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- A freeze controls access, not the contents of a report
- Each nationwide bureau maintains its own file
- Federal law sets placement and removal deadlines
- A freeze is free and does not lower a credit score
- Fraud alerts and monitoring are different tools
- Protected consumers have a separate freeze process
- Sources
Key Facts
- Federal level: A credit freeze restricts a nationwide consumer reporting agency from disclosing a frozen consumer report to a requester.
- Federal level: Placing, temporarily lifting, and removing a security freeze are free under federal law.
- Federal level: An electronic or telephone freeze request generally must be completed within one business day, while an electronic or telephone removal request generally must be completed within one hour.
- Federal level: A freeze lasts until it is removed and must be placed separately with each nationwide credit bureau.
A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, limits access to a consumer’s credit report. Its main purpose is to make it harder for an identity thief to open a new credit account because a prospective creditor ordinarily cannot review the frozen file.
A freeze controls access, not the contents of a report
The federal definition treats a security freeze as a restriction on disclosure of a consumer report. A freeze does not bar the consumer from requesting, seeing, and reviewing the frozen file.
Related federal rights appear in the credit report dispute and Fair Credit Reporting Act explainers.
Each nationwide bureau maintains its own file
A freeze request goes separately to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Contacting one bureau for a freeze does not require that bureau to place freezes at the other two.
This differs from an initial fraud alert. For that alert, contacting one nationwide bureau triggers duties to notify the others; an alert asks prospective users to verify identity rather than blocking access to the report.
Federal law sets placement and removal deadlines
After a direct request and proper identification, a nationwide bureau generally must place a freeze within one business day for a telephone or secure electronic request. A mailed request generally must be completed within three business days.
The bureau generally must send confirmation within five business days after placement and explain the process for removing the freeze. A freeze remains until the consumer requests removal, unless the bureau removes one placed through a material misrepresentation and provides the required notice.
For removal, the federal deadline is generally one hour after a telephone or secure electronic request and three business days after a mailed request. The same federal provision allows a temporary lift for a specified period.
A freeze is free and does not lower a credit score
Federal law requires placement and removal without charge. FTC and CFPB guidance also explains that a freeze does not affect a consumer’s credit score.
A freeze can still affect the practical timing of a legitimate credit application because the lender may be unable to access the report until the relevant freeze is lifted. Existing creditors and certain other entities may retain access under statutory exceptions.
Fraud alerts and monitoring are different tools
A fraud alert tells businesses to take steps to verify identity before opening new credit. An initial alert lasts one year, while an extended alert for an identity theft victim lasts seven years under the federal framework.
Protected consumers have a separate freeze process
Federal law permits a representative to request a freeze for a protected consumer, including a person under age 16 and certain incapacitated individuals or people for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed. The representative must provide the proof of identity and authority required by the statute.
Related recovery information appears in the FTC identity theft report explainer.
