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.
Ohio's 2026 debt outlook
Bankruptcy filings in Ohio ran 27,039 in the 12 months ending March 2026, versus 25,496 the year before (+6.1%), per official U.S. Courts data. See the full 51-state filing ranking.
Serious mortgage delinquency (90+ days late) in Ohio sits at 0.9%, trending toward roughly 1.1% by the end of 2026 (elevated and rising). See the full 51-state outlook and methodology.
Debt collection complaints to the CFPB from Ohio residents ran 3,960 so far in 2026, versus 3,801 over the same window in 2025 (+4%). See the full state-by-state surge ranking.
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 ordinary nonbankruptcy cash and deposit exemption is $625 through March 31, 2028 under § 2329.66(A)(3). The $1,675 (A)(18) exemption is bankruptcy-only.
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the figure resets on a fixed three-year schedule, so a number quoted before April 2025 or after March 2028 will be out of date.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?
For judgments other than health-care debt, Ohio's residence exemption is $182,625 through March 31, 2028. Health-care judgments have a separate residence-enforcement rule under the current version of § 2329.66.
Married co-owners may each claim the generally applicable exemption. For a health-care judgment, effective September 30, 2025, the statute generally delays enforcement against a qualifying residence until a specified transfer and sets separate adjusted equity protection, so the ordinary $182,625 summary should not be applied without reading that provision.
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 |
SB 13 includes transition rules for existing claims. Apply them to the claim's accrual facts; they do not support a blanket statement that essentially all pre-2021 debt expires by mid-2027.
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's CSPA can reach collection conduct only when the parties and transaction fit its definitions and exclusions; it is not an automatic mini-FDCPA for every original creditor.
Available relief can include rescission or damages, but enhanced damages and attorney fees depend on the conditions in § 1345.09, including specified prior-rule or prior-decision requirements. They are not automatic for every willful or repeated collection act.
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.