How Much Does It Cost to Enforce a Judgment in Alabama?

Before you start the enforcement process on an Alabama judgment, you need to know what it costs out of pocket. Every writ, every service, every recording comes with a fee that you advance upfront. The good news: these costs are generally added to the judgment balance and collected from the debtor. The risk: if the debtor is truly broke, you're out the fees.

Here's what you'll actually spend across Alabama's 67 counties.

Garnishment Filing Fee

Filing a Process of Garnishment (Form C-21) with the District Court Clerk costs $30 in Cherokee, Jefferson, Mobile, and Jackson Counties, and $90 in Escambia County. This is the same fee whether you're garnishing wages or a bank account.

Confirm the current amount with your county's District Court Clerk before filing.

Writ of Execution Fee

A Writ of Execution (Form C-20) — used to direct the sheriff to seize personal property — costs $30 in Cherokee, Jefferson, Mobile, and Jackson Counties, and $60 in Escambia County. This is separate from any sheriff fees for actually carrying out the seizure.

Sheriff Service and Execution Fees

The sheriff charges separately for serving garnishment papers on employers or banks, and for executing property levies. These fees vary significantly by county:

• Cherokee County: $25 per party served
• Jackson County: $10 per service
• Jefferson County (Birmingham): $20–$25 per service

If the sheriff levies on personal property (seizes it for sale), additional costs kick in for towing, storage, appraisal, and publication of the sale notice. The sheriff requires an advance deposit to cover these before proceeding.

Probate Court Recording Fee

Recording a Certificate of Judgment in the Probate Court to create a real property lien costs:

• Mobile County: $5.50 total (under Ala. Code § 12-19-90(b)(22))
• Jefferson County: $16.00 for the first page, $3.00 each additional page
• Cherokee County: $13.00 for the first page, $3.00 each additional page

You'll pay this fee in each county where the debtor owns real estate.

A Realistic Enforcement Budget

For a straightforward wage garnishment, your upfront costs depend on the county. Examples:

Recording a judgment lien costs $5.50 in Mobile County, $13 for the first page in Cherokee County, and $16 for the first page in Jefferson County, with additional-page fees in Cherokee and Jefferson. A writ of execution adds a $30 fee in Cherokee, Jefferson, Mobile, and Jackson Counties, or $60 in Escambia County, plus the sheriff's advance deposit for seizure costs.

These Costs Are Recoverable

Under Alabama practice, authorized filing fees, sheriff service fees, and post-judgment writ expenses are taxed as additional costs against the debtor and added to the collectible balance. Confirm with the clerk how those costs are reflected in the interest calculation for your case.

Attorney fees, however, are not recoverable post-judgment unless the original contract underlying the claim specifically provides for them or a statute authorizes them.

When the Math Doesn't Work

If the debtor is judgment-proof — no job, no bank accounts, exempt income only — spending $50–$80 on garnishment won't recover anything. Before paying enforcement fees, it's worth doing basic asset discovery to confirm the debtor actually has garnishable wages or reachable funds.

Plan Before You Spend

The Alabama Judgment Collection Guide includes a pre-enforcement asset audit and county fee reference so you can estimate your costs before filing a single form — and avoid spending money on enforcement tools that won't work for your situation.

See more Alabama guides →