How to Garnish Wages in Arizona

Before You File: Two Prerequisites

Arizona wage garnishment — formally called earnings garnishment — lets you tap the debtor's paycheck directly through their employer. Before you can file, you need to have demanded payment and know the debtor's employer name and address. Under A.R.S. § 12-1598.03, your application must state that you demanded payment, the debtor has not paid the amount due, and the debtor is not already making agreed payments of the nonexempt portion of wages until the judgment is satisfied. A written letter is a practical way to document your demand. If you don't know where they work, start with a judgment debtor exam to get that information under oath.

The Form Packet

Arizona uses standardized AOCCVGE series forms available from the Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center. Here's the sequence:

Form 1 (AOCCVGE1F) — Application for Writ of Garnishment (Earnings). You fill this out and file it with the Justice Court clerk. It states the judgment balance, debtor information, and employer details.

Form 2 (AOCCVGE2F) — Writ of Garnishment and Summons. The court issues this to the employer, commanding them to withhold non-exempt wages and file an answer within 10 business days.

Forms 5, 6, 7, and 8 are served on the employer along with the Writ. Form 5 gives the employer instructions for calculating the withholding. Form 6 is the answer form the employer must complete. Forms 7 and 8 are notice and hearing request forms for the debtor.

Service Rules

A constable or licensed process server must serve the employer with two copies of the Writ plus the instruction and answer forms. You can't mail these or hand-deliver them yourself.

After service, the employer has 10 business days to file Form 6 (Garnishee's Answer) with the court, confirming the debtor's employment status, pay rate, and any prior garnishments. If the employer doesn't answer within 10 days, the court can issue an order requiring the employer to appear — and continued failure can result in a default judgment against the employer for the full amount owed.

How Much Can Be Garnished

Proposition 209 changed Arizona's wage garnishment limits significantly. Under A.R.S. § 33-1131, the maximum that can be withheld from each paycheck is the lesser of:

• 10% of weekly disposable earnings, or
• The amount exceeding 60 times the highest applicable minimum wage (federal, state, or local)

"Disposable earnings" means what's left after mandatory deductions — federal and state income tax, FICA, Medicare, and required retirement contributions.

Here's what that looks like in practice. Arizona's statewide minimum wage is $15.15/hour effective January 1, 2026, so the 60-times floor is $909 per week; use a higher local minimum wage where it applies. If the debtor's weekly disposable income is $600, nothing can be garnished — they're below the protected floor. If it's $1,000, using the statewide rate, you calculate both: 10% = $100, and the excess over $909 = $91. The lesser amount applies, so the maximum garnishment is $91 per week.

These are hard ceilings. You cannot negotiate around them, and the employer is legally required to apply them.

The Continuing Lien

Once the employer files an answer confirming non-exempt earnings, you file Form 3 (AOCCVGE3F) — Application for Order of Continuing Lien. The judge signs Form 4 (AOCCVGE4F), which is served on the employer and directs them to start remitting the withheld funds to you.

The continuing lien stays active until the judgment is fully satisfied, the debtor leaves that employer, or the court orders the garnishment discharged. Unlike a bank levy, you don't have to refile every time a new paycheck comes in.

The Debtor's Right to Object

The debtor gets 10 business days after receiving the Garnishee's Answer to file a Request for Hearing (Form 8). At the hearing, they can claim exemptions or argue extreme financial hardship. Under Arizona courts' Proposition 209 guidance, a court may reduce a 10% garnishment to 5% if the debtor proves extreme economic hardship by clear and convincing evidence; it does not authorize a complete stay on that basis.

Practical Considerations

Wage garnishment works best when the debtor has steady employment at a known employer. It's less effective if they work cash jobs, are self-employed, or change jobs frequently — the lien dies when employment ends, and you'd need to serve a new writ on the next employer.

Also factor in the math. At the $91 weekly limit for someone earning $1,000/week in disposable income at the statewide minimum-wage floor, collecting a $3,500 judgment takes about 39 weeks, before interest or costs. That's the slow-and-steady path, but it works.

Get the complete Arizona judgment collection guide with garnishment calculation worksheets and a tracking log for every payment received.

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