How to Collect a Small Claims Judgment

The judgment is just the beginning

Winning a small claims judgment is only half the battle. If the defendant does not pay voluntarily, you must use legal collection tools to enforce the judgment. Courts do not collect money for you — that is your responsibility as the judgment creditor.

Wage garnishment

Wage garnishment allows you to collect directly from the defendant's paycheck. You must file a writ of garnishment with the court and serve it on the defendant's employer. Federal law limits garnishment to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which weekly earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less. Some states have stricter limits.

Bank account levy

A bank levy allows you to freeze and collect funds from the defendant's bank account. You must know which bank the defendant uses. File a writ of execution with the court, then serve it on the bank. The bank will freeze the account and turn over funds up to the judgment amount.

Property liens

In most states, a judgment automatically becomes a lien on any real property the defendant owns in the county where the judgment was entered. This means the defendant cannot sell or refinance their property without paying your judgment first. Record the judgment with the county recorder's office to perfect the lien.

Judgment renewal

Judgments have a limited lifespan — typically 5–10 years depending on the state. If you have not collected within that time, you must renew the judgment before it expires. Renewing is usually straightforward and extends the judgment for another term.