The ordinary consumer-debt limit
Arizona generally protects all but the lesser of 10% of disposable earnings or the amount above 60 times the highest applicable hourly minimum wage.
A judgment comes first
A court clerk issues a writ of garnishment of earnings only when a party is a judgment creditor, subject to the statute’s separate municipal-court rule. That makes the case caption and court number on the papers important. A collection letter, a filed lawsuit, a judgment, and a writ of garnishment are different stages; one should not be treated as proof that the next has already occurred.
Source: A.R.S. §12-1598.02.
How the earnings limit works
The calculation starts with disposable earnings, not gross pay. Disposable earnings are the covered wages, salary, compensation, bonuses, commissions, pension or retirement payments, and deferred compensation remaining after amounts required by law are withheld. The statute then compares two limits and uses whichever is less. This page does not copy a minimum-wage amount because the statute directs the calculation to the highest federal, state, or local rate in effect when the earnings are payable.
First ceiling
10%
of disposable earnings
Second ceiling
60×
the highest applicable hourly minimum wage, subtracted from disposable earnings
A.R.S. §33-1131(B); verified 2026-08-27.
Earnings and bank funds are different
Arizona uses a separate earnings-garnishment article for wages and other covered earnings. Bank funds and other non-earnings property follow different procedures. The label on the writ and the type of property held by the garnishee determine which procedure applies. A wage-limit calculation should not be copied onto a bank-account or other non-earnings garnishment.
Separate categories use separate rules
Support orders, bankruptcy orders, and state or federal tax debts are subject to separate statutory treatment. The ordinary consumer-debt limit should not be applied to those categories without checking the controlling rule.
Read the papers in this order
- 1. Identify the court and judgment. Match the case number, parties, and court to the underlying judgment.
- 2. Identify the garnishment type. Confirm whether the writ concerns earnings or non-earnings property.
- 3. Read every stated response or hearing date. Use the current court form and the instructions served with the writ.
- 4. Compare the calculation with the current statute. Use the current minimum wage and the statutory “whichever is less” comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Can a debt collector garnish Arizona wages before getting a judgment?
A.R.S. §12-1598.02 says an earnings-garnishment writ issues only when a party is a judgment creditor, subject to the statute’s separate municipal-court rule. Collection contact by itself is not an earnings-garnishment writ.
How much of an Arizona paycheck can be garnished for ordinary consumer debt?
Under A.R.S. §33-1131(B), the maximum is the lesser of 10% of disposable earnings or the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 60 times the highest applicable hourly minimum wage.
Are bank-account garnishments calculated the same way?
No. A.R.S. §12-1598.01 separates covered earnings from money or property held by a garnishee. Non-earnings garnishments use different procedures and exemptions.
Do support, tax, and bankruptcy orders use the same limit?
Support orders, bankruptcy orders, and state or federal tax debts are subject to separate statutory treatment. The ordinary consumer-debt limit should not be applied to those categories without checking the controlling rule.