Wage garnishment in Nevada
On these earnings, Nevada 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 |
| NevadaNRS 21.090(1)(g) | $200 |
82% of disposable earnings is exempt where gross weekly pay was $770 or less, otherwise 75% -- so 18% or 25% may be taken -- but never below a floor of 50 times the federal minimum wage.
For any workweek, 82 percent of the disposable earnings of a judgment debtor during that week if the gross weekly salary or wage of the judgment debtor on the date the most recent writ of garnishment was issued was $770 or less, 75 percent of the disposable earnings of a judgment debtor during that week if the gross weekly salary or wage... exceeded $770, or 50 times the minimum hourly wage prescribed by section 206(a)(1) of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938... whichever is greater.
What this does not cover
- Does not apply to support orders, bankruptcy orders, or state or federal tax debts.
Nevada's threshold test uses GROSS weekly pay while the percentage applies to DISPOSABLE earnings. Its definition of "earnings" also keeps wage character after the money is deposited into a bank account.
Source: Nevada Revised Statutes §21.090, read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Nevada garnishment
Already set to Nevada. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Nevada’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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Nevada garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Nevada?
82% of disposable earnings is exempt where gross weekly pay was $770 or less, otherwise 75% -- so 18% or 25% may be taken -- but never below a floor of 50 times the federal minimum wage. 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 Nevada?
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 Nevada carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Nevada?
Nevada'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 Nevada's limit.
What counts as disposable earnings?
Nevada's threshold test uses GROSS weekly pay while the percentage applies to DISPOSABLE earnings. Its definition of "earnings" also keeps wage character after the money is deposited into a bank account. 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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