Wage Garnishment Limits in Wyoming

At a glance

Requirements one by one

Maximum that can be garnished

Under W.S. § 1-15-501, continuing-garnishment earnings include pay, bonuses, commissions, pension and retirement proceeds, and deferred compensation, but exclude per diem compensation. Disposable earnings are what remains after amounts required by law are withheld.

W.S. § 1-15-408(b) sets the smaller of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage. Section 1-15-511(a) repeats the formula for a continuing writ. For example, if the federal hourly minimum wage is $7.25 and weekly disposable earnings are $300, the 30-times floor is $217.50. Twenty-five percent is $75, while the amount above the floor is $82.50, so the maximum ordinary withholding is $75. The statute measures the wage at the time earnings are payable.

Wages after deposit

The exemption can follow pay into an account. W.S. § 1-15-408(a) protects otherwise exempt disposable earnings deposited within 20 calendar days before service of a bank-account garnishment, on the service day, or within 10 business days after it. If the creditor has already garnished earnings shown on a pay advice, the remaining proceeds from that pay advice deposited into an account are entirely exempt from execution under the same subsection.

Priority and support orders

W.S. § 1-15-504(a) allows only one continuing wage writ to be satisfied at a time, in order of service. The same creditor cannot serve a second continuing writ on the same garnishee for the same debtor within 90 days. A child-support income-withholding order takes priority; subsection (c) tolls an earlier continuing writ's effective period while that order runs.

Protection from discharge

W.S. § 1-15-509(a) prohibits discharge because a creditor subjected, or attempted to subject, unpaid earnings to a continuing garnishment. Subsection (b) permits a suit within 120 days for reinstatement and lost wages capped at 30 working days, plus costs and reasonable attorney fees. W.S. § 40-14-506 separately protects an employee from discharge over a consumer-credit judgment garnishment.

What trips people up

A continuing writ lasts only until the first event listed in W.S. § 1-15-502(b), including satisfaction of the judgment, termination of the employment relationship, dismissal of the writ, or 90 days after service. An unpaid creditor may need another writ; the service-order rule then matters.

Common questions

May a creditor serve my employer and bank at the same time? W.S. § 1-15-408(a) permits both writs together, but if the employer successfully garnishes a pay advice, the remaining pay from it deposited into the bank account is entirely exempt from execution.

Can a consumer-credit creditor garnish unpaid earnings before judgment? No. W.S. § 40-14-504 bars that for a debt arising from a consumer credit sale, lease, or loan. After judgment, § 40-14-505(b) supplies the wage cap.

