Yes. Federal law lets a parent or other representative request a free security freeze for a child under 16, even if the child has no credit file yet; the bureau creates a record so it can be frozen. The freeze stays until it is removed.
Children are attractive targets for identity theft because a stolen Social Security number may go unnoticed for years. The FCRA addresses this with a protected consumer freeze in 15 U.S.C. § 1681c-1(j).
Who is a protected consumer
- A person under 16 years old at the time the freeze is requested; or
- an incapacitated person, or a protected person for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed.
Who can request it
A representative, such as a parent or legal guardian, makes the request directly to each nationwide bureau. The bureau may require sufficient proof of identification and sufficient proof of authority to act. Under the statute, proof of authority can include a court order, a valid power of attorney, or a government document showing parentage, among others.
If the child has no credit file
Many children have no file at all. If the bureau has no file for the protected consumer, the law requires it to create a record and place the freeze on that record, so a thief cannot later open a file in the child’s name without hitting the freeze.
Timing and cost
- After receiving the request with sufficient proof of identification and authority, the bureau must place the freeze within 1 business day for a phone or secure online request, or 3 business days for a mailed request.
- Placing and removing the freeze is free.
- The FTC notes that the freeze stays in place until you tell the bureaus to remove it, and that the process differs from an adult freeze, so check each bureau’s instructions.
Removing it later
The representative, or the protected consumer once eligible, can ask the bureau to remove the freeze with proper identification. The bureau must remove it within 1 hour of a phone or secure online request, or 3 business days of a mailed request. Plan ahead before the child applies for a student loan, credit card, or apartment.
Signs a child’s identity may already be misused
- Collection calls or letters addressed to the child.
- Prescreened credit offers in the child’s name.
- A notice that the child’s Social Security number was used on a tax return, or a denial of benefits.
If a child already has a fraudulent file, the bureaus’ identity theft and dispute processes apply. See identity theft and your credit report.
Related
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c-1(j) — Protected consumer security freeze (Cornell LII)
- FTC — What To Know About Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.