Illinois · wage garnishment
Illinois wage garnishment: 15% of gross, or 45 times minimum wage.
Illinois sets the amount at the lesser of 15% of gross weekly pay or the amount disposable earnings exceed 45 times the greater of the federal or Illinois minimum wage. At the Illinois minimum wage of $15.00, the protected amount is $675 a week. Because the 15% applies to gross pay (not disposable), the Illinois cap is lower than the federal 25% for most workers. Source: 735 ILCS 5/12-803, read November 1, 2026.
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The short answer
Illinois sets the amount at the lesser of 15% of gross weekly pay or the amount disposable earnings exceed 45 times the greater of the federal or Illinois minimum wage. At the Illinois minimum wage of $15.00, the protected amount is $675 a week. Because the 15% applies to gross pay (not disposable), the Illinois cap is lower than the federal 25% for most workers. Source: 735 ILCS 5/12-803, read November 1, 2026.
What the statute says
735 ILCS 5/12-803 says the wages, salary, commissions and bonuses subject to collection under a deduction order for any work week are the lesser of (1) 15% of the gross amount paid for that week, or (2) the amount by which disposable earnings for the week exceed 45 times the Federal Minimum Hourly Wage under 29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1) or, for a wage deduction summons served on or after January 1, 2006, the minimum hourly wage under Section 4 of the Minimum Wage Law, whichever is greater, in effect when the amounts are payable.
The section adds that this provision, and no other, applies irrespective of where the compensation was earned or payable and the state where the employee resides. It also says no amounts required by law to be withheld may be taken from the amount the creditor collects, and defines "disposable earnings" as earnings remaining after amounts required by law to be withheld.
The Illinois Minimum Wage Law, 820 ILCS 105/4(a)(1), sets $15 an hour on and after January 1, 2025 for employees 18 and older. So 45 x $15.00 = $675 a week.
Gross versus disposable
Fifteen percent of gross is usually a smaller bite than 25% of disposable earnings: if disposable pay is 80% of gross, 25% of disposable is 20% of gross, above Illinois's 15%. This page shows the Illinois result and the federal ceiling side by side and applies the lower, as federal law requires.
Worked example
Gross pay $1,000.00 weekly, required deductions $200.00, weekly pay: disposable earnings $800.00. IL rule allows $125.00, the federal cap allows $200.00, so the most that can be garnished is $125.00 and $675.00 stays in the paycheck.
More examples (same engine as the calculator)
| Case | Pay | Disposable | IL rule | Federal cap | Most garnishable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| weekly pay | $1,000.00 gross, $200.00 deductions, weekly | $800.00 | $125.00 | $200.00 | $125.00 |
| weekly pay where the $675 floor binds | $800.00 gross, $130.00 deductions, weekly | $670.00 | $0.00 | $167.50 | $0.00 |
| biweekly pay | $3,000.00 gross, $600.00 deductions, every two weeks | $2,400.00 | $450.00 | $600.00 | $450.00 |
| monthly pay | $6,000.00 gross, $1,300.00 deductions, monthly | $4,700.00 | $900.00 | $1,175.00 | $900.00 |
How it compares with the federal limit
Federal law (15 USC 1673(a)) caps garnishment for ordinary debts at the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount by which they exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which protects $217.50 a week. A state may protect more, never less. When both apply, the lower amount controls, and the calculator shows both. See the federal wage garnishment limit calculator for support orders and for Texas, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, or the state comparison table.
What this page does not cover
Support orders and income withholding for child support (Illinois has separate statutes), tax levies, federal student loans and bankruptcy orders. This section addresses wage deduction orders for judgments. Tax levies, defaulted federal student loans and bankruptcy orders follow their own rules. Court costs, exemptions you must claim yourself, and the procedure for objecting are decided by the court that issued the judgment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum wage garnishment in Illinois?
The lesser of 15% of gross weekly wages or the amount disposable earnings exceed 45 times the greater of the federal or Illinois minimum wage (735 ILCS 5/12-803).
How much of my weekly pay is protected in Illinois?
45 x $15.00 = $675 of weekly disposable earnings, because the Illinois minimum wage is $15 an hour.
Is the 15% based on gross or take-home pay?
Gross. The 15% applies to the gross amount paid for the week. The second test uses disposable earnings.
Does the federal 25% limit still apply?
Yes. Federal law (15 USC 1673) sets a ceiling that no state can exceed, but Illinois is lower for most workers so it controls.
Where was the money earned?
The statute says it applies regardless of where the compensation was earned or payable and the employee's state of residence.
Sources
Statute text and agency pages read November 1, 2026. Statutes are amended; check the current version before relying on a figure.
- 735 ILCS 5/12-803, Wages subject to collection (Illinois General Assembly): The 15% of gross / 45-times-minimum-wage formula.
- 820 ILCS 105/4, Minimum Wage Law (Illinois General Assembly): The $15 an hour Illinois minimum wage on and after January 1, 2025.
- 15 USC 1673 (Cornell LII): The federal 25% / 30-times-minimum-wage cap and the support-order percentages.
- 29 CFR 870.10 (Cornell LII): How the weekly formula converts to longer pay periods.
Not legal advice
This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. A garnishment order, your facts and later law changes can differ from the formulas shown. Confirm with the court, a legal aid office or a lawyer before you act. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.