What a Bank Levy Costs to Collect a Judgment

If you know where the debtor banks, a bank levy is usually the most direct way to actually collect an unpaid judgment — a sheriff (or, in New York City, a City Marshal) is directed to take the amount owed straight out of the account. It's a different mechanism than wage garnishment, with its own fee structure, and it costs something upfront regardless of whether the levy succeeds.

1. Two ways states charge for it

California and Florida charge a flat fee no matter how much you collect — California's runs $50 for the officer plus a separate $40 clerk fee and a $15 disbursement fee; Florida's is $40. New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina instead charge a commission — a percentage of what's actually collected, sometimes in tiers. New Jersey charges 6% of the first $5,000 collected and 4% above that, with a $50 minimum even if the percentage works out to less.

2. You pay some of this whether or not the levy works

The clerk or filing fee to open a bank levy is generally due upfront and isn't refunded if the account turns out to have nothing in it. A commission, by contrast, is only charged on what's actually collected — New York's 5% poundage fee, for instance, gets added to what the debtor owes rather than deducted from what you recover, but you still pay the marshal's filing fee yourself to open the case.

3. This is separate from wage garnishment

A bank levy and a wage garnishment are two different collection tools with different costs, different information requirements (you need to know the bank, not the employer), and different rules about what's protected from seizure. Compare both with the Wage Garnishment Calculator before deciding which route fits what you actually know about the debtor.

4. Not every state publishes a statewide figure

Pennsylvania, Washington, and Michigan aren't covered here — in all three, the sheriff's execution fee is set locally by each county rather than by a single statewide statute, the same reason Pennsylvania is also excluded from this site's service-of-process pricing. If you're in one of these states, ask your county sheriff's office directly rather than relying on a number this site won't invent.

See the exact clerk fee, officer fee, and any commission for your state with the Judgment Collection Cost Calculator. For the full picture of collecting a judgment — demand, interest, garnishment, and renewal — see The Debtor Won't Pay: How to Collect a Small Claims Judgment.