Wage Garnishment Laws by State | Know Your Legal Rights in 2025
Understand Your Rights. Protect Your Paycheck.
If your wages are being garnished—or you’ve received a notice—it’s critical to know your legal protections. Wage garnishment laws vary by state, and many people don’t realize they have the power to fight back. At National Client Shield, we break down what the law says, how to stop illegal garnishments, and what steps you can take today to defend your income.
Under the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA), federal law limits how much of your disposable income creditors can legally garnish. But your state may have stricter limits or additional protections—especially when it comes to payday loans, medical debt, or student loans.
Know When Garnishment Is Illegal
Wage garnishment can be challenged—or even reversed—when:
- The creditor skipped proper legal steps
- The debt is too old (past your state’s statute of limitations)
- There’s no signed agreement or valid judgment
- You work for a federal agency and were garnished without due process
(Read more at eCFR – 5 CFR Part 582)
Some garnishments—especially those from tribal or payday lenders—may also ignore state laws and operate illegally. Learn more about how administrative wage garnishment works from the U.S. Treasury.
Have a Wage Assignment? We’re Here to Help.
If a portion of your paycheck is being taken through a wage assignment, National Client Shield may be able to challenge it—legally and effectively.
Tap the button below to schedule your free consultation with a certified debt specialist and learn your options for stopping or reducing wage deductions.
Alabama
- Follows federal guidelines.
Creditors with judgments may garnish up to 25% of disposable wages.
Contact: Audits-Cashiering@labor.alabama.gov or call (334) 954-4723
Alaska
The first $402.50 of an employee’s weekly net wages are exempt from garnishment.
Creditors may garnish up to 25% of remaining wages.
Contact: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development at (907) 465-2700.
Arizona
Creditors may garnish the lesser of:
- 25% of nonexempt disposable earnings, or
- Any earnings exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage
Contact: Arizona Industrial Commission at (602) 542-4515 (Phoenix) or (520) 628-5459 (Tucson)
Arkansas
If exempted earnings are 30 times the minimum wage or less, creditors cannot garnish wages.
If earnings exceed 30 times the minimum wage, creditors may garnish:
The amount above minimum wage, or
25% of disposable earnings.
Child support garnishment may reach 50% of income.
Contact: Arkansas Department of Labor at (501) 682-4500.
California
Follows federal garnishment rules and exemptions.
Creditors may garnish up to 25% of an employee’s wages.
Contact: California Labor and Workforce Development Agency at (916) 263-1811.
Colorado
Creditors may garnish the greater of:
25% of disposable earnings, or
Earnings exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Example: If the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour, creditors may garnish any disposable income beyond $217.50 per week.
Contact: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment at (888) 390-7936.
Connecticut
Garnishments may be made on 25% of net earnings, or more if weekly disposable earnings exceed 40 times the hourly minimum wage.
Contact: Connecticut Department of Labor at (860) 263-6000.
Delaware
Garnishments can be made on 15% of disposable earnings or $127.50 of weekly income.
Personal bank accounts cannot be garnished.
Contact: Delaware Labor Department at (302) 451-3423.
District of Columbia
Wage garnishment in D.C. is limited by Statute 15 U.S.C. §1673 and D.C. Statute Section 16-572.
The maximum a creditor can garnish is 25% of exempt earnings or 30 times the federal minimum wage.
D.C. Government employees are exempt from wage garnishment.
Contact: District of Columbia Department of Employment Services at (202) 671-1900.
Florida
A creditor can garnish 25% of expendable income or the amount by which expendable income exceeds 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less.
Wages cannot be garnished for those earning 30 times less than the minimum wage.
If a debtor has no income, a creditor may claim $1,000 of the property value of their automobile.
Contact: Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation at (800) 342-3450.
Georgia
Follows federal garnishment rules and exemptions.
Wages can be garnished for the lesser of:
25% of exempt income, or
Earnings exceeding 30 times the minimum wage.
Expendable income below 30 times the minimum wage cannot be garnished.
Contact: Georgia Department of Labor at (404) 656-3011.
Guam
Wage garnishments are determined on a case-by-case basis under Guam Rules of Civil Procedure.
Contact: Guam Department of Labor at (671) 475-7043.
Hawaii
Wage garnishment follows a three-tier system:
5% of the first $100 of expendable earnings per month.
10% of the second $100 of expendable earnings per month.
