50-State Surveys / Wage Garnishment Limits / Hawaii

Wage Garnishment Limits in Hawaii

Short answer Hawaii permits ordinary postjudgment wage garnishment at 5% of the first $100 of monthly wages after required deductions, 10% of the next $100, and 20% above $200, with a weekly equivalent. The employer must compare this with the federal cap and use the calculation that protects more wages. Child support withholding takes priority under a separate statute.
State
Hawaii
Statute checked
October 7, 2026
Sources
12 statutes
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At a glance

Governing lawHaw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1(a)(4), (b) sets the tiered postjudgment rate; § 576E-16(c) gives support priority; § 378-32(a)(1) bars specified retaliation.
Maximum that can be garnished5% of first $100 monthly wages after required deductions, 10% of next $100, 20% above $200, or weekly equivalent; compare with federal cap and use the more protective result (§ 652-1(a)(4), (b); 15 U.S.C. § 1673(a)).
State rule vs. federal floorHawaii’s tiered rate and federal 25%/30-times-minimum-wage cap both apply; the official court form directs the calculation more favorable to the employee (§ 652-1; 15 U.S.C. § 1673(a)).
Minimum-wage protected floorState formula uses $100/$200 monthly tiers, without a wage multiplier. Federal alternative protects earnings below 30 times the federal hourly minimum wage (§ 652-1(a)(4); 15 U.S.C. § 1673(a)).
Support, tax & student loan debtsSupport income withholding takes priority and is outside ordinary chapter 652 restrictions; federal support limits still apply (§ 576E-16(c); 15 U.S.C. § 1673(b)).
Head-of-household/family exemptionNo family-status add-on appears in § 652-1’s wage tiers; separate §§ 651-91 and 651-92 address a head-of-family real-property exemption.
Multiple garnishments at onceSupport withholding has express priority over other orders (§ 576E-16(c)); § 652-5 permits a judgment creditor to continue garnishment through a new employer at the original percentage.
Protection from being firedEmployer may not suspend, discharge, or discriminate solely because summoned as garnishee for the employee (§ 378-32(a)(1)).

Requirements one by one

Maximum garnishment amount

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1(a)(4) applies 5% to the first $100 of monthly wages after required deductions, 10% to the next $100, and 20% above $200. Subsection (b) carries that rate into postjudgment garnishment. On $300 in monthly wages after deductions, the state formula allows $35: $5 on the first tier, $10 on the second, and $20 on the third. The Judiciary's Garnishee Information form directs employers to compare the federal result under 15 U.S.C. § 1673(a) and use the one more favorable to the employee.

Priority debt exceptions

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 576E-16(c) gives support withholding priority over garnishment and exempts it from chapter 652's restrictions. It also refers to the federal support ceiling in 15 U.S.C. § 1673(b).

Multiple garnishments priority

Under § 652-5, if a debtor changes employers before a judgment is fully paid, the creditor may sequester wages from the new employer at the original percentage. Section 576E-16(c) expressly moves support withholding ahead of that ordinary process.

Employee termination protection

Section 378-32(a)(1) bars suspension, discharge, or discrimination solely because the employer was summoned as garnishee in the employee's debt case.

What trips people up

The first $200 of monthly wages is subject to the 5% and 10% tiers; it is not fully exempt. For low weekly pay, the federal 30-times-minimum-wage floor, using the rate in 29 U.S.C. § 206(a)(1)(C), may protect more. The two calculations must be compared for each paycheck.

Common questions

Does the state formula apply after a creditor wins a judgment? Yes. Section 652-1(b) expressly uses subsection (a)'s rate after judgment.

Does Hawaii give an extra wage exemption to a head of family? Section 652-1 sets the same wage tiers without a family-status adjustment. Sections 651-91 and 651-92 address real-property exemptions instead.

Statutes and sources

  • Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 651-91 and 651-92 — https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol13_Ch0601-0676/HRS0651/HRS_0651-0092.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Consumer Credit Protection Act § 303(b), codified at 15 U.S.C. § 1673(b) — https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-sec1673.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1 — https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol13_Ch0601-0676/HRS0652/HRS_0652-0001.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 378-32 — https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol07_Ch0346-0398/HRS0378/HRS_0378-0032.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 576E-16 — https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol12_Ch0501-0588/HRS0576E/HRS_0576E-0016.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-5 — https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol13_Ch0601-0676/HRS0652/HRS_0652-0005.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Hawaii District Court Form 3DC27 (Garnishee Information) — https://www.courts.state.hi.us/docs/form/hawaii/3DC27.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • 15 U.S.C. § 1673 — https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-sec1673.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • 15 U.S.C. § 1674 — https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title15/html/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-sec1674.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1(b) — https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol13_Ch0601-0676/HRS0652/HRS_0652-0001.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 651-91 — https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol13_Ch0601-0676/HRS0651/HRS_0651-0091.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
  • 29 U.S.C. § 206(a)(1)(C) — https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title29/html/USCODE-2024-title29-chap8-sec206.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)

Source links

Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.

Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 651-91 and 651-92 · accessed 2026-10-07
Consumer Credit Protection Act § 303(b), codified at 15 U.S.C. § 1673(b) · accessed 2026-10-07
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1 · accessed 2026-10-07
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 378-32 · accessed 2026-10-07
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 576E-16 · accessed 2026-10-07
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-5 · accessed 2026-10-07
Hawaii District Court Form 3DC27 (Garnishee Information) · accessed 2026-10-07
15 U.S.C. § 1673 · accessed 2026-10-07
15 U.S.C. § 1674 · accessed 2026-10-07
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1(b) · accessed 2026-10-07
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 651-91 · accessed 2026-10-07
29 U.S.C. § 206(a)(1)(C) · accessed 2026-10-07
This page is general legal information about how a state limits ordinary wage garnishment, not legal advice about your paycheck or your debt. Which cap applies, whether you qualify for a head-of-household or other exemption, and how multiple garnishments interact often depend on case-specific facts (your dependents, your pay structure, what other orders already exist) that this page cannot resolve for you. Verified against the official statute text on the date shown; confirm current law or consult a licensed attorney in the state before relying on it.

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