Money & Debt · Wage Garnishment
Wage Garnishment Laws in Maine
How much of your paycheck a creditor can take in Maine, 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 Maine wage garnishment calculator →
The limit and what is protected in Maine
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%, with a high wage floor of disposable earnings |
| How the limit works | A larger protected amount than the federal floor |
| Fully protected pay | Weekly disposable pay up to 40 times the higher of the state or federal minimum wage is fully protected. With Maine’s 2026 state minimum wage of $15.10, that floor is about $604 a week, far above the $217.50 federal floor. A creditor can reach only the lesser of 25% of disposable pay or the amount above that floor. |
| 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 | 9-A M.R.S. §5-105 |
Maine is more protective than the federal rule in two ways at once. It keeps the 25% cap, but it raises the protected floor from 30 times the minimum wage to 40 times, and it measures that against the higher of the state or federal minimum wage. Because Maine’s state minimum wage ($15.10 in 2026) far exceeds the $7.25 federal rate, the practical floor is about $604 a week rather than $217.50. The state minimum wage adjusts each January for cost of living, so the protected floor rises over time. The garnishment rule sits in the Maine Consumer Credit Code at 9-A M.R.S. §5-105 and applies to judgments from consumer credit transactions.
Maine’s state minimum wage is indexed to inflation and rises most Januarys. Because the protected floor is 40 times that wage, the exempt amount climbs whenever the minimum wage does. It went to $15.10 on January 1, 2026, lifting the weekly floor to about $604.
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if your wages are being garnished in Maine. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check the high protected floor first
Under 9-A M.R.S. §5-105 the first 40 times the higher of the state or federal minimum wage is fully protected. At Maine’s 2026 rate of $15.10, that is about $604 a week. If your disposable pay is at or below that, none of it should be garnished.
- Do the 25% comparison
Above the floor, a creditor can take only the lesser of 25% of your disposable pay or the amount over the floor. Because Maine’s floor is so high, the "amount over the floor" is often the smaller figure, which means less comes out of your check than a flat 25% would suggest.
- Ask the court to weigh your household needs
A Maine court can consider the reasonable financial needs of you and your dependents when it sets the amount and timing of a garnishment. If the standard amount would leave you unable to cover essentials, raise that with the court.
- Get free Maine legal help
Pine Tree Legal Assistance offers free civil legal help, including debt and garnishment issues, across Maine. 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.
→ Pine Tree Legal Assistance (statewide free civil legal aid)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 Maine workers get wrong
Maine gives workers a stronger cushion than the federal rule, and the reason is the math on the protected floor. Like most states, Maine caps garnishment at 25% of your disposable pay. But instead of protecting 30 times the minimum wage, Maine protects 40 times it, and it uses the higher of the state or federal minimum wage. Maine’s state minimum wage is $15.10 in 2026, far above the $7.25 federal rate, so the fully protected floor works out to roughly $604 of weekly disposable pay. Below that, nothing can be garnished; above it, a creditor gets only the lesser of 25% or the amount over the floor, whichever leaves you more. For a lot of Maine workers that means little or nothing actually comes out. And because the state minimum wage is indexed to inflation and rises most Januarys, the protected floor grows over time. The rule lives in the Maine Consumer Credit Code at 9-A M.R.S. §5-105.
Common questions
How much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish in Maine?
At most 25% of your disposable pay, but only above a high protected floor. Under 9-A M.R.S. §5-105, a creditor can take the lesser of 25% of disposable pay or the amount by which your weekly disposable pay exceeds 40 times the higher of the state or federal minimum wage. At Maine’s 2026 rate of $15.10, that floor is about $604 a week.
Why is the protected amount in Maine so much higher than in other states?
Two reasons. Maine uses a 40-times multiplier instead of the federal 30-times one, and it applies that multiplier to the higher of the state or federal minimum wage. Since Maine’s state minimum wage ($15.10 in 2026) is more than double the $7.25 federal wage, the floor lands near $604 a week instead of the $217.50 federal figure.
Does the Maine garnishment floor go up over time?
Yes. Maine’s state minimum wage is indexed to inflation and generally rises each January. Because the protected floor is 40 times that wage, the exempt amount rises whenever the minimum wage does. The 2026 increase to $15.10 lifted the weekly floor to about $604.
Can a Maine court lower my garnishment if I cannot afford it?
It can consider your situation. Maine courts have authority over when and how a garnishment is made and may weigh the reasonable financial needs of you and your dependents when setting installment amounts. If the standard garnishment would leave you unable to meet basic expenses, bring that to the court’s attention.
What debts can still take more of my pay in Maine?
The 25% cap and the high floor cover ordinary consumer judgments. Child support and spousal support, unpaid taxes, and defaulted federal student loans follow their own federal rules and can reach a larger share of your paycheck regardless of the state garnishment floor.
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.