Money & Debt · Wage Garnishment
Wage Garnishment Laws in Utah
How much of your paycheck a creditor can take in Utah, 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 Utah wage garnishment calculator →
The limit and what is protected in Utah
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 | Utah Code §70C-7-103 |
Utah Code §70C-7-103 sits in the Utah Consumer Credit Code and caps garnishment on a consumer credit judgment at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30 hours per week times the federal minimum wage, which is $217.50 at $7.25. A court may not make or enforce an order that violates this section. The mechanics of a writ of continuing garnishment are set by Utah Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 64D, which runs a wage garnishment for a set period after the writ is served.
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if your wages are being garnished in Utah. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Confirm the protected floor first
Under Utah Code §70C-7-103 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 for consumer debt.
- Check whether the debt is an education loan
If the judgment relates to an education loan, the cap is 15% of disposable earnings, not 25%. Confirm the type of debt behind the garnishment, because the lower cap can meaningfully change how much comes out of each paycheck.
- Use the Rule 64D reply and exemption process
A Utah writ of continuing garnishment comes with a reply and a way to object. If your earnings are exempt or the amount is wrong, file your reply and any claim of exemption with the court by the deadline on the papers. Keep copies of everything you file.
- Get free Utah legal help
Utah Legal Services and the Utah Courts self-help resources can walk you through the garnishment reply and exemption forms and the deadlines. 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.
→ Utah Legal Services (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 Utah workers get wrong
Utah keeps to the federal garnishment ceiling for consumer debt, so on a judgment from a consumer credit agreement 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 hours a week times the $7.25 federal minimum wage, and Utah has no higher state minimum wage to raise it. The rule lives in Utah Code §70C-7-103, part of the Utah Consumer Credit Code, and the statute flatly bars a court from making or enforcing an order that exceeds the limit. One meaningful exception is worth checking: if the judgment relates to an education loan, the cap falls to 15% of disposable earnings. The nuts and bolts of a Utah wage garnishment, including the writ of continuing garnishment and your chance to reply, are governed by Rule 64D of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure.
Common questions
How much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish in Utah?
For a consumer credit judgment, Utah Code §70C-7-103 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 is what is left after legally required deductions. If the judgment relates to an education loan, the cap drops to 15%.
What is the $217.50 protected amount in Utah?
It is a floor of weekly pay that cannot be garnished at all. Utah uses the federal formula: 30 hours a week times the $7.25 federal minimum wage equals $217.50. A creditor can reach only the portion of your weekly disposable pay above that figure, and never more than 25% for ordinary consumer debt.
Is the garnishment cap lower for student loans in Utah?
Yes. Utah Code §70C-7-103 limits garnishment to 15% of disposable earnings when the judgment relates to an education loan, instead of the usual 25%. Confirm the origin of the debt, because the lower cap can significantly reduce what a creditor takes from each paycheck.
How do I object to a wage garnishment in Utah?
Utah garnishments run under Rule 64D of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure. The writ of continuing garnishment comes with a reply and a way to claim exemptions. If your earnings are protected or the amount is wrong, file your reply and any claim of exemption with the court by the deadline printed on the paperwork.
What debts can still reach my paycheck in Utah despite these limits?
The §70C-7-103 cap covers consumer credit judgments. It does not stop garnishment for child support or alimony, unpaid federal or state taxes, or defaulted federal student loans. Those follow their own federal rules and can take a share of your pay regardless of the 25% ceiling.
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.