How Do I Freeze My Child's Credit at TransUnion?

Freezing your child's credit is a personal risk decision, not a legal requirement.

If your child has a Social Security number, lives in a state with frequent identity‑theft reports, or you want a 'set‑and‑forget' safeguard, a TransUnion credit freeze costs nothing, stays in place until you lift it or the child turns 18, and prevents new accounts from opening without your PIN. This protective layer buys you time while you later review the steps in 'know federal rules, fees, and how long freezes last' and 'check your child's eligibility and SSN requirements.'

If your child is applying for a college loan, a scholarship that checks credit, or you expect legitimate inquiries, a freeze adds a hurdle: you must request a temporary lift, remember the PIN, and wait for verification. In such cases, the inconvenience may outweigh the low‑risk profile of a child who has never opened credit, and you can instead monitor the credit file as described in 'gather 6 essential documents before contacting TransUnion.'

Federal law - specifically the Credit Freeze Act of 2021 - requires TransUnion to grant a credit freeze for any child under 18 at no cost to the parent or guardian, and to act on the request within one business day.

There are no fees for placing, lifting, or temporarily suspending a freeze on a minor's credit file. The same zero‑fee rule applies nationwide; some states may offer additional consumer protections, but they never add a charge.

The freeze remains in effect until the parent or guardian removes it, or until the child turns 18, at which point the freeze automatically lifts and the new adult must request a new freeze if desired. For temporary lifts - such as for college applications - use the PIN provided after the freeze is set. See the next section on checking your child's eligibility and SSN requirements for details.

A credit freeze works for any minor under 18 who already has a credit file and a valid Social Security Number; without an SSN there is no file to freeze.

• Child must be under 18 and have an existing credit report (usually triggered by a bank account, loan, or utility in the child's name).
• Parent or legal guardian must provide the child's nine‑digit SSN that matches the child's legal name exactly.
• If the child lacks an SSN, obtain one from the Social Security Administration before requesting the freeze.
• No federal fee applies for freezing a minor's credit; the freeze stays in place until the parent lifts it or the child turns 18 and can manage it themselves.
• Required information for TransUnion includes the child's full name, date of birth, SSN, and the parent/guardian's own identifying details (ID and proof of relationship).

Gather these six documents before you call or submit a freeze request to TransUnion.

• Parent/guardian government‑issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID).
• Proof of parent/guardian residence (utility bill, bank statement, or lease dated within the last 90 days).
• Child's Social Security number and a copy of the SS‑5 card or a printed SSN confirmation.
• Child's birth certificate or school‑issued ID that shows full name and date of birth.
• Legal proof of guardianship or custody if you are not the biological parent (court order, adoption decree, or legal guardianship paperwork).
• Completed freeze request form or a notarized statement, which you can start online at the TransUnion credit freeze portal.

If you're freezing a minor's credit at TransUnion, you must submit a mailed (or faxed) request; online and phone portals serve only adult consumers.

Why mail‑only? Federal law treats minors as 'dependents,' and TransUnion requires original documents to verify identity. Neither the online freeze portal nor the 1‑800‑877‑9094 line can process those records.

How to choose the method

• Mail (or fax) the freeze request - send a notarized letter plus copies of the child's birth certificate, Social Security card, and your government ID to
  TransUnion Freeze Center, P.O. Box 2000, Chicago, IL 60601.
  Include your return address. TransUnion typically replies within 5‑7 business days with a PIN and confirmation.
  (For the latest fax number, see the TransUnion credit freeze request page.)
• Online - not available for children. Reserve this channel for when the child turns 18 and can request a freeze as an adult.
• Phone - the 1‑800‑877‑9094 line handles only adult freezes. It cannot accept the documentation required for a minor.

Choose mail (or fax) now; after the freeze is confirmed, move on to the six‑step process described in the next section.

Freeze your child's TransUnion credit in six quick steps, no fee required and the freeze stays in place until you lift it or the child turns 18.

1. Open the TransUnion credit freeze portal (or call 1‑800‑916‑8800, or mail the request to TransUnion LLC, P.O. Box 2000, Chicago, IL 60680).
2. Enter your name, address, and the child's full legal name and Social Security number exactly as it appears on the SSN card.
3. Attach the six documents listed in the 'gather essential documents' section - proof of identity, proof of guardianship, and the child's SSN verification.
4. Select 'freeze for a minor' and confirm you do not want a credit report issued for the child.
5. Submit the request; TransUnion will process it within a few business days and send a written confirmation.
6. Record the confirmation number and personal identification number (PIN) in a safe place; you'll need the PIN to lift or remove the freeze later.

