HR Fast Facts: Garnishment Administrative Fees by State

Many states permit an employer to withhold a fee to compensate for the administrative cost of processing a garnishment order, as long as it complies with the CCPA limit.

For more information on state specific rules, see below.

Federal: None. But the application of state or locally authorized administrative fees must not reduce a worker’s earnings below the minimum wage or overtime pay required by the FLSA.

Alabama: Up to $2 each month for support withholding, deducted from worker’s income.

Alaska: $5 for each support payment, deducted from the worker’s remaining wages.

Arkansas: Up to $ 2 .50 each pay period for support withholding, deducted from the worker’s remaining wages.

California: Employers may deduct $ 1 .50 for each support payment from the employee’s earnings.

Connecticut: Employers may deduct up to $5 each month for support withholding from the employee’s remaining wages.

Colorado: None identified.

Delaware: None identified.

Florida: Employers may deduct up to $5 for the first, and $2 for each later support payment from the employee’s remaining wages.

Georgia: Employers may deduct up to $25 for the first, and $3 for each later support payment from the employee’s remaining income.

Hawaii: Employers may deduct up to $25 for the first, and $3 for each later support payment from the employee’s remaining income.

Idaho: Employers may deduct up to $5 for each support payment from the employee’s remaining income.

Illinois: Employers may deduct:

• 2% of the amount garnished from the employee’s remaining wages.
• $12 for each wage assignment, credited against the employee’s outstanding debt.
• Up to $5 each month for support withholding from the employee’s remaining income.

Indiana: Employers may deduct:

• $2 for each support payment from the employee’s remaining disposable earnings, and
• $12 or 3% of the total deduction for a single debt. If 3%, the employer deducts half from the employee’s remaining income and half from the amount withheld for the creditor. Collection may be in lump sum or pro rata over all affected pay periods.

The same fee is available for state tax debt withholding, but is paid entirely by the employee.

Iowa: Up to $2 each month for support withholding.

Kansas: Up to $10 for each pay period or $20 for each 30-day period. If the fee causes the total withholding to exceed the statutory limit, the fee is instead deducted from the amount withheld.

Up to $5 for each pay period or $10 for each 30-day period for support withholding. If withholding is from a lump sum payment, the employer may charge an additional $10 fee.

Kentucky: $1 for each support withholding payment.

Maine: For wage garnishment, $3 for each pay period deducted from the employee’s remaining nonexempt income.

Maryland: For wage garnishments, $1 for each payment deducted from the amount withheld for the creditor. $2 for each support payment, deducted from the employee’s wages.

Massachusetts: $2 for each support payment, deducted from the worker’s remaining wages.

Michigan: Employers may deduct up to $1 each pay period for support withholding from the employee’s earnings.

Minnesota: Creditors must pay employers a $35 fee for each garnishment served.

For support orders, if the employer submits withholdings electronically, it may collect a fee of $1 for each payment, up to $2 each month, from the employee’s remaining wages. If withholdings are not submitted electronically, $2 for each payment, up to $4 each month.

Mississippi: Employers may deduct up to $1 for each support payment from the employee’s remaining wages.

Creditors must provide a $15 fee when serving summons and order of garnishment.

Missouri: $2 for each intrastate support payment, deducted from the employee’s remaining income (fees for interstate withholding are governed by the state where the employee works).

A monthly fee up to $15 on behalf of the state, deducted from the employee’s income.

Montana: Up to $20 for answering garnishment interrogatories, deducted from the employee’s other nonexempt wages. Employers may move for additional costs. For support orders, up to $6 each month, deducted from the employee’s other wages.

Nebraska: Up to $5 each month for support withholding.

Nevada: For support orders, up to $ 2 .50 each month (set by the court), deducted from the amount withheld.

New Hampshire: $3 for each support payment, deducted from an employee’s wages.

New Jersey: $1 for each medical support withholding, deducted from the employee’s remaining wages.

New Mexico: $1 for each support payment, deducted from the employee’s remaining wages.

For other garnishment orders, 5% deducted from each payment to a creditor.

New York: $1 for each support payment, deducted from the employee’s income.

The court awards employers their actual costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees for the employer’s response in garnishment proceedings.

North Carolina: None identified.

North Dakota: $1 or $2 (depending on the type of withholding) for each child support payment, deducted from the employee’s remaining income.

Ohio: $3 each month for child support withholdings, deducted from the employee’s income.

Creditors must include a $25 fee when serving a garnishment order.

Oklahoma: For support withholdings, $2 or 1% of the amount withheld (whichever is greater), deducted from the employee’s remaining wages.

For other orders, up to $3 each pay period, deducted from the employee’s remaining disposable earnings.

Oregon: Up to $5 each pay period, but not more than $10 each month, for support withholdings, deducted from the employee’s wages.

$10 for answering a garnishment summons, deducted from the employee’s wages.

Pennsylvania: A one-time fee of $50 for support withholding, deducted from the employee’s income.

Up to $5 for withholdings for residential lease debt, taken from the amount collected.

Rhode Island: $5 for each garnishment order, deducted from the employee’s wages.

$2 for each support withholding, deducted from the employee’s remaining wages.

South Carolina: $3 for each child support withholding, deducted from the employee’s remaining wages.

South Dakota: Up to $3 each month for support withholding, deducted from the employee’s remaining wages.

$15 from creditors for each garnishment order.

Tennessee: Up to 5% (presumably of the amount withheld) but not more than $5 each month for support withholding, deducted from the employee’s remaining wages.

Texas: Employers may deduct from the employee’s disposable earnings:

• Student loan debt withholding: the lesser of $10/ month or the actual administrative cost.
• Child support: up to $10/ month .
• Spousal support: up to $5/month.

Utah: For wage garnishment generally, $10 for each single garnishment and $25 for each continuing garnishment, as a one-time fee from creditors.

$25 one-time fee for support withholding, deducted (as a lump sum or incrementally) from the employee’s remaining income.

Vermont: Up to $5 each month for support withholding, deducted from employee’s wages.

Virginia: Up to $10 for each garnishment summons, deducted from employee’s remaining income.

Washington: Up to $20 for the first and $10 for the second answer to a continuing garnishment order from employee’s remaining earnings ($20 from creditors for each non-continuing order). Up to $10 for the first and $1 for each later support payment from employee’s remaining earnings (even if the remainder of earnings is exempt).

West Virginia: Up to $1 for each support withholding, deducted from the employee’s remaining income.

Wisconsin: Up to $3 for the actual cost of each support payment, deducted from the employee’s remaining income.

Wyoming: $5 for each support payment, deducted from the employee’s remaining income.