free timing rules the CFPB lists above.
If you apply with the freeze still on at the bureau the lender uses, the application can stall or get denied because the creditor cannot see the file. That is the freeze working as designed, not a surprise score drop.
What this looks like
Keaton is not applying for credit this month and saw a news story about a retailer breach that may have included Keaton’s email. Keaton does not wait for a fraud letter. Keaton opens the Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion freeze pages, places a freeze at each, stores the confirmations in a password manager, and leaves the freezes in place.
Two months later Keaton wants a first credit card. Keaton asks the issuer which bureau it pulls, lifts that freeze online for a short window, finishes the application, then freezes that bureau again.
If you already suspect identity theft
Do not treat the freeze as the whole plan.
- Close or lock affected accounts with the banks or card issuers.
- Report at IdentityTheft.gov for an FTC Identity Theft Report and recovery plan.
- Place freezes at all three bureaus if you have not already.
- Consider an initial or extended fraud alert as the CFPB and FTC describe for your situation.
- Pull your free reports through AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute anything that is not yours.
Related reading
Start with how to get your free credit reports so you can see the files you are freezing. Pair that with first-card habits that avoid debt before you lift a freeze to apply.
Common questions
Does a credit freeze hurt my credit score?
No. The CFPB states that security freezes do not impact your credit scores in any way. The freeze controls access to the file for new credit. It is not a score penalty.
Do I have to freeze all three bureaus?
Yes if you want coverage across the three nationwide files. The FTC and CFPB both say you must contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. Freezing one bureau does not notify the other two.
Can I still pull my own free credit reports with a freeze on?
Yes. The CFPB says you can request, see, and review your files while a freeze is in place. Use the authorized free channel at AnnualCreditReport.com when you want the reports themselves.
What is the difference between a freeze and a fraud alert?
A freeze limits access to your credit file for new credit until you lift it. A fraud alert leaves the file accessible but tells businesses to verify it is you before opening new credit. For an initial fraud alert you contact one bureau and it must tell the other two. For a freeze you contact each bureau yourself. Both tools are free under the FTC and CFPB summaries.
Is a paid credit lock better than a freeze?
The CFPB says credit locks are often bundled with paid services and are no more effective than security freezes, which are free and which you have a right to by law. Prefer the freeze unless you have a separate reason to buy a monitoring product.