When TransUnion returns a 'verification rejected' notice, the fastest fix is to match the exact data it already has on file. Review the rejection letter, then 1) confirm the child's Social Security number, full legal name (including middle initials), and birthdate are typed exactly as they appear on the SSA record; 2) ensure the mailing address matches the one on the SSN card or recent utility bill; 3) re‑upload the six documents you gathered earlier (birth certificate, proof of address, etc.) in the same file format and clear scan quality; 4) if any document was illegible, replace it with a higher‑resolution copy; and 5) submit the corrected packet through the same channel (online portal, phone, or mail) while attaching the rejection reference number.

A quick call to the TransUnion verification line can confirm which field triggered the denial, saving another round‑trip.

Once the corrected information is accepted, the credit freeze on your child's credit proceeds to the next stage - receiving the confirmation letter, PIN, and record‑keeping instructions covered in the following section. For detailed phone prompts and form links, see the TransUnion verification help center.

After you freeze your child's TransUnion credit, TransUnion will send a confirmation, a personal identification number (PIN), and a freeze reference number that you must keep. The confirmation proves the freeze is active; the PIN and reference number let you lift or remove the freeze later, and proper recordkeeping prevents delays if you need to dispute a rejection.

For example, TransUnion may email a PDF titled 'Credit Freeze Confirmation' that lists the child's name, Social Security number, freeze date, PIN, and freeze ID. Some parents receive a mailed letter with the same details; either way, store the document in a secure folder or a password‑manager note. Write the PIN on a piece of paper and keep it in a fire‑proof safe, or record it in a digital vault that only you can access. Also log the confirmation date and reference number in a spreadsheet labeled 'Child Credit Freeze' so you can quickly locate the information when a school or lender asks to temporarily lift the freeze.

If you later need to lift the freeze, you'll reference the exact PIN and freeze ID from these records, which speeds up verification and avoids the 'unable to verify' roadblocks discussed in the previous section.

You can temporarily lift your child's TransUnion freeze whenever a school, scholarship or loan application requires a credit check.

Ask TransUnion to 'thaw' the freeze by providing the child's SSN, the PIN you received after freezing, and either a date range (for example June 1‑June 15) or the exact name of the institution; you can submit the request online, by phone, or by mail - the same channels described in the 'freeze your child's TransUnion credit in 6 quick steps' section.

The temporary lift stays active only for the period you specify, then the freeze automatically reinstates; you may cancel it earlier if you receive confirmation that the school has completed its check. No fee applies for minors, and the PIN and lift confirmation should be kept with your other credit‑freeze records for future reference.

If the lift coincides with an identity‑theft investigation, see the next section 'if your child is an identity theft victim, follow these steps' for additional safeguards.

The below content will be converted to HTML following it's exact instructions:

• Hire an attorney or certified credit repair professional when your Equifax report still shows an unauthorized hard inquiry after you've completed the online dispute, mailed a certified letter, and escalated to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
• If Equifax refuses to correct a clearly wrong inquiry despite documented proof, legal expertise can force removal under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• When multiple fraudulent inquiries appear, indicating possible identity theft, and you need a fraud alert, police report, and coordinated dispute strategy.
• If the lingering inquiry is preventing a mortgage, auto loan, or higher‑interest‑rate credit and the potential savings exceed the cost of professional services.
• When you require a formal demand letter, threat of litigation, or representation in court to ensure the inquiry is deleted.

Adopted or foster children need the same SSN and birth‑certificate proof as any minor, plus a court‑issued adoption decree, foster‑care placement order, or legal‑guardian documentation that shows the parent/guardian's authority. TransUnion treats these papers as 'extra proof' to verify you have the right to place a freeze on the child's credit file.

Mail or fax the adoption or foster‑care paperwork together with the standard freeze request, a copy of the child's SSN card, and a signed authorization letter. Include the TransUnion minor credit‑freeze guide reference number if you have one; TransUnion will apply the freeze at no charge and keep it in effect until you lift it or the child turns 18.