Verified
Wage garnishment limits by state
How much of a paycheck an ordinary creditor can take in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Every figure below is computed by the same engine as the calculator from each state’s statute.
Three kinds of state law
The most protective floors among verified states: Arizona ($909), California ($811.20), Massachusetts ($750), District of Columbia ($736), Connecticut ($677.60) of weekly disposable pay before anything can be taken.
Every state at a glance
| State | Rule | Floor / week | Max share | On $700/week | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Ala. Code § 5-19-15 |
| Alaska | Protects more than federal law | $473 | 25% | $175 | Alaska Stat. § 09.38.030 |
| Arizona | Protects more than federal law | $909 | 10% | $0 | A.R.S. § 33-1131 |
| Arkansas | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Ark. Code § 16-66-208 |
| California | Protects more than federal law | $811.20 | 20% | $0 | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 706.050 |
| Colorado | Protects more than federal law | $606.40 | 20% | $93.60 | C.R.S. § 13-54-104 |
| Connecticut | Protects more than federal law | $677.60 | 25% | $22.40 | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-361a |
| Delaware | Protects more than federal law | $217.50 | 15% | $105 | 10 Del. C. § 4913 |
| District of Columbia | Protects more than federal law | $736 | 24.8% | $0 | D.C. Code § 16-572 |
| Florida | Protects more than federal law | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Fla. Stat. § 222.11 |
| Georgia | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | O.C.G.A. § 18-4-20 |
| Hawaii | Protects more than federal law | $217.50 | 20% | $134.23 | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1 |
| Idaho | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Idaho Code § 11-207 |
| Illinois | Protects more than federal law | $675 | 15% | $25 | 735 ILCS 5/12-803 |
| Indiana | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Ind. Code § 24-4.5-5-105 |
| Iowa | Protects more than federal law | $290 | 25% | $175 | Iowa Code § 537.5105 |
| Kansas | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | K.S.A. 60-2310 |
| Kentucky | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | KRS 427.010 |
| Louisiana | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | La. R.S. 13:3881 |
| Maine | Protects more than federal law | $604 | 25% | $96 | 14 M.R.S. § 3126-A |
| Maryland | Protects more than federal law | $450 | 25% | $175 | Md. Code, Com. Law § 15-601.1 |
| Massachusetts | Protects more than federal law | $750 | 15% | $0 | M.G.L. c. 246, § 28 |
| Michigan | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | MCL 600.4012 |
| Minnesota | Protects more than federal law | $456.40 | 25% | $105 | Minn. Stat. § 571.922 |
| Mississippi | Federal ceiling shown (re-check pending) | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Miss. Code Ann. § 85-3-4 |
| Missouri | Protects more than federal law | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | RSMo § 525.030 |
| Montana | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Mont. Code Ann. § 25-13-614 |
| Nebraska | Protects more than federal law | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1558 |
| Nevada | Protects more than federal law | $362.50 | 25% | $126 | NRS 31.295 and 31.2955 |
| New Hampshire | Protects more than federal law | $362.50 | 25% | $175 | N.H. RSA 512:21 |
| New Jersey | Protects more than federal law | $217.50 | 10% | $70 | N.J.S.A. 2A:17-56 |
| New Mexico | Protects more than federal law | $480 | 25% | $175 | NMSA 1978, § 35-12-7 |
| New York | Protects more than federal law | $480 | 10% | $70 | N.Y. CPLR § 5231 |
| North Carolina | Bars most wage garnishment | — | 0% | $0 | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-362 |
| North Dakota | Protects more than federal law | $290 | 25% | $175 | N.D.C.C. § 32-09.1-03 |
| Ohio | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.66(A)(13) |
| Oklahoma | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Okla. Stat. tit. 31, §§ 1(A)(18), 1.1 and tit. 12, § 1173.4 |
| Oregon | Protects more than federal law | $400 | 25% | $175 | ORS 18.385 |
| Pennsylvania | Bars most wage garnishment | — | 0% | $0 | 42 Pa.C.S. § 8127 |
| Rhode Island | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-26-4 |
| South Carolina | Bars most wage garnishment | — | 0% | $0 | S.C. Code §§ 15-39-410 and 37-5-104 |
| South Dakota | Protects more than federal law | $474 | 20% | $140 | SDCL 21-18-51 and 15-20-12 |
| Tennessee | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-2-106 |
| Texas | Bars most wage garnishment | — | 0% | $0 | Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28 and Tex. Prop. Code § 42.001(b)(1) |
| Utah | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Utah Code § 70C-7-103 |
| Vermont | Protects more than federal law | $290 | 15% | $105 | 12 V.S.A. § 3170 |
| Virginia | Protects more than federal law | $510.80 | 25% | $175 | Va. Code § 34-29 |
| Washington | Protects more than federal law | $599.55 | 20% | $100.45 | RCW 6.27.150 |
| West Virginia | Protects more than federal law | $362.50 | 20% | $140 | W. Va. Code § 38-5A-3 |
| Wisconsin | Protects more than federal law | $217.50 | 20% | $140 | Wis. Stat. §§ 812.34, 812.35, 812.38, 812.39 |
| Wyoming | Uses the federal limit | $217.50 | 25% | $175 | Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-15-511 and 1-15-408 |
Reading the table
A floor tied to a minimum wage moves when that wage changes. California’s floor rises from $811.20 to $835.20 on January 1, 2027; Washington’s from $599.55 to $620.55; Minnesota’s from $456.40 to $474.80; Virginia’s from $510.80 to $550. Oregon’s statutory floor of $400 a week runs through June 30, 2027. Where a 2027 rate had not been published when we verified, the calculator asks for the official figure rather than guessing.
Several states change the answer for particular households — a head of family in Florida, Missouri or Nebraska, dependents in North Dakota and South Dakota, household income in Wisconsin, recent public assistance in Rhode Island and Vermont. The state pages ask for those facts; the table shows the default case.
The “On $700/week” column holds the paycheck constant so the states can be compared directly: the same $700 of weekly disposable pay ranges from $0 to $175 depending on where it is garnished.