Wage garnishment in Florida
On these earnings, Florida caps ordinary garnishment at $200 a week. Figures assume $1,000 gross and $800 disposable earnings in a week, for ordinary consumer debt.
| Limit | Weekly maximum |
|---|---|
| Federal (Title III)15 U.S.C. §1673 | $200 |
| FloridaFla. Stat. §222.11(2) | $200 |
| Florida, head of familyDifferent rule, must be claimed | None |
All disposable earnings of a head of family are exempt from garnishment for ordinary debt, at ANY income level, unless the debtor signed a written waiver meeting the statute's own form requirements. A debtor who is not a head of family gets no state enhancement and falls to the federal limit.
(2)(a) All of the disposable earnings of a head of family whose disposable earnings are less than or equal to $750 a week are exempt from attachment or garnishment. (b) Disposable earnings of a head of a family, which are greater than $750 a week, may not be attached or garnished unless such person has agreed otherwise in writing.
What this does not cover
- "Head of family" is any natural person providing more than one-half of the support for a child or other dependent (§222.11(1)(c)). It is not the same as the federal head-of-household filing status.
- The exemption must be CLAIMED — Florida provides a statutory affidavit at §222.11 and a claim form at §77.041. It is not applied automatically by the employer.
- A head of family earning more than $750 a week loses the exemption only by signing a waiver that is in the same language as the underlying contract, in a separate attached document, and in at least 14-point type. Where such a waiver exists, the federal CCPA limit applies instead of full exemption.
- The $750 figure is on DISPOSABLE earnings, not gross, and has been fixed since 1993. It is not indexed and Florida's state minimum wage is irrelevant to this section.
- Support and alimony proceed under Fla. Stat. ch. 61, outside §222.11 entirely.
- Exempt earnings deposited in a financial institution stay exempt for 6 months if they can be traced (§222.11(3)).
Florida's more protective limit applies only to a debtor who qualifies as the head of a family. The federal limit applies otherwise.
Source: The Florida Senate — 2026 Florida Statutes §222.11, read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Florida garnishment
Already set to Florida. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Florida’s and the federal one — and shows whichever binds. Disposable earnings are computed for you, so a voluntary deduction cannot quietly shrink the garnishment base.
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Florida garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Florida?
All disposable earnings of a head of family are exempt from garnishment for ordinary debt, at ANY income level, unless the debtor signed a written waiver meeting the statute's own form requirements. A debtor who is not a head of family gets no state enhancement and falls to the federal limit. On $1,000 gross and $800 disposable earnings a week, that works out to $200. Federal law alone would allow $200.
Do these limits cover child support or back taxes in Florida?
No. Every figure here is for ORDINARY consumer debt. Child support and alimony carry their own, much higher federal limits — 50% to 65% of disposable earnings depending on whether you support another family and how far in arrears you are. Tax levies and bankruptcy orders are separate again, and Florida carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Florida?
Florida's limit above does not apply. A defaulted federal student loan can be collected by administrative wage garnishment without a court judgment, "notwithstanding any provision of State law" (31 U.S.C. §3720D). The most it can take is 15% of disposable pay, and never so much that you keep less than 30 times the federal minimum wage — $217.50 a week (34 C.F.R. §34.19). On $800 of disposable earnings a week that is $120. Private student loans are different: they are ordinary consumer debt, need a court judgment first, and follow Florida's limit.
What counts as disposable earnings?
Under federal law it is gross pay minus deductions REQUIRED by law: income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and legally mandated retirement. A voluntary deduction does not reduce disposable earnings even though it reduces take-home pay — a 401(k), health premium, HSA or union dues do not shrink what can be garnished.
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