Oregon Writ of Garnishment

Introduction

Key Things to Know

1. 1

   Oregon gives a judgment creditor a writ of garnishment, which ORS 18.602 describes as the procedure for invoking the authority of a circuit court, justice court or municipal court to acquire garnishable property of the debtor that sits in the possession, control or custody of someone other than the debtor.

2. 2

   Two people can sign it. ORS 18.635(2) authorizes the court administrator to issue the writ on a money judgment entered in the register of a circuit court or docketed in a justice or municipal court, and ORS 18.635(3) authorizes an attorney who is an active licensee of the Oregon State Bar to issue it instead, with no clerk and no court seal.

3. 3

   The issuance fee follows the signature. Issuing a writ of garnishment costs $47 under ORS 21.235(2) on the Oregon Judicial Department circuit court fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, and nothing at all when counsel issues it. A sheriff charges $25 to deliver it under ORS 18.652(5), and a bank must be paid a $15 search fee at delivery under ORS 18.790(1).

4. 4

   The ceiling is two tests and the debtor keeps the better one. ORS 18.385(1) exempts 75 percent of disposable earnings, which leaves the same 25 percent the federal statute allows, so that limb is no tighter. ORS 18.385(2) is where Oregon goes further: no payment may leave net disposable earnings below $400 for a week or less, $832 for two weeks, $912 for a half month or $1,792 for a month, for wages payable on or after July 1, 2026 and before July 1, 2027.

5. 5

   Five items or the writ reaches nothing. ORS 18.650(1) requires the writ, a garnishee response form, an instructions to garnishee form, a wage exemption calculation form and any ORS 18.790 search fee to be delivered together. Leave one out and subsection (2) says the garnishment is not effective to garnish any property, the garnishee owes no response, and it may deal with the debtor's property as though the writ had never issued.

6. 6

   The garnishee answers in seven calendar days, counted from delivery, and must answer even if it holds nothing and owes nothing (ORS 18.680(2) and the ORS 18.830 writ text). If day seven is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday it rolls to the next working day, and ORS 18.690(1) sends the original to the garnishor, a copy to the debtor and a copy to the court administrator.

7. 7

   Two deadlines bracket the whole thing. ORS 18.609(1) makes the writ valid only if it is delivered within 60 days after issuance, and ORS 18.625(2) runs the wage capture from delivery to the earlier of 90 days after delivery or release or satisfaction in full. For anything other than wages ORS 18.625(1) takes a snapshot at delivery, so a later deposit needs a new writ.

Oregon Requirements for Writ of Garnishment

• Court Administrator or Bar Licensee Signs It

  ORS 18.635(2) lets the court administrator issue the writ on a money judgment entered in the register of a circuit court or docketed in a justice or municipal court. ORS 18.635(3) lets an attorney who is an active licensee of the Oregon State Bar issue it instead, signing the certification with a bar number and bypassing the clerk and the court seal. Tick the right box on the face of the writ.

• Clerk Charges 47 Dollars, Counsel Charges None

  The Oregon Judicial Department circuit court fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 prices issuing a writ of garnishment at $47 under ORS 21.235(2). An attorney-issued writ carries no issuance fee because the administrator never handles it. ORS 18.638(2) also bars the administrator from filling in the writ, so an unrepresented creditor pays the fee and still completes the paper unaided.

• Judgment Reference and Debt Calculation Form

  The writ needs the court whose authority is invoked, the creditor, debtor and garnishor names, the date judgment was entered or the debt otherwise became garnishable, the last four digits of the debtor Social Security number or the employer identification number if known, and the amount subject to garnishment taken from the ORS 18.832 debt calculation form, which ORS 18.607(1) requires you to prepare for every writ issued.

• Ceiling: 75 Percent Exempt, or the $400 Floor

  ORS 18.385(1) exempts 75 percent of disposable earnings, leaving the same 25 percent federal law allows, so that limb is no tighter. ORS 18.385(2) is Oregon going further: no payment may leave net disposable earnings below $400 for a week or less, $832 for two weeks, $912 for a half month or $1,792 for a month, for wages payable on or after July 1, 2026 and before July 1, 2027. The debtor keeps the larger exemption.

• The Floor Is Indexed and You Must Look It Up

  From July 1, 2027 the minimum exemption becomes the ORS 653.025(1) minimum wage multiplied by 30 for a week, 60 for two weeks, 65 for a half month and 130 for a month. ORS 18.385(3) has the State Court Administrator recalculate the amounts each year on or before July 1 and publish them on the Judicial Department website, and the ORS 18.840 form tells the garnishor to write the published figure onto the form before delivery.

• Five Items in the Delivery Packet, or Nothing

  ORS 18.650(1) requires the writ or a copy, a garnishee response form (ORS 18.835), an instructions to garnishee form (ORS 18.838), a wage exemption calculation form (ORS 18.840) and any ORS 18.790 search fee to be delivered together. Omit one and subsection (2) makes the garnishment ineffective against any property, excuses the response, and frees the garnishee to act as if the writ never issued.

• 60 Days to Deliver, Then 90 Days of Wages

  ORS 18.609(1) makes the writ valid only if delivered within 60 days after issuance. ORS 18.625(2) then runs the wage capture from delivery to the earlier of the ninetieth day after delivery or release or satisfaction in full. Non-wage property is a snapshot taken at delivery under ORS 18.625(1). The garnishee response is due within seven calendar days of delivery under ORS 18.680(2), owed even if the garnishee holds nothing.

• First Writ Delivered Wins, and Garnishee Risk

  ORS 18.627(1) gives priority to the first writ delivered, though ORS 18.627(2) requires concurrent payment on a later writ of any nonexempt wages the first writ does not take. Support withholding comes off first under ORS 18.385(5). A garnishee that misses the response or the delivery is liable under ORS 18.775(1) for the lesser of the garnishment amount or the property it held, and ORS 18.780(1) opens a default judgment route.