After a debt judgment in Oregon: 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 Challenge to Garnishment (the form in ORS 18.850, sent to you with the writ) with the court named in the writ, in person or by first-class mail, and send a copy to the garnishor.

How long it lasts
10 years
Interest after the judgment
9%
Exemption form
Official exemption form

How to claim an exemption in Oregon

File a Challenge to Garnishment (the form in ORS 18.850, sent to you with the writ) with the court named in the writ, in person or by first-class mail, and send a copy to the garnishor. Deadline: within 30 days after you get a copy of the writ, or within 120 days for an exemption claimed for wages from the employer being garnished. There is no court fee to file a challenge. The court then holds a quick hearing, which can be by phone or video. A claim of exemption on execution is decided at a quick hearing in the court that issued it.

Law: ORS 18.700(1)-(2), (4); ORS 18.710; ORS 18.322

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 Oregon

Interest after the judgment

9% a year simple interest from the date of judgment, unless the contract bears more than 9% (then the contract rate). Interest also runs on attorney fees and costs in the judgment.

How long it lasts

Judgment remedies expire 10 years after the judgment is entered. Before they expire, the creditor can extend them once by filing a certificate of extension; the extended remedies expire 10 years after the certificate is filed.

Law: ORS 82.010(2); ORS 18.180(3); ORS 18.182(1), (5)

Judgment interest and how long a judgment lasts, by state

When a creditor freezes your account in Oregon

When a bank gets a garnishment, it must leave you full access to a base amount in all your accounts combined, starting at $2,500 and adjusted each July 1 for inflation; exempt money such as wages (up to $7,500) and federal benefits stays protected if it can be identified.

Law: ORS 18.785(2)(j); ORS 18.348

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

How much of your pay can be taken in Oregon

75% of your disposable earnings are protected, and you always keep at least $400 a week for wages paid July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 ($832 for two weeks, $912 for a half month, $1,792 for a month).

Law: ORS 18.385(2)

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

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)

Protecting your pay and bank in Oregon

  1. Watch for notices

    Notices from the court, your bank or your employer can carry short deadlines.

  2. Find where your money comes from

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

  3. File the claim on time

    How it works in Oregon: File a Challenge to Garnishment (the form in ORS 18.850, sent to you with the writ) with the court named in the writ, in person or by first-class mail, and send a copy to the garnishor.

  4. Attend the hearing

    Bring your proof to the hearing if the creditor objects.

Free help in Oregon

Questions about collection after a judgment in Oregon

How much interest does a judgment add in Oregon?

9% a year simple interest from the date of judgment, unless the contract bears more than 9% (then the contract rate). Interest also runs on attorney fees and costs in the judgment.

How long does a judgment last in Oregon?

Judgment remedies expire 10 years after the judgment is entered. Before they expire, the creditor can extend them once by filing a certificate of extension; the extended remedies expire 10 years after the certificate is filed.

Can my wages be garnished in Oregon?

75% of your disposable earnings are protected, and you always keep at least $400 a week for wages paid July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 ($832 for two weeks, $912 for a half month, $1,792 for a month).

Can my bank account be frozen in Oregon?

When a bank gets a garnishment, it must leave you full access to a base amount in all your accounts combined, starting at $2,500 and adjusted each July 1 for inflation; exempt money such as wages (up to $7,500) and federal benefits stays protected if it can be identified.

How do I protect exempt money in Oregon?

File a Challenge to Garnishment (the form in ORS 18.850, sent to you with the writ) with the court named in the writ, in person or by first-class mail, and send a copy to the garnishor. Deadline: within 30 days after you get a copy of the writ, or within 120 days for an exemption claimed for wages from the employer being garnished. There is no court fee to file a challenge. The court then holds a quick hearing, which can be by phone or video. A claim of exemption on execution is decided at a quick hearing in the court that issued it.

Related Oregon pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources