Chime® is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.

How to Unfreeze Your Credit in 3 Steps

Jamie Cattanach • February 7, 2025

A “credit freeze” protects your personal information and credit report by making it inaccessible to others – but how do you unfreeze your credit when you need it?

You can unfreeze your credit by contacting each credit bureau online, by phone, or by mail.

If you’ve frozen your credit but need to apply for a loan or credit card, we’ll guide you through the steps to unfreeze your credit report, including what to expect and how long it takes.

Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card
  • Build credit safely
  • No credit check to apply
  • No annual fees
  • No interest~
Get Started

What to expect when you unfreeze your credit

A credit freeze isn't permanent. You can unfreeze your credit just as easily as you froze it.

  • Creditors will have immediate access to your credit report to process new credit applications.
  • A temporary thaw will only unfreeze your credit for a defined period of time.
  • A permanent lift unfreezes your credit until you submit a new request to freeze.
  • The credit bureaus have up to one hour to complete your request if you submit it online or by phone and up to three days if you submit your request by mail.

Temporary thaw vs. permanent lift

The good news is a credit freeze isn’t permanent, and you can unfreeze your credit just as easily as you froze it initially. Quickly unfreezing your credit will come in handy when you’re hoping to achieve certain personal finance goals, like opening a new credit card, financing a car, taking out a personal loan, or applying for a mortgage.

There are two main ways to unfreeze your credit: a temporary thaw or a permanent lift. Here’s how each option works:

  • A temporary thaw allows creditors or companies to access your credit report during a specific date range and will automatically expire. Consider this option if you’re shopping for a mortgage, a car loan, or applying for a credit card.
  • A permanent lift returns your credit report to its pre-freeze status until or unless you request a refreeze. If you’re applying for a loan, you may be able to ask the lender which credit bureau they will use and then only unfreeze that one.

Remember that a permanent lift may leave your credit more vulnerable to fraud or identity theft. If you’re worried about the security of your information, consider going with a temporary thaw on your file instead of a permanent removal.

If you want to unfreeze your credit entirely, you’ll need to reach out separately to all three bureaus. This can be done online, through each bureau’s website, and it can also be done by mail or phone. Here’s how to unfreeze your credit at each credit bureau.

How to unfreeze credit at the 3 major credit bureaus

How to unfreeze credit with Equifax

Here’s how to unfreeze Equifax credit reports:

  • Online: Sign up for or log in to your myEquifax account. Request the unfreeze by verifying your personal information, such as your Social Security number. You don’t need a PIN when you unfreeze your credit report online.
  • By phone: Call (888) 298-0045.¹ You’ll need to provide information to verify your identity, including the option to receive a one-time PIN by phone or answer questions based on your Equifax credit report.
  • By mail: Complete this form, and mark that you want to unfreeze your credit. Next, send it to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348-5788.²

How to unfreeze credit with Experian

Next, let’s learn how to unfreeze Experian credit reports:

  • Online: Sign up for a free Experian account. Log in and simply toggle the option from “unfrozen” to “frozen.”
  • By phone: Call 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) and request to unfreeze your credit.³
  • By mail: Send a letter to Experian requesting to unfreeze your credit report to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.³

How to unfreeze credit with TransUnion

Here’s how to unfreeze TransUnion credit reports:

  • Online: Visit TransUnion’s Credit Freeze page, and click on the “Unfreeze” button. Create an account or log in to an existing account.
  • By phone: Call 800-916-8800 and request to unfreeze your credit. Your identity will be verified using personal information like your Social Security number.⁴
  • By mail: Send a letter to TransUnion requesting to unfreeze your credit report to TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094.⁴ Keep in mind that your request will need to include one photocopied proof of Social Security number and two photocopied proofs of your current address

As you can see, the method to unfreeze your credit doesn’t vary too widely across these bureaus – and the documents you need likely won’t, either.

Information needed to unfreeze your credit

Information needed to unfreeze your credit: Full legal name, birthdate, Social Security number or other proof of identity, complete physical address, proof of address (like a utility bill), and a bank statement.

Before reaching out to unfreeze your credit, you’ll need to have access to the following personal information and documents:

  • Full legal name
  • Birthdate
  • Social Security number or other proof of identity
  • Complete physical address
  • Proof of address (like a utility bill)
  • Bank statement

Keep this information nearby for a quick and easy credit-thawing process. If you attempt to unfreeze your credit by mail, you’ll have to send physical copies of these documents, so completing the process online or by phone may be more secure.

Unfreezing your credit can unlock major financial goals

 

While freezing your credit can be the right move if you have reason to suspect fraudulent activity, many major money moves, like taking out a new unsecured personal loan, require unfrozen credit. Fortunately, unfreezing your file is simple and free.

Looking for even more credit advice? Here’s how to rebuild your credit score from the ground up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to call all 3 credit bureaus to unfreeze my credit?

Yes, if you only call one credit bureau, your credit may still be frozen at the other two. If you want to properly unfreeze your credit, you must contact all three credit bureaus by phone, mail or online.

How long does it take for my credit to unfreeze?

  • Immediately if you submit your request online or by phone, but in some cases it may take up to one hour.
  • Up to three days if you submit your request by mail.

Is there a downside to unfreezing your credit?

Unfreezing your credit leaves you vulnerable to fraud, credit checks and hard pulls from all creditors. If you unfreeze your credit for a specific reason, remember to refreeze it to prevent fraud and unwanted credit checks.

How much does it cost to unfreeze my credit?

Absolutely nothing! Since September 2018, federal law has required that both freezing and unfreezing your credit be free of charge to all consumers. When requested online or by phone, freezes must be put in place within one business day – and lifted, when an unfreeze is requested, within one hour.⁵

Will unfreezing my credit help my credit score?

The act of freezing or unfreezing your credit won’t affect your credit score, but that doesn’t mean that your credit score can’t change while it’s frozen. There are many inputs that go into your credit score and can cause fluctuations even during a freeze, including your amount of debt and the timeliness of your credit card payments on time. The good news is, that means you can still build credit while your report is frozen, too.

How long does a credit freeze last if I don't request an unfreeze?

Under federal law, credit freezes last until you lift them – unlike financial records on your credit report, which eventually fall off. That way, you don’t have to worry about your credit report becoming vulnerable again without your consent.⁶

Can I apply for credit when my credit report is frozen?

When applying for new credit, you’ll have to unfreeze your credit to allow creditors to access your credit history. Even a soft credit pull requires that your credit be unfrozen. A soft credit check is when a creditor checks your score without lowering it, and a hard check is when your score can be affected. Good news: It’s free and easy to unfreeze your credit before applying for a new credit card or loan.

How soon after freezing my credit can I unfreeze it?

Freezing and unfreezing your credit can be done as often as you like, but remember that it can take up to a day for the freezing process to go through when submitting a request by phone or online (and an hour for unfreezing). There’s no limit to how many times you can unfreeze your credit.

Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card
  • Build credit safely
  • No credit check to apply
  • No annual fees
  • No interest~
Get Started