Arizona Judgment Collection Fees and Costs (Garnishments, Writs, Service)

Collecting a judgment is not free. Every enforcement tool comes with filing fees, service costs, and sometimes bank-search charges — and those costs add up fast if you file the wrong paperwork or pursue exempt assets. Here is what Arizona judgment collection actually costs, tool by tool.

Debtor Examination Fees

In Pima County, filing the JP404 Petition for Supplemental Proceedings (debtor exam) costs $33. Fees in other precincts vary. You also pay for personal service of the Order for Appearance. Under A.R.S. § 11-445(A)(10), constable service of a paper not covered by another listed fee is $16, plus travel at $2.40 per mile actually and necessarily traveled, one way, with a $16 minimum and a 200-mile maximum under § 11-445(D). A private process server's fee is agreed with the party under A.R.S. § 12-3301(C).

The total depends on the local filing fee, constable travel charges or the private server's agreed fee, and any county-set fee of up to $10 per Justice Court writ under A.R.S. § 11-445(A)(17).

This is often the most cost-effective first step. The exam reveals what the debtor earns and owns, so you can target your next enforcement filing instead of guessing.

Wage Garnishment Fees

Filing the Application for Writ of Garnishment (Earnings) costs approximately $28 to $43 depending on the precinct. Under A.R.S. § 11-445(A)(15), constable service and return of a garnishment writ and related papers costs $40, plus travel at $2.40 per mile actually and necessarily traveled, one way, with a $16 minimum and a 200-mile maximum under § 11-445(D). A private process server's fee is agreed with the party under A.R.S. § 12-3301(C).

If the garnishment goes through without objection and you file for a continuing lien (AOCCVGE3F), check the originating precinct's current fee schedule for any additional filing fee.

Your total includes the local filing fee and the service and travel charges that apply.

The continuing lien can support ongoing collection, subject to statutory conditions that can end or pause it.

Bank Levy (Non-Earnings Garnishment) Fees

Filing the non-earnings garnishment application costs approximately $28 to $43. Constable service and return of the writ and related papers costs $40 under A.R.S. § 11-445(A)(15), plus travel at $2.40 per mile actually and necessarily traveled, one way, with a $16 minimum and a 200-mile maximum under § 11-445(D). A private process server's fee is agreed with the party under A.R.S. § 12-3301(C). If the account is held at a branch other than the one served, A.R.S. § 12-1577 requires a $25 cash tender to the garnishee for the search.

Your total includes the local filing fee, service and travel charges, and any applicable branch-search fee.

The critical calculation here: if you suspect the debtor's bank account holds less than the 2026 inflation-adjusted $5,600 exemption, the entire balance is protected and you recover nothing. You still owe the filing fees and service costs. Always do the math before filing a bank garnishment.

Writ of Execution Fees

Filing for a Writ of Execution against personal property costs $43 in Pima County (JP407); fees in other precincts vary. Under A.R.S. § 11-445(A)(6)-(7), the officer's levy and return fees are $24 and $16, plus travel at $2.40 per mile actually and necessarily traveled, one way, with a $16 minimum and a 200-mile maximum under § 11-445(D). A county may also set a Justice Court writ fee of up to $10 under § 11-445(A)(17). The constable or sheriff may require advance deposits for mileage, towing, storage, appraisal, and publication costs.

Writs of execution can also require deposits for repeated attempts, property transport, and storage pending a sale. Get a cost estimate from the constable's or sheriff's office before filing.

Judgment Lien Recording Fees

Recording a judgment lien against real property involves multiple offices:

1. Certified copy of the judgment from the Justice Court — fee varies by precinct
2. Transcript of Judgment from the Clerk of Superior Court — check the current fee schedule
3. Judgment Information Statement and recording with the County Recorder — check the current fee schedule

The total depends on fees charged by each office and the number of counties where you record.

A judgment lien does not produce immediate cash — it attaches to the debtor's real property and gets paid when the property sells or is refinanced. For a debtor whose home equity exceeds the 2026 inflation-adjusted $437,600 homestead exemption under Proposition 209, it can secure your position for eventual recovery.

Can You Recover These Costs?

Some enforcement costs can be recovered, but you cannot automatically add every expense to the judgment balance. Court filing fees, constable or private process server fees, publication costs, and officer execution deposits may be recoverable when supported by a verified Statement of Costs or court order.

Keep receipts for every filing fee, service fee, and constable charge. Unapproved collection agency commissions, personal time, mileage to court, guide costs, and unawarded private attorney fees cannot be added unilaterally to the judgment debt.

Post-judgment interest under A.R.S. § 44-1201 also accrues on the unpaid judgment at the lesser of 10% simple interest or 1% plus the Federal Reserve prime rate on the date the judgment was entered. This does not reimburse your enforcement costs directly, but it does increase the total amount the debtor owes while you pursue collection.

The Break-Even Calculation

Before filing any enforcement tool, compare the cost against the likely recovery:

• At the 2026 Arizona minimum wage of $15.15, a debtor with $1,000 in weekly disposable earnings has at most $91 subject to garnishment where no higher local minimum wage applies: the lesser of $100 (10%) or $91 ($1,000 minus 60 times $15.15). In Flagstaff, use its higher local minimum wage in the calculation. Compare the likely withholding with the current filing and service charges.
• A bank levy on an account with $6,000 leaves at most $400 above the 2026 inflation-adjusted $5,600 exemption, before any applicable $25 branch-search fee and filing and service charges.
• In Pima County, the JP404 filing fee for a debtor exam is $33, plus service costs. The exam produces no direct recovery, but it can prevent wasted filings against exempt assets.

Our Arizona judgment collection guide includes a cost-recovery worksheet that maps every enforcement tool to its fees, expected yield, and break-even timeline — so you invest your enforcement budget where it actually produces results.

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