After a debt judgment in Colorado: garnishment, bank levy, exemptions

What can be taken from your pay and bank account, and how to claim exempt money.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026.

Short answer

After a judgment, the creditor can ask the court to take part of your pay or freeze your bank account, but some money is exempt (protected by law). File a Claim of Exemption (Form 30) with the clerk of court within 14 days after you receive the notice.

How long it lasts
6 years
Interest after the judgment
See the rule
Exemption form
Official exemption form

Claiming what the law protects in Colorado

File a Claim of Exemption (Form 30) with the clerk of court within 14 days after you receive the notice. Right away, send a copy by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the bank (garnishee) and to the creditor's lawyer (or the creditor). The court will set a hearing within 14 days, and you must come and explain why the money is exempt.

Law: C.R.C.P. 103; Forms 26, 28, 29 and 30; C.R.S. §§ 13-54-102(1)(w), 13-54-104(2)(a)

Official exemption form

Count your deadline to claim an exemption

The date is counted in your browser.

Read the notice you got from the court, your bank or your employer.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

Exemption claim cover letter

The judgment's life in Colorado

Interest after the judgment

Interest runs from the date of the judgment until it is paid: at the rate in your written contract (for a variable rate, the rate in effect on the judgment date), or 8% a year compounded annually if no rate was agreed. Interest on medical debt cannot be more than 3% a year.

Law: C.R.S. § 5-12-102(4), (5)

How long it lasts

A county court judgment can be collected for 6 years from the date it was entered. A district court judgment can be collected for 20 years. After that it is treated as paid unless the creditor revives it before it runs out (Motion for Revival of Judgment, JDF 113). A judgment lien on real estate lasts 6 years unless revived.

Law: C.R.S. §§ 5-12-102(4), (5), 13-52-102(1), (2)

Judgment interest and how long a judgment lasts, by state

Your paycheck after a judgment in Colorado

No more than 20% of your disposable earnings a week, and none of the pay below 40 times the federal or Colorado minimum hourly wage. You can ask for a hearing to protect more of your pay if what is left is not enough for the actual living expenses of you and your family. The creditor uses a Writ of Continuing Garnishment (Form 26), which lasts up to 6 months. If you disagree with your employer's math, you must first try to work it out with your employer within 7 days, then you can file an Objection to Calculation of the Amount of Exempt Earnings (Form 28) and get a hearing.

Law: C.R.S. § 13-54-104(2)(a)

These garnishment limits are from our sister site, which checks them against official sources: Debt Collector Map: Colorado

For an ordinary debt, a creditor can take at most 25% of your take-home pay, or the part above 30 times the federal minimum wage if that is less. Many states protect more.

Law: 15 U.S.C. 1673(a)

Bank levies in Colorado

The creditor serves a Writ of Garnishment with Notice of Exemption and Pending Levy (Form 29) on your bank. The bank must hold the money in your account until the court orders otherwise. Up to $2,500 total in your bank accounts is exempt.

Law: C.R.S. § 13-54-102(1)(w)

Your bank must protect up to two months of Social Security, SSI, VA and some other federal benefits that were paid into your account by direct deposit. You don't have to ask.

Law: 31 CFR 212.5, 212.6

What to do now in Colorado

  1. Open every letter

    Deadlines to claim exemptions can be days, not weeks. Read each notice the day it comes.

  2. Find where your money comes from

    Proof of where the money came from, like award letters, wins exemption claims.

  3. Ask the court to protect your money

    How it works in Colorado: File a Claim of Exemption (Form 30) with the clerk of court within 14 days after you receive the notice.

  4. Show up at the hearing

    A judge decides disputed claims; bring every paper.

Free help in Colorado

Questions about collection after a judgment in Colorado

What is the judgment interest rate in Colorado?

Interest runs from the date of the judgment until it is paid: at the rate in your written contract (for a variable rate, the rate in effect on the judgment date), or 8% a year compounded annually if no rate was agreed. Interest on medical debt cannot be more than 3% a year.

How long does a judgment last in Colorado?

A county court judgment can be collected for 6 years from the date it was entered. A district court judgment can be collected for 20 years. After that it is treated as paid unless the creditor revives it before it runs out (Motion for Revival of Judgment, JDF 113). A judgment lien on real estate lasts 6 years unless revived.

Can my wages be garnished in Colorado?

No more than 20% of your disposable earnings a week, and none of the pay below 40 times the federal or Colorado minimum hourly wage. You can ask for a hearing to protect more of your pay if what is left is not enough for the actual living expenses of you and your family. The creditor uses a Writ of Continuing Garnishment (Form 26), which lasts up to 6 months. If you disagree with your employer's math, you must first try to work it out with your employer within 7 days, then you can file an Objection to Calculation of the Amount of Exempt Earnings (Form 28) and get a hearing.

Can a creditor take money from my bank account in Colorado?

The creditor serves a Writ of Garnishment with Notice of Exemption and Pending Levy (Form 29) on your bank. The bank must hold the money in your account until the court orders otherwise. Up to $2,500 total in your bank accounts is exempt.

How do I claim an exemption in Colorado?

File a Claim of Exemption (Form 30) with the clerk of court within 14 days after you receive the notice. Right away, send a copy by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the bank (garnishee) and to the creditor's lawyer (or the creditor). The court will set a hearing within 14 days, and you must come and explain why the money is exempt.

Related Colorado pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources