Privacy Law Library

Credit Report Security Freeze

MT Security Freeze

Credit reporting · Financial

Montana consumers may place a security freeze on their credit reports so that reports cannot be released to new creditors without consent. Consumer reporting agencies must place, temporarily lift and remove freezes on set timelines and give consumers a notice of rights.

Where
Montana
Citation
Mont. Code Ann. 30-14-1726 to 30-14-1736
Status
In force
In force since
2007-10-01
Last amended
2021-10-01
Enforced by
Private enforcement by consumers (30-14-1736)
People can sue
Yes
Penalties
Willful noncompliance: actual damages or $100-$1,000 statutory damages, punitive damages, costs and attorney fees; negligent noncompliance: actual damages plus costs and fees (30-14-1736).
Applies to
  • Consumer reporting agencies holding credit reports on Montana consumers (30-14-1726 to 30-14-1735)
  • Parents, guardians and conservators may request freezes for minors and protected persons (30-14-1727(2))

What a privacy notice must say

  • Provide the statutory Montana notice of freeze rights whenever the FCRA summary of rights is required.Mont. Code Ann. 30-14-1733

Rights it gives people

  • Consumers may request a security freeze by mail or secure electronic connection; parents, guardians and conservators may request freezes for minors and protected persons.Mont. Code Ann. 30-14-1727

Practices it requires

  • Consumer reporting agencies must place a freeze within 5 business days of a proper request.Mont. Code Ann. 30-14-1728(1)
  • Agencies must temporarily lift or remove freezes on request through a designated point of contact.Mont. Code Ann. 30-14-1729, 30-14-1730, 30-14-1732

Other duties

  • Fee for placing or temporarily lifting a freeze capped at $3; no fee for removal (subject to exceptions in subsection (2)).Mont. Code Ann. 30-14-1735

Sources

Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.

Unverified: The $3 fee in 30-14-1735 is likely displaced by the federal free-freeze requirement (15 U.S.C. 1681c-1(i), 2018); not analysed here. | 30-14-1729 has a contingent version (amended Ch. 447, L. 2021) whose triggering contingency was not checked.

Research reference, not legal advice.