20% of expendable earnings exceeding $200 per month.
Contact: Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations at (808) 586-8842.
Idaho
Follows federal garnishment rules.
Creditors may garnish 25% of attachable earnings, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Contact: Idaho Department of Labor at (208) 332-3579.
Illinois
Creditors may garnish the greater of:
- 15% of expendable, or
- Earnings exceeding 45times the federal hourly wage.
Contact: Illinois Department of Labor at (312) 793-2800
Indiana
The maximum garnishment allowed is the lesser of:
25% of expendable earnings, or
Earnings exceeding 30 times the minimum hourly wage.
Contact: Indiana Department of Labor at (317) 232-2655.
Iowa
Follows federal wage garnishment guidelines.
Creditors may garnish 25% of disposable wages, or earnings exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Contact: Iowa Workforce Development at (515) 242-5870.
Kansas
The maximum garnishment allowed is the lesser of:
25% of expendable earnings, or
Earnings exceeding 30 times the minimum hourly wage.
- Kansas law prohibits multiple garnishments on a debtor’s income within a 30-dday period
Kentucky
Follows federal wage garnishment standards.
Creditors may garnish 25% of disposable income, or 30 times the minimum hourly wage, whichever is less.
Contact: Kentucky Labor Cabinet at (502) 564-3070.
Louisiana
Creditors may garnish up to 25% of expendable earnings per week, but not less than 30 times the minimum hourly wage.
Contact: Louisiana Department of Labor at (225) 342-3111.
Maine
Wage garnishment is limited to 25% of expendable income or 40 times the minimum wage per week, whichever is smaller.
Contact: Maine Department of Labor at (207) 623-7900.
Maryland
Garnishment laws vary by county.
Creditors may garnish 75% of disposable income, up to $145 per week, with a total exemption of $3,000 in recovered funds.
Counties Caroline, Worcester, Kent, and Queen Anne follow federal guidelines, allowing garnishment of 25% of an employee’s wages.
Contact: Maryland Department of Labor and Industry at (410) 767-2357.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts has stricter wage garnishment laws than federal regulations.
Creditors may garnish 15% of gross wages (before taxes and deductions).
Contact: Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development at (617) 626-7100.
Michigan
Follows federal garnishment rules.
Garnishments may be 25% of expendable earnings, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal hourly minimum wage.
Contact: Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth at (517) 335-0400.
Minnesota
The maximum garnishment per pay period is the lesser of:
25% of attachable earnings, or
Earnings exceeding 40 times the minimum hourly wage.
Mississippi
Follows federal wage garnishment guidelines and exemptions.
Wages may be garnished at 25% of nonessential earnings weekly, or 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage, whichever is less.
Contact: Mississippi Department of Employment Security at (601) 321-6000.
Missouri
Garnishment laws differ from federal guidelines.
Creditors may garnish the lesser of:
25% of weekly disposable income, or
10% of weekly disposable income if the garnishee is the head of household with other obligations.
Contact: Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations at (573) 751-7500.
Montana
Follows federal wage garnishment procedures.
Creditors may garnish 25% of disposable wages or earnings exceeding 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
Child support, alimony, student loans, and tax debts may be garnished at any amount.
Contact: Montana Department of Labor and Industry at (406) 444-9091.
Nebraska
Garnishment laws are stricter than federal guidelines.
Creditors may garnish the greater of:
75% of expendable earnings,
85% if head of household, or
30 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
Contact: Nebraska Department of Labor at (402) 471-9000.
Nevada
Follows federal wage garnishment standards.
Wages may be garnished up to 25% of expendable earnings per week, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage, whichever is less.
Support orders may be garnished at different rates.
Contact: Nevada Department of Business and Industry at (702) 486-2650.
New Hampshire
Garnishment laws are less strict than federal guidelines.
Creditors may garnish wages up to 50 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
Future wages are exempt from garnishment, and litigants cannot request ongoing orders.
Contact: New Hampshire Department of Labor at (603) 271-3176.
New Jersey
Garnishment laws exceed federal limits.
Creditors may garnish the lesser of:
10% of gross wages, or
25% of disposable earnings.
Wages cannot be garnished for employees earning $154.50 or less per week.
Contact: New Jersey Department of Labor at (609) 777-3200.
New Mexico
Creditors may request a continuing wage garnishment order, meaning wages will be automatically garnished if the employee changes jobs.
Garnishment may be up to 25% of expendable earnings per paycheck until the judgment is paid in full.
Child support garnishments may reach 50% of expendable wages, canceling out subsequent garnishments.
Contact: New Mexico Department of Labor at (505) 841-8450.
New York
Maximum wage garnishment is 10% of gross income.
If an employee is already garnished for alimony or child support, the combined garnishments cannot exceed 25% of expendable earnings.
Contact: New York Department of Labor at (518) 457-5519.
North Carolina
Creditors cannot garnish wages for consumer debts.
Garnishment is only permitted for:
Taxes,
Ambulance fees, and
Child support payments in arrears.
Contact: North Carolina Department of Labor at (919) 733-7166.
North Dakota
Garnishment laws are less punitive than federal guidelines.
Creditors may garnish 25% of expendable earnings, or any amount exceeding 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
Garnishment amount is reduced weekly by $20 for each dependent family member residing with the debtor.
Contact: North Dakota Department of Labor at (701) 328-2660.
Ohio
Follows federal garnishment rules and exemptions.
Creditors may garnish 25% of disposable earnings, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Contact: Ohio Department of Commerce at (614) 644-2239.
Oklahoma
Follows federal wage garnishment regulations and exemptions.
Creditors may garnish 25% of non-essential income, or any amount exceeding 30 times the minimum wage.
Contact: Oklahoma Department of Labor at (405) 528-1500.
Oregon
Provides an exemption of 75% of expendable earnings, or any amount exceeding 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
Contact: Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries at (971) 673-0761.
Pennsylvania
Creditors cannot garnish wages for consumer debts.
Garnishment is only permitted for:
Taxes in arrears,
Child support and alimony payments, and
Unpaid student loans.
Contact: Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry at (717) 787-5279.
Puerto Rico
Follows federal wage garnishment guidelines.
Creditors may garnish 25% of disposable income, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Contact: Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources at (787) 754-2100.
Rhode Island
Adheres to federal wage garnishment rules and exemptions.
Creditors may garnish 25% of expendable earnings, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
Contact: Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training at (401) 462-8000.
South Carolina
Creditors cannot garnish wages for consumer debts.
Garnishment is only permitted for:
Child support and alimony payments,
Taxes in arrears, and
Defaulted student loans.
Creditors may create liens against a debtor’s property.
Contact: South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulations at (803) 896-4300.
South Dakota
Garnishment laws are more lenient than federal guidelines.
Creditors may garnish 20% of expendable earnings, but only for a 60-day period.
Renewals must be applied for every two months.
Contact: South Dakota Department of Labor at (605) 773-3682.
Tennessee
Follows federal wage garnishment rules.
Creditors may garnish 25% of expendable income, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage.
A $2.50 per week exemption is allowed for each dependent child under age 16 in the debtor’s household.
Contact: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development at (615) 741-2257.
Texas
Wages cannot be garnished, except for child support payments.
Non-wage income may be garnished, except for Social Security benefits.
Contact: Texas Workforce Commission at (512) 475-2670.
Utah
Garnishment is set at a flat fee of $142.50 per week of expendable earnings.
Contact: Utah Labor Commission at (801) 530-6800.
Vermont
75% of wages are exempt from garnishment.
Creditors may garnish up to 25% of disposable wages.
Contact: Vermont Department of Labor at (802) 828-4000.
Virginia
Follows federal wage garnishment rules.
Creditors may garnish 25% of expendable earnings, or any amount exceeding 30 times the minimum hourly wage.
Contact: Virginia Department of Labor and Industry at (804) 371-2327.
Virgin Islands
Garnishments may be levied at 10% of gross wages.
Contact: Virgin Islands Department of Labor at (340) 776-3700.
Washington
Follows federal wage garnishment standards.
Creditors may garnish 25% of expendable earnings, or any amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Contact: Washington Department of Labor and Industries at (360) 902-4200.
West Virginia
Garnishment is limited to the lesser of:
20% of expendable income, or
30 times the minimum hourly wage.
Contact: West Virginia Division of Labor at (304) 558-7890.
Wisconsin
80% of net pay is exempt from garnishment.
Creditors may garnish up to 20% of disposable income for debt collection.
Contact: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development at (608) 266-6861.
Wyoming
25% of disposable income is subject to garnishment.
If a debtor is ordered to pay child support, 65% of disposable income is protected from garnishment.
Contact: Wyoming Department of Employment at (307) 777-7261.