It also means you can't apply for new credit unless you lift the freeze using a special personal identification number. A new state law, effective July 1, lets people do that for free. Levins says, "People are now going to be able to freeze their credit without paying. In the past you had to pay $5 to freeze it, $5 to unfreeze it, then $5 to freeze it again. There are three major credit reporting agencies. If you do that three times, it comes out to $45."