State Security Freeze Requirements and Fees

 

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State Requirement Fees Request Security Freeze by:
Security Freeze Placement Date Range Lift Specific Party Lift Permanent Removal
Alabama1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Alaska1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Arizona1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Arkansas3

Effective 10/31/2007

ID Theft Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10 Certified Mail
Non-Victim4 $10 $10 Not Available $10
California

Effective 1/1/2003

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $12 $10
Colorado

Effective 7/1/2006

ID Theft Victim First Free (Subsequent Freezes $10 each) $10 $12 $10 Certified Mail
Non-Victim First Free (Subsequent Freezes $10 each) $10 $12 $10
Connecticut

Effective 1/1/2006

ID Theft Victim $10 $10 $12 $10 Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $12 $10
District of Columbia

Effective 7/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 Free Free Free
Delaware

Effective 10/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $20 Free Not Available Free
Florida

Effective 7/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
65 years of age or older Free $10 Not Available Free
Georgia1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Hawaii

Effective 1/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $5 $5 $5 $5
Idaho1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Illinois

Effective 1/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
65 years of age or older Free $10 $10 Free
Indiana

Effective 9/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Regular or Certified Mail
Non-Victim Free Free Free Free
Iowa1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Kansas

Effective 1/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim4 $10 $10 Not Available $10
Kentucky

Effective 7/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
Louisiana

Effective 7/1/2005

ID Theft Victim or 62 years of age or older Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $8 Not Available Free
Maine

Effective 2/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $12 $10
Maryland3

Effective 10/31/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $5 $5 $5 $5
Massachusetts

Effective 10/31/2007

ID Theft Victim or Spouse Free Free Free Free Certified, Overnight, or Regular Mail
Non-Victim $5 $5 $5 $5
Michigan1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Minnesota

Effective 8/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail or phone 800-685-1111
Non-Victim $5 $5 $5 $5
Mississippi

Effective 7/1/2007

ID Theft Victim $10 Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim4 $10 $10 $10 $10
Missouri1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Montana

Effective 7/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Regular or Certified Mail
Non-Victim $3 $3 $3 Free
Nebraska

Effective 9/1/2007

ID Theft Victim or Minor Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $15 Free Not Available Free
Nevada

Effective 10/1/2005

ID Theft Victim or 65 years of age or older Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
New Hampshire

Effective 1/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
New Jersey

Effective 1/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free $5 $5 $5 Certified or Overnight Mail
Non-Victim Free $5 $5 $5
New Mexico

Effective 7/1/2007

ID Theft Victim or 65 years of age or older Free Free Free Free Regular or Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $5 $5 $5
New York

Effective 1/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified or Overnight Mail
Non-Victim First Free (Subsequent Freezes $5 each) $5 $5 $5
North Carolina

Effective 12/1/2005

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
North Dakota

Effective 6/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Mail or phone 800-685-1111
Non-Victim $5 $5 $5 Free
Ohio1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Oklahoma

Effective 1/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
65 years of age or older Free $10 Not Available $10
Oregon

Effective 10/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
Pennsylvania

Effective 1/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 Free
65 years of age or older Free $10 $10 Free
Rhode Island

Effective 1/1/2007

ID Theft Victim or 65 years of age or older Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
South Carolina1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
South Dakota

Effective 7/1/2006

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim4 $10 $10 $10 $10
Tennessee2

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Texas

Effective 9/1/2003

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $12 $10
Utah2

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Vermont

Effective 7/1/2005

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $5 $5 $5
Virginia1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
Washington

Effective 7/23/2005

ID Theft Victim or recipient of a computerized personal information data breach notification Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim4 $10 $10 $10 $10
West Virginia

Effective 6/8/2007

ID Theft Victim or written complaint to the FTC, Attorney General of WV, or other law enforcement agency Free Free Not Available Free Certified or Overnight Mail
Non-Victim $5 $5 Not Available $5
Wisconsin

Effective 1/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
Wyoming

Effective 7/1/2007

ID Theft Victim Free Free Not Available Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 Not Available $10
Puerto Rico1

Voluntary Freeze Program

ID Theft Victim Free Free Free Free Certified Mail
Non-Victim $10 $10 $10 $10
1 Description of Equifax's Voluntary Security Freeze Program

For consumers that live in states that have not yet passed a state security freeze law, Equifax is voluntarily providing these consumers the ability to place a security freeze on their Equifax credit file. However, if a state that has not passed a security freeze law that is in effect or will soon become effective, passes a security freeze law, Equifax will follow the requirements of the state's security freeze law rather than the procedures for the Equifax voluntary security freeze program.
2 TN and UT File Freezes

Tennessee and Utah have state mandated security freeze laws that are effective September 1, 2008. These states will be included in the Equifax voluntary security freeze program until September 1, 2008, at which time the state laws will take effect.
3 MD and AR File Freezes

Maryland and Arkansas have state mandated security freeze laws that are effective January 1, 2008. Equifax will activate the state mandated file freeze laws on October 31, 2007.
4 Equifax is allowing non-ID theft victims to participate in the voluntary security freeze program.
NOTE: Consumers in all states can request a security freeze in writing by sending the following information to Equifax (by either certified or regular mail based upon the above grid):
  1. Name
  2. Address
  3. Date of Birth
  4. Social Security Number
  5. Proof of current address such as a current utility bill
  6. Payment of applicable fees to request a security freeze of your credit file.
    1. Name of the person as it appears on the credit card
    2. Type of credit card (American Express, Mastercard, VISA, or Discover Card)
    3. Complete account number
    4. Expiration data (month and year)
    5. For American Express - 4 digit Card Identification Number (on front of card above the account number)
    6. For Mastercard, VISA, or Discover Card - 3 digit Card Identification Number (on back of card at the end of the account number. Please do not send cash through the mail.
  7. If you are an identity theft victim and are requesting a security freeze you must also include a copy of a police report, Identity Theft report, or other government law enforcement agency report, such as a DMV report.
Please send your request to the address below.

Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, Georgia 30348