Money & Debt · Wage Garnishment
Wage Garnishment Laws in Maryland
How much of your paycheck a creditor can take in Maryland, the pay that is fully protected, and what to do right now if a garnishment has started, cited to the statute.
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The limit and what is protected in Maryland
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 higher protected floor) of disposable earnings |
| How the limit works | A larger protected amount than the federal floor |
| Fully protected pay | In most Maryland counties, the greater of $145 a week or 75% of your disposable wages is exempt, so a creditor can reach only the lesser of 25% of disposable pay or the amount above $145 a week. In Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester counties, the exempt amount is instead the greater of 75% of disposable wages or 30 times the federal minimum wage ($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 | Md. Code, Com. Law §15-601.1 |
Maryland uses a "greater of" exemption, so whichever calculation protects more of your pay controls, and the ceiling on what a creditor takes remains 25% of disposable wages. The statute names a $145-per-week floor for most counties, but a Maryland federal court in Marshall v. Safeway (2014) held that where the federal 30 times minimum wage floor is more protective than the state $145 figure, the federal floor applies because state law cannot go below it. The four Eastern Shore counties (Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, Worcester) already use the 30x federal minimum wage floor by statute. Support and tax garnishments follow their own separate rules.
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if your wages are being garnished in Maryland. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check which county rule applies to you
Under Md. Code, Com. Law §15-601.1, most Maryland counties protect the greater of $145 a week or 75% of disposable wages, while Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester protect the greater of 75% or 30 times the federal minimum wage ($217.50). Confirm your county so you use the right floor.
- Confirm the protected floor and the 25% ceiling
A creditor can never take more than 25% of your disposable pay, and only the amount above your county floor. If your weekly disposable pay is at or below that floor, none of it should be garnished. Because Maryland uses a "greater of" test, the more protective number wins.
- File a motion or claim of exemption fast
If the amount is wrong or your income is exempt, file a motion or claim of exemption with the court that issued the garnishment by the deadline on your papers. Protected income such as Social Security and public benefits can also be claimed if it is swept into a garnishment or bank levy.
- Get free Maryland legal help
Maryland Legal Aid and the Maryland Courts self-help center can point you to the exemption forms and the filing deadline. 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.
→ Maryland Legal Aid (statewide 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 Maryland workers get wrong
Maryland caps ordinary consumer garnishment at 25% of disposable pay, but the more important number is how much is fully protected, and that depends on where you live. Under Md. Code, Com. Law §15-601.1, most counties exempt the greater of $145 a week or 75% of your disposable wages, so a creditor reaches only the lesser of 25% or the amount above $145. Four Eastern Shore counties, Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester, use a different floor: the greater of 75% of disposable wages or 30 times the federal minimum wage, which is $217.50 a week. A Maryland federal court in Marshall v. Safeway (2014) added that where the $145 figure would protect less than the federal 30x floor, the federal floor applies statewide because state law cannot dip below it. Whichever calculation protects more money controls. Support and tax garnishments follow their own separate rules and can reach more of your pay.
Common questions
How much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish in Maryland?
For an ordinary consumer judgment, a creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your disposable pay or the amount above your county exemption floor. In most counties that floor is the greater of $145 a week or 75% of disposable wages; in Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester counties it is the greater of 75% or 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Why is Maryland garnishment different in some counties?
Md. Code, Com. Law §15-601.1 sets a separate exemption formula for four Eastern Shore counties. Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Worcester protect the greater of 75% of disposable wages or 30 times the federal minimum wage ($217.50 a week), while the rest of the state uses a $145-per-week floor compared against 75% of disposable wages.
What is the $145 protected amount in Maryland?
It is the weekly exemption floor for most Maryland counties. A creditor can reach only your disposable pay above $145 a week, and never more than 25% of disposable pay, whichever leaves you more. Because Maryland uses a "greater of" test, if 75% of your disposable wages protects more than the $145 figure, the 75% figure applies instead.
Did a court change how Maryland calculates the garnishment floor?
Yes. In Marshall v. Safeway (2014), a Maryland federal court held that where the state's $145-per-week floor would protect less than the federal floor of 30 times the minimum wage, the federal floor applies, because state law cannot be less protective than federal law. The four Eastern Shore counties already use the 30x federal floor by statute.
How do I stop or object to a wage garnishment in Maryland?
File a motion or claim of exemption with the court that issued the garnishment before the deadline on your papers. You can object if the wrong county floor or percentage was used, or claim exemptions for protected income such as Social Security or public benefits. Maryland Legal Aid can help you respond at no cost.
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.