Money & Debt · Wage Garnishment
Wage Garnishment Laws in Wyoming
How much of your paycheck a creditor can take in Wyoming, 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 Wyoming
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, whichever leaves you more. |
| 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 | Wyo. Stat. §1-15-408 |
Wyoming follows the federal garnishment ceiling. Wyo. Stat. §1-15-408 caps garnishment of earnings for personal services at the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage, which is $217.50 at $7.25. Disposable earnings are what is left after amounts required by law to be withheld. Wyoming has no state minimum wage above the federal rate for this purpose, so the floor stays at $217.50. The parallel consumer credit provision at Wyo. Stat. §40-14-505 applies the same ceiling to consumer credit sales and loans.
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if your wages are being garnished in Wyoming. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Confirm the protected floor first
Under Wyo. Stat. §1-15-408 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 the math on the writ of continuing garnishment
A Wyoming wage garnishment runs as a writ of continuing garnishment for a set period after it is served. Compare the amount withheld against both the 25% cap and the $217.50 floor to make sure the creditor is not taking more than the statute allows.
- File an objection or claim of exemption on time
If the amount is wrong or your earnings are exempt, file your objection or claim of exemption with the court by the deadline printed on the garnishment papers. There is a short window, so act quickly and keep copies of everything you file.
- Get free Wyoming legal help
Legal Aid of Wyoming and the Wyoming Judicial Branch self-help pages can explain the garnishment forms and deadlines and screen you for free representation. 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.
→ Legal Aid of WyomingThis 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 Wyoming workers get wrong
Wyoming 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 Wyoming has no higher state minimum wage to raise it, so the floor stays at the federal figure. The rule lives in Wyo. Stat. §1-15-408, which governs garnishment of earnings for personal services and defines disposable earnings as what is left after amounts the law requires to be withheld. Wyoming also has a parallel consumer credit provision at Wyo. Stat. §40-14-505 that applies the same federal ceiling to consumer credit sales and loans. A Wyoming garnishment runs as a writ of continuing garnishment, and you can object or claim an exemption within a short deadline printed on the papers.
Common questions
How much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish in Wyoming?
For an ordinary consumer judgment, Wyo. Stat. §1-15-408 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 amounts required by law to be withheld. The first $217.50 of weekly take-home is always protected.
What is the $217.50 protected amount in Wyoming?
It is a floor of weekly pay that cannot be garnished at all. Wyoming 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.
Does Wyoming protect more than the federal rule?
No. Wyoming tracks the federal ceiling exactly for ordinary consumer debt, with a 25% cap and a $217.50 weekly floor. Some states cap garnishment lower or protect a bigger floor, but Wyoming applies the federal formula, and the federal 25% / 30-times floor backstops it.
How do I object to a wage garnishment in Wyoming?
A Wyoming garnishment runs as a writ of continuing garnishment. If the amount is wrong or your earnings are exempt, file your objection or claim of exemption with the court by the deadline printed on the papers. There is a short window, so act quickly and keep copies of everything you file.
What debts can still reach my paycheck in Wyoming despite these limits?
The §1-15-408 cap covers ordinary consumer judgments. It does not stop garnishment for child support or spousal support, 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.