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

Garnishment, bank levies and exemptions, with the deadline to claim them.

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). Fill out the Claim of Exemption and Request for Hearing form that comes with the Notice to Defendant, have it notarized, and file it with the clerk within 20 days after you receive the notice.

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

Protecting exempt money in Florida

Fill out the Claim of Exemption and Request for Hearing form that comes with the Notice to Defendant, have it notarized, and file it with the clerk within 20 days after you receive the notice. Mail or deliver copies to the plaintiff and the bank or employer. If the plaintiff does not file a sworn objection within 8 business days (hand delivery) or 14 business days (mail), the writ is dissolved and your money is released; if it objects, a hearing is held as soon as possible.

Law: Fla. Stat. § 77.041

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

Interest and how long the judgment lasts in Florida

Interest after the judgment

The Chief Financial Officer sets the rate each quarter (average Federal Reserve discount rate for the past 12 months plus 4%). The rate in effect when the judgment is entered is adjusted every January 1. The rate effective October 1, 2026 is 7.87% a year. A written contract can set a different rate.

How long it lasts

A creditor can sue on a Florida judgment for up to 20 years. A recorded judgment is a lien on real property for 10 years and can be extended once for another 10 years by re-recording; no lien lasts more than 20 years from entry.

Law: Fla. Stat. §§ 55.03, 95.11(1), 55.10, 55.081

Judgment interest and how long a judgment lasts, by state

Bank levies in Florida

The creditor gets a writ of garnishment served on your bank, and must mail you the writ, the motion and a 'Notice to Defendant' within 5 business days after the writ is issued or 3 business days after it is served on the bank, whichever is later. A head of family's exempt wages stay protected in a bank account for 6 months after deposit if they can be traced as wages.

Law: Fla. Stat. § 222.11(3)

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

Your paycheck after a judgment in Florida

If you are a head of family (you provide more than half the support of a child or other dependent), all your disposable earnings up to $750 a week are protected, and more than that is protected too unless you agreed in a separate signed writing. Everyone else: the federal limit.

Law: Fla. Stat. § 222.11; 15 U.S.C. § 1673

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

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)

Steps to protect your money in Florida

  1. Read every notice

    Each notice may start a short deadline, so read it right away.

  2. Gather proof

    Benefit letters and bank statements show which money is exempt.

  3. File the claim on time

    Florida's rule: Fill out the Claim of Exemption and Request for Hearing form that comes with the Notice to Defendant, have it notarized, and file it with the clerk within 20 days after you receive the notice.

  4. Show up at the hearing

    A judge decides disputed claims; bring every paper.

Where to get free help in Florida

Questions about collection after a judgment in Florida

Does a judgment grow with interest in Florida?

The Chief Financial Officer sets the rate each quarter (average Federal Reserve discount rate for the past 12 months plus 4%). The rate in effect when the judgment is entered is adjusted every January 1. The rate effective October 1, 2026 is 7.87% a year. A written contract can set a different rate.

When does a judgment expire in Florida?

A creditor can sue on a Florida judgment for up to 20 years. A recorded judgment is a lien on real property for 10 years and can be extended once for another 10 years by re-recording; no lien lasts more than 20 years from entry.

Can my wages be garnished in Florida?

If you are a head of family (you provide more than half the support of a child or other dependent), all your disposable earnings up to $750 a week are protected, and more than that is protected too unless you agreed in a separate signed writing. Everyone else: the federal limit.

Can my bank account be frozen in Florida?

The creditor gets a writ of garnishment served on your bank, and must mail you the writ, the motion and a 'Notice to Defendant' within 5 business days after the writ is issued or 3 business days after it is served on the bank, whichever is later. A head of family's exempt wages stay protected in a bank account for 6 months after deposit if they can be traced as wages.

What is the deadline to claim an exemption in Florida?

Fill out the Claim of Exemption and Request for Hearing form that comes with the Notice to Defendant, have it notarized, and file it with the clerk within 20 days after you receive the notice. Mail or deliver copies to the plaintiff and the bank or employer. If the plaintiff does not file a sworn objection within 8 business days (hand delivery) or 14 business days (mail), the writ is dissolved and your money is released; if it objects, a hearing is held as soon as possible.

Related Florida pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources