Garnishment Calc
Protects more than federal law Verified

California Wage Garnishment Calculator

California takes the lesser of 20% of disposable earnings or 40% of what you earn above 48 times the minimum wage — $811.20 a week at $16.90, rising to $835.20 when the state rate becomes $17.40 on January 1, 2027.

Type of garnishment
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SB 1477’s two tests

the maximum amount of disposable earnings … that is subject to levy under an earnings withholding order shall not exceed the lesser of the following: (1) Twenty percent of the individual’s disposable earnings for that week. (2) Forty percent of the amount by which the individual’s disposable earnings for that week exceed 48 times the state minimum hourly wage …
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 706.050§1

One paycheck, before and after the 2027 minimum wage

An Oakland office worker paid every two weeks grosses $3,100.00; after $520.00 of withholding, $2,580.00 is disposable. California first protects 96 hours of minimum wage ($1,622.40 at $16.90) and lets the levying officer take 40% of what is left above it — $383.04 — because that is smaller than 20% of the check. When the state rate rises to $17.40 on January 1, 2027, the same paycheck yields $363.84.

Earnings withholding orders in practice

  1. If you work where a local minimum wage is higher than the state rate, the local rate is used for the 48-times floor. Enter it in the calculator.§1
  2. The statute sets its own pay-period multipliers: 96 hours of minimum wage for biweekly pay, 104 for semimonthly and 208 for monthly.§1
  3. Withholding starts on the 30th day after the order is served on your employer — the 45th day if you file a claim of exemption and the employer is notified by the 29th day.§2
  4. You can claim that more of your pay is necessary to support you or your family by filing a claim of exemption and financial statement with the levying officer; the creditor then has 10 days to oppose.§3
  5. This formula took effect September 1, 2023 (SB 1477); orders computed under the older 25% / 40-times rule should have been recalculated.§1
  1. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 706.050 (SB 1477 (Stats. 2022, ch. 849), operative September 1, 2023)
  2. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 706.022
  3. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 706.051, 706.105
  4. Minimum Wage FAQ
  5. News Release 2026-66: minimum wage set to increase to $17.40 on January 1, 2027
  6. 15 U.S.C. § 1673