Wage Garnishment Laws by State — All 52 U.S. Jurisdictions
Compare wage garnishment formulas, maximum percentages, weekly floors, and judgment lifespans across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Every jurisdiction’s primary statute, distinctive features, and creditor strategy in one place.
Watch Overview
52
U.S. jurisdictions covered
4
States prohibit consumer garnishment
25%
Federal CCPA maximum
$702
Highest weekly floor (DC)
How Wage Garnishment Varies Across the United States
Wage garnishment in the United States is governed by a patchwork of federal and state laws. The federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. §1673) establishes a national ceiling: the greater of 25% of disposable earnings or amounts above 30 times the federal minimum wage may be garnished — but states are free to be more debtor-favorable, and most are.
Four U.S. states (Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina) plus Puerto Rico prohibit wage garnishment for consumer debt entirely. About a dozen states impose lower percentage caps than the federal 25% — ranging from 10% (New Jersey for low-income debtors) to 20% (Wisconsin, West Virginia, South Dakota, Colorado, Washington). Other states use higher weekly floors based on state minimum wage multipliers (40×, 45×, or even 50×) rather than the federal 30×, producing substantially higher protected amounts in high-minimum-wage states.
This index links to every U.S. jurisdiction’s complete wage garnishment guide, organized by region. Each state-specific page covers the primary statute, garnishment formula, weekly floor, judgment lifespan, recent legislative changes, procedural mechanics, employer obligations, exemption claim processes, support order priority, and creditor strategy.
⚖ Why Jurisdiction Matters for Creditors
Two debtors earning the same $1,200/week disposable income can produce dramatically different garnishment outcomes based on where they work. In Texas or Pennsylvania: $0 garnishable for consumer debt. In Massachusetts (15% / 50× state min): roughly $67.50/week. In federal CCPA states (25% / 30× federal min): the full $300/week (25%). In DC (25% / 40× DC min of $17.50): approximately $497.60/week limited by the floor analysis. Locating the employer’s actual jurisdiction is the threshold question for every wage garnishment effort.
Wage Garnishment Laws by Region
Click any jurisdiction below for the complete creditor’s guide, including statutory framework, garnishment formula, exemption procedures, employer obligations, and recent legislative changes.
West
20% / 40% × 48× state minwage formula (CCP §706.050)
ORS §18.385 — 25% federal CCPA OR 75% protected (lesser garnishment)
RCW §6.27.150 — 20% / 35× state minimum wage
NRS §31.295 — 25% / 50× federal minimum wage
A.R.S. §33-1131 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage (10% on showing)
NMSA §35-12-7 — 25% / 40× federal minimum wage
Utah Code §70C-7-103 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Idaho Code §11-207 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Mont. Code §25-13-614 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Wyo. Stat. §1-15-509 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
C.R.S. §13-54-104 — 20% / 40× state minimum wage
AS §09.38.030 — 25% / 1.25× federal poverty line
HRS §652-1 — 5% first $100 / 10% next $100 / 25% over $200
Midwest / Plains
Ohio Rev. Code §2716.02 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
MCL §600.4012 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Ind. Code §24-4.5-5-105 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
735 ILCS 5/12-803 — 15% gross / 45× state minimum wage
Wis. Stat. §812.34 — 20% / 30× federal minimum wage
Minn. Stat. §571.922 — 25% / 40× state or federal minimum wage (greater)
Iowa Code §642.21 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
K.S.A. §60-2310 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Mo. Rev. Stat. §525.030 — 25% federal CCPA (10% for head-of-family)
Neb. Rev. Stat. §25-1558 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage (15% head of family)
N.D. Cent. Code §32-09.1-03 — 25% / 40× federal minimum wage + dependents
S.D. Codified Laws §21-18-51 — 20% / 40× federal minimum wage
South / Southeast
Tex. Const. Art. XVI §28; Tex. Prop. Code §42.001 — PROHIBITED for consumer debt (constitutional bar
12 O.S. §1170.2 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Ark. Code §16-110-401 et seq. — 25% federal CCPA (with laborers/mechanics protection)
La. R.S. §13:3881 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Miss. Code §85-3-4 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
Ala. Code §6-10-7 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
