What you'll need

To freeze a minor’s credit, you need a few different supplies.

Required documents

Every credit bureau requires documents that prove your identity and that of your child.

You’ll need the following documents to send to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion:

3 copies - Your government issued ID (Passport, Driver’s Licence, Social Security card)
3 copies - Your child’s birth certificate
3 copies - Your child’s Social Security card
1 copy - A utility bill, bank statement, or insurance statement in your name

Not the birth parent (or not listed on the birth certificate)?

If you are the child’s legal guardian (not birth parent), you will also need 3 copies of a court document naming you their legal guardian.

Depending on your situation, each bureau may require additional information. Refer to each credit bureau’s website to double check what information they require.

Certified mail envelopes (optional)

Since these are sensitive materials, I’d recommend sending your letters via certified mail, return receipt requested.

However, don’t delay freezing your kid’s credit purely because of certified mail. If it’s preventing you from sending out your letters, ignore it.

Note

I haven’t yet used Certified Mail Labels ↗, but it seems like a lower-cost, “avoid a trip to the post office” alternative to normal certified mail. I’ll be testing these out soon and update this page once I do.