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How to Quickly Unfreeze Your Credit for Your Vehicle Purchase

To secure great financing rates and drive away in your new vehicle today, your dealership finance team needs to run a quick credit check. If you have a security freeze on your credit file, the major credit bureaus will block this request. 

Unfreezing your credit is 100% free under federal law and can be done in minutes. For the fastest approval, it’s recommended to lift the freeze online or by phone. 

The Fastest Ways to Unfreeze Your Credit

To lift the freeze, contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually. Have your Name, Address, and Social Security Number (SSN) ready.

1. Equifax®

  • Online (Instant): Go to the Equifax Credit Freeze Portal and log into your MyEquifax account. (Note: Equifax no longer requires a 10-digit PIN).

  • By Phone: Call 1-866-349-5191 or 1-888-298-0045

2. Experian™

  • Online (Instant): Visit the Experian Credit Freeze Center and fill out the “Remove a Security Freeze” form. Account creation is not required.

  • By Phone: Call 1-800-493-1058 or 1-888-397-3742

3. TransUnion®

  • Online (Instant): Log into the TransUnion Service Center online or use the myTransUnion® mobile app.

  • By Phone: Call 1-800-916-8800

If you submit your request online or by phone, the credit bureaus are legally required to lift the freeze within one hour. 
Not always — it depends on which bureau gets pulled for your application. Since it could be any of the three (or more than one), lifting the freeze at all three is likely the easiest way to avoid a delay. Free under federal law, and each takes only a few minutes.
For a vehicle purchase, we highly recommend choosing a temporary lift. You can set it to automatically expire and refreeze your credit in a few days, keeping your data protected without any extra hassle. 
No. Thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, freezing and unfreezing your credit report is completely free. 
A credit freeze is a free tool mandated by federal law. A credit lock is a commercial service offered by the bureaus (often as a paid subscription) that allows you to toggle access via an app instantly. If you have a lock instead of a freeze, simply log into that specific bureau's app to unlock it. 

Limitation of Liability & Terms of Service

NCC provides educational resources and platform tools for informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided, NCC does not guarantee specific financing outcomes, credit approval, or regulatory compliance for individual transactions. 


Users and dealership partners are solely responsible for verifying customer identities, obtaining proper authorization before accessing credit files, and adhering to all local, state, and federal compliance laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). NCC shall not be held liable for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages resulting from the use or inability to use our platform or educational materials. 

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