O.C.G.A. §18-4-1 et seq. — 25% federal CCPA (15% for private student loans)
Fla. Stat. §222.11 — 25% federal CCPA standard (unless head-of-family)
Tenn. Code §26-2-106 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
KRS §427.010 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
S.C. Code §37-5-104 — PROHIBITED for consumer debt
N.C. Gen. Stat. §1-362 — PROHIBITED for consumer debt (state statute)
Va. Code §34-29 — 25% / 40× federal minimum wage
W. Va. Code §38-5A-3 — 20% / 50× federal minimum wage
Northeast / Mid-Atlantic
CPLR §5231 — 10% of GROSS wages (stricter than federal 25%)
N.J.S.A. §2A:17-50 to §2A:17-56 — 10% (consumer debt under $7,500 gross)
42 Pa.C.S. §8127 — PROHIBITED for consumer debt (state statute)
Conn. Gen. Stat. §52-361a — 25%
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 246 §28 — 15% (consumer debt)
R.I. Gen. Laws §9-26-4 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
12 V.S.A. §3170 — 15% (consumer debt) / 25% (other)
N.H. RSA 512 — Non-continuous — single pay period per writ
14 M.R.S. §3127-B — 25% / 40× state minimum wage
Md. Code, Com. Law §15-601.1 — 25% / 30× federal minimum wage
10 Del. C. §4913 — 15% (only for housing/medical/legal services)
D.C. Code §16-572 — 25% / 40× DC minimum wage
U.S. Territories
32 L.P.R.A. §1130 — PROHIBITED for consumer debt
How Garnishment Differs Across Jurisdictions: Worked Examples
Same debtor, same income, same judgment — different state results. Assume a debtor with $1,500/week gross wages, $1,200/week disposable earnings (after taxes and required deductions), and a $25,000 commercial judgment. The garnishable amount per week depends entirely on which state’s wage garnishment statute applies.
Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina: $0 — these states prohibit wage garnishment for consumer debt entirely. The creditor must pivot to bank attachment or property executions. The same applies in Puerto Rico for Commonwealth-jurisdiction wages.
Federal CCPA states (the majority): The lesser of 25% × $1,200 = $300, OR amounts above 30 × federal $7.25 = $217.50. Result: $300/week garnishable. At this rate, the $25,000 judgment recovers in approximately 84 weeks (about 19 months) before interest.
Massachusetts (15% / 50× state min): 15% × $1,200 = $180, OR amounts above 50 × $15 = $750. The 50× floor controls, giving $1,200 − $750 = $450 garnishable subject to the 15% cap = $180. Result: $180/week. Recovery time extends to 139 weeks (about 32 months).
Colorado (20% / 40× state min of $14.51): 20% × $1,200 = $240, OR amounts above 40 × $14.51 = $580.40. The 20% cap controls. Result: $240/week. Recovery extends to about 104 weeks.
DC (25% / 40× state min of $17.50): 25% × $1,200 = $300, OR amounts above 40 × $17.50 = $702.40. The floor calculation gives $1,200 − $702.40 = $497.60, but the 25% cap limits to $300. Result: $300/week. Same as federal CCPA states. For a lower-income debtor near the floor, DC produces dramatically more protection than federal-floor states.
Related Creditor Resources at People Locator Skip Tracing
Wage garnishment is one component of judgment enforcement strategy. Locating the debtor’s current employer is the gating step in every state with a wage garnishment remedy. Related resources at People Locator Skip Tracing include:
- Employer Locate — Skip Tracing for Wage Garnishment
- Judgment Collection Resources
- Asset Exemptions by State (All 52 Jurisdictions)
- Debt Collection Statute of Limitations
- Comprehensive Skip Tracing Services
Locate the Debtor’s Employer — Then Garnish
Wage garnishment only works when directed at the right payroll address. People Locator Skip Tracing has been finding current employer information for attorneys, process servers, and debt collectors since 2004. We work all 52 jurisdictions — from California’s 20% / 48× state minwage formula to Massachusetts’s 15% / 50× to Texas’s prohibition workarounds. Get the current employer; then file the writ that fits the state.
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📅 Last Updated: 2026 · 📜 Jurisdictions covered: All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
Legal Disclaimer. This page provides general educational information about wage garnishment laws across U.S. jurisdictions and does not constitute legal advice. Garnishment formulas, procedural rules, statute citations, and minimum-wage figures change frequently — verify current statutory text and consult licensed counsel in the relevant jurisdiction before initiating any enforcement action. This guide is intended for judgment creditors, debt collectors, attorneys, and enforcement professionals operating under DPPA, GLBA, and FCRA permissible-purpose frameworks. © 2026 People Locator Skip Tracing · Established 2004.
