Wage garnishment in Oregon
On these earnings, Oregon 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 |
| OregonORS 18.385(1), (2)(a) | $200 |
The lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the excess over a flat $400 a week. Oregon's floor is a dollar figure written into the statute, not a multiple of any minimum wage.
75 percent of the disposable earnings of an individual are exempt from execution... the disposable earnings of an individual are exempt from execution to the extent that payment under a garnishment would result in net disposable earnings for an individual of less than the following amounts: (a) For any period of one week or less... (D) For wages payable on or after July 1, 2026, and before July 1, 2027, $400.
What this does not cover
- The widely republished $254 a week expired 2024-12-31 and has stepped twice since; it survives only as the SUPPORT-order floor.
- From 2027-07-01 the floor converts to 30x the Oregon minimum wage under ORS 653.025(1) and is recalculated annually by the State Court Administrator — re-read this entry then.
Source: Oregon State Legislature — ORS chapter 18, Wage exemption, read 2026-08-22.
Work out your own Oregon garnishment
Already set to Oregon. Enter your pay and this applies both limits — Oregon’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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Oregon garnishment: common questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Oregon?
The lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the excess over a flat $400 a week. Oregon's floor is a dollar figure written into the statute, not a multiple of any 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 Oregon?
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 Oregon carves out further exceptions listed above.
How much can be garnished for a federal student loan in Oregon?
Oregon'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 Oregon'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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