Money & Debt · Wage Garnishment
Wage Garnishment Laws in Kentucky
How much of your paycheck a creditor can take in Kentucky, the pay that is fully protected, and what to do right now if a garnishment has started, cited to the statute.
Want your own number? Run your paycheck through the Kentucky wage garnishment calculator →
The limit and what is protected in Kentucky
How much a creditor can take, the pay that is exempt, and where it comes from in the code.
| Most a creditor can take | 25% of disposable earnings |
| How the limit works | The federal ceiling: 25% of disposable pay, or 30× the minimum wage protected |
| Fully protected pay | Weekly disposable pay up to $217.50 (30 times the $7.25 federal minimum wage) is fully protected. A creditor can reach only the lesser of 25% of your disposable pay or the amount above $217.50 a week. |
| Other exemptions |
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| Federal backstop | The federal 25% / 30× minimum-wage floor also applies; a creditor can never take more than federal law allows. |
| Statute | KRS 427.010; definitions at KRS 427.005 |
Kentucky follows the federal ceiling for ordinary consumer debt: the lesser of 25% of disposable pay or the amount above $217.50 a week. The wage-garnishment limit sits in KRS 427.010, with the definitions of "earnings" and "disposable earnings" in KRS 427.005 and the garnishment procedure in KRS 425.501 through 425.506. Kentucky does not add a head-of-household exemption that lowers the percentage for ordinary debts. Support orders and tax debts are the main exceptions and can reach a larger share of your pay.
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if your wages are being garnished in Kentucky. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Confirm the protected floor first
Under KRS 427.010 the first $217.50 of your weekly disposable pay cannot be touched, and a creditor can take only the lesser of 25% of disposable pay or the amount above that floor. If your take-home is at or below $217.50 a week, none of it should be garnished.
- Check the debt type
The 25% cap is for ordinary judgments like credit cards, medical bills, and contracts. Support orders and tax debts follow different, often higher limits, so identify the debt behind the garnishment before assuming the cap applies.
- File a claim of exemption if funds are protected
If your earnings or other funds are exempt, you can claim that exemption with the court, usually within a short deadline printed on the garnishment paperwork. The circuit or district court clerk can point you to the right form.
- Get free Kentucky legal help
Kentucky Legal Aid can help you check the math, confirm the floor, and file a claim of exemption. This is legal information, not legal advice, so confirm your own situation with a lawyer.
You do not have to face a garnishment alone. This resource can help you check whether an exemption applies and how to file the paperwork.
→ Kentucky Legal Aid (free civil legal help)This is general legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines to claim an exemption are short and vary by court, so act quickly and confirm the specifics for your case.
What Kentucky workers get wrong
Kentucky follows the federal garnishment ceiling, so on an ordinary consumer judgment a creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your disposable pay or the amount by which your weekly disposable pay exceeds $217.50. That $217.50 is 30 times the $7.25 federal minimum wage, and it is always protected. The rule can be a little hard to find in the code because it is spread across a few sections. The limit itself is in KRS 427.010, the definitions of "earnings" and "disposable earnings" are in KRS 427.005, and the mechanics of getting and answering a garnishment are in KRS 425.501 through 425.506. Kentucky does not add a head-of-household exemption to shrink the percentage for ordinary debts, so 25% is the answer on the number for a credit-card or medical judgment. The bigger share only comes into play for support orders and tax debts, which are carved out of the consumer cap.
Common questions
How much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish in Kentucky?
For an ordinary consumer judgment, KRS 427.010 lets a creditor take the lesser of 25% of your disposable pay or the amount by which your weekly disposable pay exceeds $217.50. Disposable pay, defined in KRS 427.005, is what is left after deductions required by law. Kentucky does not add a head-of-household exemption to lower that percentage.
What is the $217.50 protected amount in Kentucky?
It is a floor of pay a creditor cannot touch. Kentucky uses the federal formula: 30 times the $7.25 federal minimum wage equals $217.50 a week. A creditor can reach only the portion of your weekly disposable pay above that figure, and never more than 25%, whichever leaves you more.
Which Kentucky statute sets the wage garnishment limit?
The limit is in KRS 427.010, which caps garnishment of disposable earnings at the federal level. The terms it uses are defined in KRS 427.005, and the garnishment process, including priority among orders, is set out in KRS 425.501 through 425.506.
Does Kentucky have a head-of-household exemption for wage garnishment?
No. Unlike some states, Kentucky does not give heads of household a larger wage exemption for ordinary consumer judgments. Everyone is under the same federal ceiling: the lesser of 25% of disposable pay or the amount above $217.50 a week.
What debts can take more than 25% of my pay in Kentucky?
Court orders for the support of any person and state or federal tax debts are excepted from the 25% cap and can reach a larger share. Defaulted federal student loans also follow their own federal rule. The 25% ceiling applies to ordinary consumer judgments.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.