Wage Garnishment in Utah

Utah: Federal Baseline with ‘F’ NCLC Grade

Utah follows the federal baseline CCPA limits under Utah Code Ann. § 70C-7-103, with no additional state-level wage garnishment protections. The NCLC gave Utah an ‘F’ grade in its 2024 “No Fresh Start” report, ranking it among the worst states in the nation for consumer protection against wage and asset seizure.

Decades Without Reform

The NCLC’s ‘F’ assessment highlighted that Utah has not meaningfully updated its debtor protections in decades. The state’s $7.25 minimum wage, federal-default garnishment formula, and limited asset exemptions reflect a legal framework that predates modern consumer credit markets. For Utah workers, the primary shield against wage garnishment is the 1968 federal CCPA — a law that has not had its protected floor updated since 2009.

Mountain West Comparison

Utah’s protections are among the weakest in the Mountain West. Colorado offers a 20% cap and 40× multiplier. Arizona provides 90% HOH protection and earned a ‘B’ from the NCLC. Nevada uses a 50× multiplier. Even Idaho and Wyoming — which also follow the federal baseline — do not carry the ‘F’ grade stigma that reflects Utah’s comprehensive weakness across both wage and asset protections.

The Practical Impact

For a Utah worker earning $700/week in disposable earnings:

• Maximum garnishment: $175/week (25%)
• Annual loss at maximum: $9,100

Compare to the same worker in Colorado: $140/week maximum (20% cap), a difference of $1,820/year. Or in Arizona as an HOH: $70/week maximum (10% cap), a difference of $5,460/year. For moderate-income Utah families, the lack of state-level garnishment protections has a real financial impact.

Asset Protections

Utah offers a $42,000 homestead exemption (increased from the prior $30,000), which provides reasonable home equity protection. However, the NCLC’s ‘F’ grade reflects that this is insufficient to offset the state’s weak wage and personal property protections. The report specifically noted Utah’s out-of-date exemption framework as an area needing reform.

Statute: Utah Code Ann. § 70C-7-103; 15 U.S.C. § 1673 — 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.