Identity Theft Prevention Act: Credit Report Security Freeze and Identity Theft Victim Credit Protection
NJ Security Freeze Law
Credit reporting · Financial
Consumers can place, lift, or remove a security freeze on their credit reports at New Jersey consumer reporting agencies, which must act within set deadlines and, since December 2018, may not charge any fee. Agencies must confirm changes to key identifying data while a freeze is in place, and creditors may not deny or cut credit solely because someone was an identity theft victim.
- Where
- New Jersey
- Citation
- N.J.S.A. 56:11-44 to 56:11-52; P.L.2005, c.226, ss.1-9; P.L.2007, c.33; amended by P.L.2018, c.153
- Status
- In force
- In force since
- 2006-01-01
- Last amended
- 2018-12-17
- Enforced by
- Consumers through private suits (56:11-50); Commissioner of Banking and Insurance for creditor penalties (56:11-52)
- People can sue
- Yes
- Penalties
- Willful or negligent noncompliance by a consumer reporting agency makes it liable to the consumer under the New Jersey Fair Credit Reporting Act remedies (56:11-38, 56:11-39) (56:11-50). Creditors that deny or reduce credit solely because of identity theft face penalties of up to $5,000 per violation (56:11-52).
- Applies to
- Consumer reporting agencies holding reports on New Jersey consumers (56:11-46); resellers must honor freezes placed elsewhere (56:11-48)
- Creditors, for the ban on denying or reducing credit solely because a person was an identity theft victim (56:11-51)
What a privacy notice must say
- While a freeze is in place, send written confirmation within 30 days of any change to the consumer's name, date of birth, SSN, or address (to both addresses for an address change).N.J.S.A. 56:11-47
Rights it gives people
- Consumers may place a security freeze on their consumer report; the agency must place it within five business days of a written request and send confirmation with a PIN or password within five business days.N.J.S.A. 56:11-46(a)-(c)
Practices it requires
- No fee may be charged to place, temporarily lift, or remove a security freeze.N.J.S.A. 56:11-46(m)(1) · From 2018-12-17
- Creditors may not deny credit to, or reduce the credit limit of, a person solely because the person was an identity theft victim who presents a police report or identity theft affidavit.N.J.S.A. 56:11-51
Sources
- Official text
- P.L.2005, c.226, chapter law text (New Jersey Legislature)
- P.L.2018, c.153, chapter law text (New Jersey Legislature)
- N.J.S.A. 56:11-46, current text (NJ Legislature statutes database)
- Identity Theft Prevention Act courtesy copy (NJ Division of Consumer Affairs)
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.
Unverified: Federal law (15 U.S.C. 1681c-1(i), 2018) also governs free security freezes nationwide and may preempt parts of the state procedure; not analysed here. | The 56:11-51 and 56:11-52 creditor provisions took effect under P.L.2007, c.33; that chapter's effective date was not fetched.
Research reference, not legal advice.