How to Lock or Freeze Your TransUnion Credit: Online, Phone, or Mail

To freeze your TransUnion credit, go to transunion.com/credit-freeze, create a Service Center account, and click “Add Freeze” — or call 800-916-8800 if you’d rather not set up an online login. The freeze is free under federal law, takes effect within one business day of an online or phone request, and stays in place until you lift it yourself.¹²

Freeze Your TransUnion Report Online

The online route is the fastest. Open transunion.com/credit-freeze and set up a Service Center account. You’ll need your full legal name, current address, Social Security number, and date of birth so TransUnion can match you to your credit file. You’ll pick a username and password, then answer identity verification questions drawn from your credit history — past loans, previous addresses, former creditors.

Once you’re logged in, go to the Credit Freeze section and click “Add Freeze,” then confirm on the next screen.³ Federal law gives TransUnion up to one business day to place a freeze requested online.² Your dashboard will update to show a locked status, and you’ll get an email confirmation with the date and time. Save that email.

You don’t need a PIN. TransUnion retired the old 6-digit PIN system, so any future change to your freeze is handled through your Service Center login.⁴

If verification fails or a confirmation code never arrives, call TransUnion support at 833-543-4353. The line is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern and weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.⁵

One note on mobile: the TransUnion app doesn’t manage freezes. If you tap freeze settings inside the app, it sends you to the web-based Service Center in your phone’s browser. Everything else works the same from a phone as from a desktop.

Freeze by Phone or Mail

If you’d rather skip the online account, call 800-916-8800.¹ Phone requests, like online ones, must be processed within one business day.²

You can also mail a written request that includes your name, address, and Social Security number. TransUnion lists the dedicated mailing address on its freeze FAQ page. Mail requests can take up to three business days to process. Whichever method you use, TransUnion must send you written confirmation within five business days.²

Lifting the Freeze When You Apply for Credit

A freeze blocks new lenders from pulling your report, so when you apply for a loan, credit card, or apartment, you’ll need to lift it first. Log into the Service Center, choose “Temporarily Lift Freeze,” and enter the dates the lift should cover.¹ You can schedule a lift up to 15 days in advance, which is useful when you already know your closing date or application window.

The lift takes effect almost immediately, but waiting a few minutes before telling the lender to pull your report avoids timing issues.⁴ Once the dates you selected end, the freeze goes back on automatically. Federal law requires the bureau to process a lift request within one hour when you submit it online or by phone.²

If you know which bureau the lender plans to check, you only need to lift the freeze at that one, not all three.

Who Can Still See Your Report

A freeze stops most new creditors, but not everyone. Under federal law, the following can still access your file:⁴

Companies you already have accounts with, for account maintenance, credit line changes, or collections.
Federal, state, and local agencies investigating fraud, collecting delinquent taxes, or acting under a court order or subpoena.
Child support agencies.
Companies sending prescreened credit offers (you can opt out of these separately).
Insurance underwriters.
Employers and landlords running background checks with your consent.
Companies verifying your identity for purposes other than issuing new credit.
Credit monitoring services you’ve subscribed to.

None of these exceptions let a stranger open a new account in your name. The freeze is aimed squarely at new applications from unfamiliar creditors.⁶

Freeze or Lock: What TransUnion Offers

TransUnion sells a credit lock as part of its paid TransUnion Credit Premium subscription. The lock blocks new inquiries the same way a freeze does, but it runs under TransUnion’s service agreement rather than federal law.⁷⁸ Its main convenience is a one-tap toggle inside the TransUnion app.

The freeze is free, protected by statute, and provides the same practical block on new credit inquiries. If you previously had a lock through TrueIdentity or TransUnion Credit Monitoring, those products have been shut down, and you can replace them with a freeze at no charge.⁹

Freeze Equifax and Experian Too

A TransUnion freeze only covers your TransUnion report. Lenders often pull from Equifax or Experian instead, so if you want full protection, freeze all three. Each bureau is free and handled separately:

Equifax: equifax.com or 888-298-0045.
Experian: experian.com or 888-397-3742.
TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-freeze or 800-916-8800.¹

1
TransUnion. Credit Freeze | Freeze My Credit
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
3
TransUnion. How to Place a Credit Freeze On Your Credit Report
4
TransUnion. Freeze Support Center | Credit Freeze FAQs
5
TransUnion. Technical Help and Login Support FAQs
6
Federal Trade Commission. Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
7
Federal Trade Commission. Initial Fraud Alerts, Credit Freezes, and Credit Locks: What’s the Difference?
8
TransUnion. Credit Freeze vs Lock: What’s the Difference?
9
TransUnion. TransUnion Credit Memberships Help Center