Cost of Garnishment in Tennessee: Filing Fees, Sheriff Fees, and What You'll Pay

What Garnishment Costs in Tennessee

You won your General Sessions case, the 10-day appeal window passed without an appeal or a timely motion to set aside or for a new trial, and now you want to garnish the debtor's wages or bank account. Before you walk into the clerk's office, here is what each step costs.

Garnishment Filing Fees

The court clerk charges a $25 filing fee for processing an Application for Order of Garnishment. This fee applies whether you're garnishing wages or a bank account.

The county sheriff charges a separate $50 service fee (T.C.A. § 8-21-901(a)(1)) to personally serve the garnishment summons on the employer or bank. So the minimum cost to file and serve one garnishment is $75.

Both fees are recoverable as court costs against the debtor — they get added to the judgment balance. But you pay them upfront, and if the garnishment comes back empty (the debtor quit, the bank account had nothing), you've spent money you may not recover quickly.

Wage Garnishment: The Recurring Cost

A wage garnishment in Tennessee creates a continuing lien for up to six months from the date of service (T.C.A. § 26-2-214(b)(1)). That one $75 investment can produce ongoing withholdings from every paycheck for half a year.

If the judgment is not fully satisfied after six months, you'll need to file a new garnishment application and pay another $75 to keep the withholdings going.

Clerk commission fees may also apply. T.C.A. § 8-21-401 authorizes a statutory commission from garnishment proceeds before disbursement; ask the clerk for the applicable amount.

Bank Garnishment: One-Shot Cost

A bank levy (non-wage garnishment) captures whatever funds sit in the debtor's account at the exact moment the sheriff serves the bank — and nothing else. Future deposits are not covered.

The cost is the same $75 ($25 clerk fee + $50 sheriff service). But unlike wage garnishment, there is no continuing lien. If the account balance does not satisfy your judgment, you'll need another garnishment writ (and another $75) to try again later or target a different account.

Writ of Execution (Property Seizure) Costs

If you pursue a writ of execution against the debtor's personal property instead, the sheriff charges $50 for the levy service, plus you'll need to advance a deposit covering:

• Towing costs (if seizing a vehicle)
• Storage and impound fees
• Auction advertising — at least 10 days of public notice under T.C.A. § 26-5-101

These costs are taxed against the debtor and recovered from auction proceeds. But if the auction doesn't cover costs, you absorb the loss. This makes property execution riskier than wage garnishment for smaller judgments.

Debtor Examination: The Discovery Cost

If you don't know where the debtor works or banks, you may need a debtor examination under T.C.A. § 26-2-115 before you can target anything. The sheriff service fee for the examination subpoena is another $50.

Total Cost Scenarios

For a straightforward wage garnishment where you know the employer:

For a case where you need to find assets first:

For a judgment that takes multiple rounds of garnishment:

Is It Worth the Cost?

Every dollar you spend on enforcement fees gets added to the judgment balance — the debtor owes them back. But "owed back" and "collected" are different things. A general guideline: if the judgment is under $500, think carefully about whether the debtor has identifiable assets before spending $75+ on execution fees. A debtor examination costs $50 and can save you from filing garnishments that come back empty.

Our Tennessee judgment collection guide includes a cost worksheet that helps you estimate total enforcement costs before you start spending, plus step-by-step instructions for each enforcement tool.

See more Tennessee guides →