After a debt judgment in Pennsylvania: 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 for Exemption with the sheriff, and ask for a prompt hearing.

How long it lasts
20 years
Interest after the judgment
6%

How to claim an exemption in Pennsylvania

File a Claim for Exemption with the sheriff, and ask for a prompt hearing. The sheriff must notify the creditor and bank and present it to the court, which must hear it within 5 business days. The bank cannot be ordered to pay over for 20 days after it was served while a claim may be filed. In a magisterial district levy on goods, claim your $300 exemption with the executing officer; you can appeal his appraisal within 2 days.

Law: in the form set by Pa.R.C.P. 3252(a); Pa.R.C.P. 3123.1; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 406, 408

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

Bank levies in Pennsylvania

A magisterial district judge's order of execution can reach only tangible personal property; to garnish a bank account, the creditor transfers the judgment to the Court of Common Pleas and has a writ of execution served on the bank. $300 of any property, including money in a bank account, is exempt.

Law: 42 Pa.C.S. § 8123

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 Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania generally does not allow wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debts like credit cards or medical bills. Exceptions include support, some residential lease judgments and PHEAA student loans; federal debts can be taken under federal law.

Law: 42 Pa.C.S. § 8127

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

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)

The judgment's life in Pennsylvania

Interest after the judgment

The lawful rate, which is 6% a year, unless another statute provides otherwise.

How long it lasts

The creditor can issue execution against personal property within 20 years after the judgment. The judgment's lien on real estate must be revived within 5 years to keep it.

Law: 42 Pa.C.S. § 8101; 41 P.S. § 202; 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 5526(1), 5529(a)

Judgment interest and how long a judgment lasts, by state

What to do now in Pennsylvania

  1. Read every notice

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

  2. Collect your records

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

  3. Claim your exemptions

    How it works in Pennsylvania: File a Claim for Exemption with the sheriff, and ask for a prompt hearing.

  4. Attend the hearing

    Bring your proof to the hearing if the creditor objects.

Where to get free help in Pennsylvania

Questions about collection after a judgment in Pennsylvania

Does a judgment grow with interest in Pennsylvania?

The lawful rate, which is 6% a year, unless another statute provides otherwise.

When does a judgment expire in Pennsylvania?

The creditor can issue execution against personal property within 20 years after the judgment. The judgment's lien on real estate must be revived within 5 years to keep it.

How much of my pay can be taken in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania generally does not allow wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debts like credit cards or medical bills. Exceptions include support, some residential lease judgments and PHEAA student loans; federal debts can be taken under federal law.

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

A magisterial district judge's order of execution can reach only tangible personal property; to garnish a bank account, the creditor transfers the judgment to the Court of Common Pleas and has a writ of execution served on the bank. $300 of any property, including money in a bank account, is exempt.

How do I claim an exemption in Pennsylvania?

File a Claim for Exemption with the sheriff, and ask for a prompt hearing. The sheriff must notify the creditor and bank and present it to the court, which must hear it within 5 business days. The bank cannot be ordered to pay over for 20 days after it was served while a claim may be filed. In a magisterial district levy on goods, claim your $300 exemption with the executing officer; you can appeal his appraisal within 2 days.

Related Pennsylvania pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources