 TITLE: How to Unfreeze Your Credit Report CONTENT: If you freeze your credit reports—which you have to do separately for each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion)—you'll likely want to unfreeze your credit information in the future. The reasons can range from applying for a new credit card, getting a mortgage or signing up for a cell phone contract to buying a new car, applying for insurance or applying for a job where the employer wants to check your financial background.\nBecause you establish your credit freeze at each of the three credit bureaus individually, you will need to unfreeze them at each bureau as well.\nYou have two options for unfreezing your credit reports:\n*   **Temporary lift**: This allows creditors to check your file for a set length of time, then restores the freeze.\n*   **Permanent removal**: This leaves your reports open until you request another freeze.\nTo unfreeze your credit, you'll need to use the secure PIN, or personal identification number, that you received when you originally requested a freeze. In most cases, if you make the request online or by phone, the credit bureaus can lift a freeze in as little as 15 minutes, although the Federal Trade Commission gives them up to three business days. If you lose your PIN, you'll need to contact each bureau individually to either request a new PIN or permanently lift your freeze. END