Debt Collection Laws in Ohio
If you're dealing with debt collection in Ohio, here's what actually protects you: a cap on how much of your paycheck can be garnished, a base amount of home equity and bank funds creditors can't touch, and a deadline after which a debt lawsuit generally can't succeed. Current as ofJuly 2026 — sourcing for each section is linked below.
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Ohio?
Ohio follows essentially the same limits as federal law: a creditor can take the lesser of 25% of your weekly disposable earnings, or the amount by which those earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage, under Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.66(A)(13). Ohio hasn't enacted a stricter cap than the federal baseline.
The multiplier scales with how often you're paid — 30x federal minimum wage if you're paid weekly, 60x if biweekly, 65x if semimonthly, and 130x if monthly — so the dollar floor that's protected looks different depending on your pay schedule even though the underlying math is the same.
Tier: Federal formula, no state enhancement — see the full 20-state ranking.
Can a creditor take money from my bank account in Ohio?
Ohio's wildcard exemption — the general figure that can cover cash and bank-account funds — is $1,675, effective April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028. It's adjusted for inflation every three years.
If you're comparing against an older article, check the date: the figure resets on a fixed three-year schedule, so a number quoted before April 2025 or after March 2028 will be out of date.
Is my home protected from creditors in Ohio?
Ohio's homestead exemption protects $182,625 of equity in an owner-occupied residence, effective April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028, and adjusted for inflation on that same three-year cycle.
Married couples who both hold an interest in the home can each claim the full amount, effectively doubling the protected equity to over $365,000 for jointly owned property.
How long can a debt collector sue me in Ohio?
In Ohio, a creditor has 6 years to sue you over a written contract like a credit card agreement under Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.06, and 4 years for an oral or implied contract under § 2305.07. Both periods were shortened by a 2021 law from 8 and 6 years, respectively.
| Debt type | Statute of limitations |
|---|---|
| Credit card / written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
That 2021 law (SB 13) came with a transition rule for debts that were already outstanding when it took effect: those older claims had to be filed by the earlier of the old deadline or a hard backstop date, so by mid-2027 essentially all pre-2021 written-contract debt in Ohio will be time-barred regardless of the original 8-year clock.
See how Ohio's 6 years deadline compares to all 20 states.
Does Ohio have its own debt collection law beyond the federal FDCPA?
Ohio doesn't have a dedicated debt-collection statute the way some states do. Instead, the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act (Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.01 et seq.) bars unfair or deceptive practices in a consumer transaction broadly — and unlike the federal FDCPA, it reaches original creditors, not just third-party collectors.
Remedies under the CSPA go further than federal law too: rescission or actual damages, up to $5,000 in noneconomic damages, attorney fees, and treble damages for willful or repeated violations, versus the FDCPA's flat $1,000 statutory-damages cap.
Where can I find free or low-cost legal help in Ohio?
If you're dealing with a debt lawsuit, garnishment, or collector dispute in Ohio, a good starting point is the state bar's lawyer referral service or one of the legal aid organizations below — both can point you to self-help court resources even if you don't qualify for free representation.