Wage Garnishment in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania: Broad Ban with a Landlord-Tenant Exception

Pennsylvania is one of only four states with a near-complete ban on wage garnishment for consumer debts under 42 Pa. C.S. § 8127. However, unlike the other three ban states, Pennsylvania carves out a notable exception: wages can be garnished for landlord-tenant debts, including unpaid rent and property damage judgments.

The Landlord-Tenant Loophole

This exception makes Pennsylvania unique among the ban states. A landlord who obtains a judgment for unpaid rent can garnish a tenant’s wages, subject to the federal baseline CCPA limits (25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30× the federal minimum wage). For other consumer debts — credit cards, medical bills, personal loans — wages remain fully protected.

Comparison to Neighbors

Pennsylvania’s protections stand in sharp contrast to Ohio and West Virginia, which follow the federal baseline (though West Virginia caps at 20% rather than 25%). New Jersey offers a 10% cap for workers under 250% of the poverty level, and New York caps at 10% of gross wages. Even with the landlord-tenant exception, Pennsylvania workers enjoy substantially stronger protection than most of their neighbors.

What Is Still Subject to Garnishment

Beyond landlord-tenant judgments, Pennsylvania allows garnishment for child support, alimony, federal student loans, taxes, and criminal restitution — consistent with the exceptions in other ban states.

Statute: 42 Pa. C.S. § 8127 — Official source

This calculator is for consumer debt garnishment only. Not legal advice. Rules vary by debt type (student loans, child support, taxes). Verify with official sources before making any financial or legal decisions.