Statutes and sources

• W.S. 1-15-501(iii)-(iv) — “(iii) "Disposable earnings" means that part of an individual's earnings remaining after the deduction of all amounts required by law to be withheld; (iv) "Earnings" means compensation paid or payable for personal services, including but not limited to wages, salary, commission, bonus, proceeds of any pension or retirement benefits or deferred compensation plan. "Earnings" does not include compensation paid as per diem;” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-408(a) — “A defendant's disposable earnings shall remain exempt to the extent provided in subsection (b) of this section if the earnings were deposited in the defendant's account with a financial institution within twenty (20) calendar days prior to service of a writ of garnishment against the defendant's account with the financial institution, on the day of service of the writ or within ten (10) business days after service of the writ.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-408(a) — “If more than one (1) writ is served, the writ first served shall have priority. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, an income withholding order for child support obtained pursuant to W.S. 20-6-201 through 20-6-222 shall have priority over any other garnishment.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-408 — “(b) The maximum portion of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual which are subject to garnishment is the lesser of: (i) Twenty-five percent (25%) of defendant's disposable earnings for that week; or (ii) The amount by which defendant's aggregate disposable earnings computed for that week exceeds thirty (30) times the federal minimum hourly wage prescribed by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, 29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1), in effect at the time the earnings are payable, or, in case of earnings for any pay period other than a week, any equivalent multiple thereof prescribed by the administrator of the Wyoming Uniform Consumer Credit Code in the manner provided by W.S. 40-14-505(b)(iii).” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-408(a) — “A judgment creditor may request that the court issue writs of garnishment to a defendant's employer and the defendant's financial institution at the same time; provided, however, that should the judgment creditor successfully garnish earnings as shown on a defendant's pay advice, then the remaining proceeds from such pay advice deposited into an account with a financial institution shall be entirely exempt from execution, notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 40-14-504 — “Prior to entry of judgment in an action against the debtor for debt arising from a consumer credit sale, a consumer lease, or a consumer loan, the creditor may not attach unpaid earnings of the debtor by garnishment or like proceedings.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title40.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-502(b) — “(b) Subject to the provisions of W.S. 1-15-504, garnishment pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be a lien and continuing levy against said earnings due until such time as the employment relationship is terminated, the underlying judgment is vacated, modified or satisfied in full, the writ is dismissed, or ninety (90) days have expired since service of the writ, whichever is sooner.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-504 — “(a) Only one (1) writ of continuing garnishment against earnings due the judgment debtor shall be satisfied at one (1) time. When more than one (1) writ of continuing garnishment has been issued against earnings due the same judgment debtor, they shall be satisfied in the order of service on the garnishee. When a writ of continuing garnishment is served upon a garnishee during the effective period of a prior writ of continuing garnishment, service of the subsequent writ shall be deemed effective from the time the liens of all prior writs have terminated. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a lien and continuing levy obtained pursuant to this article shall have priority over any subsequent garnishment lien or wage attachment. In any civil action, a judgment creditor shall serve no more than one (1) writ of continuing garnishment upon any one (1) garnishee for the same judgment debtor during any ninety (90) day period.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-504(b) — “(b) Where a continuing garnishment has been suspended for a specific period of time by agreement of the parties pursuant to W.S. 1-15-502(b), the suspended continuing garnishment shall have priority over any writ of garnishment or continuing garnishment served on the garnishee after the suspension has expired.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-504(c) — “(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an income withholding order for child support obtained pursuant to W.S. 20-6-201 through 20-6-222 shall have priority over any other continuing garnishment. If an income withholding order is served during the effective period of a writ of continuing garnishment, the effective period shall be tolled and all priorities preserved until the termination of the income withholding order.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-509 — “(a) No employer shall discharge an employee for the reason that a creditor of the employee has subjected or attempted to subject unpaid earnings of the employee to any continuing garnishment directed to the employer for the purpose of paying any judgment. (b) If an employer discharges an employee in violation of the provisions of this section, the employee may, within one hundred twenty (120) days, bring a civil action for the recovery of wages lost as a result of the violation and for an order requiring the reinstatement of the employee. Damages recoverable shall be lost wages not to exceed thirty (30) working days, costs and reasonable attorney fees.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 1-15-511 — “(a) The maximum portion of the aggregate disposable earnings of a judgment debtor which are subject to continuing garnishment under this article is the lesser of: (i) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the judgment debtor's disposable earnings for that week; or (ii) The amount by which the judgment debtor's aggregate disposable earnings computed for that week exceeds thirty (30) times the federal minimum hourly wage prescribed by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, 29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1), in effect at the time the earnings are payable, or, in case of earnings for any pay period other than a week, any equivalent multiple thereof prescribed by the administrator of the Wyoming Uniform Consumer Credit Code in the manner provided by W.S. 40-14-505(b)(iii).” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 40-14-505 — “(b) The maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek which is subjected to garnishment to enforce payment of a judgment arising from a consumer credit sale, consumer lease, or consumer loan may not exceed the lesser of: (i) Twenty-five percent (25%) of his disposable earnings for that week; or (ii) The amount by which his disposable earnings for that week exceed thirty (30) times the federal minimum hourly wage prescribed by section (6)(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, U.S.C. tit. 29, § 206(a)(1), in effect at the time the earnings are payable; (iii) In the case of earnings for a pay period other than a week, the administrator shall prescribe by rule a multiple of the federal minimum hourly wage equivalent in effect to that set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) of this section.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title40.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• W.S. 40-14-506 — “No employer shall discharge an employee for the reason that a creditor of the employee has subjected or attempted to subject unpaid earnings of the employee to garnishment or like proceedings directed to the employer for the purpose of paying a judgment arising from a consumer credit sale, consumer lease, or consumer loan.” https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title40.pdf (accessed 2026-10-07).
• 15 U.S.C. § 1673 — “Except as provided in subsection (b) and in section 1675 of this title, the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek which is subjected to garnishment may not exceed (1) 25 per centum of his disposable earnings for that week, or (2) the amount by which his disposable earnings for that week exceed thirty times the Federal minimum hourly wage prescribed by section 206(a)(1) of title 29 in effect at the time the earnings are payable, whichever is less.” https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2024-title15/USCODE-2024-title15-chap41-subchapII-sec1673 (accessed 2026-10-07).
• 29 U.S.C. § 206(a)(1)(C) — “(C) $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day;” https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2024-title29/USCODE-2024-title29-chap8-sec206 (accessed 2026-10-07).