Small claims court · collecting a judgment
Winning is one thing. Getting paid is another.
Pick your state and the amount you're owed, and see what it costs to have the sheriff or marshal levy a bank account to actually collect it — cited to that state's own fee schedule and statute.
A bank levy in California to collect $2,500.00 will cost you about $105.00 upfront.
The $50 figure is the general statewide fee for serving or executing a writ under Government Code §26721 — a levy that requires the officer to take immediate physical possession of property (not a bank levy) costs $125 instead.
Sources: California Courts Self-Help Guide; Cal. Gov. Code §§26720.9, 26721; Cal. Gov. Code §26746
Scoped to a bank-account (financial-institution) levy under a writ of execution — the most common way to collect an unpaid judgment. Doesn't cover wage garnishment (see the Wage Garnishment Calculator) or seizing physical property, which several states price differently. Informational only, not legal advice; confirm current fees with your court clerk or sheriff's civil division before filing.
How this is calculated
Last reviewed: September 2026
Two shapes: flat fees and commissions
California and Florida charge a fixed dollar amount to serve a bank levy no matter how much money is actually recovered. New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina instead charge the sheriff or marshal a commission — a percentage of the amount actually collected, which is why this calculator asks for the amount you're trying to collect even though it doesn't change the answer in a flat-fee state.
New Jersey and North Carolina's tiered commissions
Both states charge a higher percentage on the first slice of money collected and a lower percentage on the rest. New Jersey charges 6% on the first $5,000 and 4% on anything above that, with a $50 minimum commission even when 6%/4% of a small recovery comes out lower. North Carolina charges 5% on the first $500 and 2.5% above that, with no separate minimum.
What this doesn't cover
- Wage garnishment. A different enforcement mechanism with its own fee structure and exemption limits — see the Wage Garnishment Calculator instead.
- Seizing and selling physical property. Several states charge more for a levy that requires the officer to take immediate physical possession of goods, rather than simply freezing and transferring a bank account — California, for example, charges $125 for that instead of the $50 shown here.
- County-level cost deposits. Some sheriff's offices (Florida's, notably) require an advance deposit to cover the actual levy work, on top of the statutory processing fee — the amount varies by county and isn't included in the total shown here.
- Pennsylvania, Washington, and Michigan. Each sets its sheriff's execution fee locally, county by county, rather than by a single statewide statute — so no statewide figure is shown for them, the same call already made for Pennsylvania's sheriff service fee elsewhere on this site.
States currently covered
California, Florida, New York (New York City), New Jersey, North Carolina. More states are added on an ongoing basis.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get this money back?
In most states covered here, yes — these fees are recoverable costs you can add to what the debtor owes, the same way your original filing and service fees are. New York works differently: the marshal's 5% poundage is added directly to the debtor's payoff amount rather than deducted from what you collect, but you still front the $35 filing fee yourself to start the case.
Why isn't wage garnishment covered here?
Garnishing wages and levying a bank account are two different enforcement mechanisms with their own separate fee structures and, for wages, exemption limits. Use the Wage Garnishment Calculator for what a creditor can actually take from a paycheck — this tool is scoped to bank-account levies only.
Why aren't Pennsylvania, Washington, and Michigan included?
In all three, the sheriff's fee for executing a levy is set locally by each county rather than by a single statewide statute or rate — the same reason Pennsylvania's sheriff service fee is excluded from the Service of Process Cost Calculator. A wrong statewide number would be worse than no number at all, so these states aren't estimated here.
Does this include what it costs if the sheriff has to physically seize property instead of levying a bank account?
No — this tool is scoped specifically to a bank-account (financial-institution) levy, the most common way small claims judgment creditors actually collect. Some states charge more when the levying officer has to take immediate physical possession of goods; California, for example, charges $125 for that instead of the $50 bank-levy fee shown here.
Related tools
See how much of a paycheck a small claims judgment creditor can actually garnish, by state — cited to each state's own wage-garnishment statute.
Open tool →Small Claims Judgment Interest CalculatorSee how much interest has accrued on an unpaid small claims judgment, using each state's statutory postjudgment interest rate.
Open tool →Judgment Renewal CalculatorSee when your small claims judgment expires and what it costs to renew it, by state — cited to each state's own judgment-renewal statute.
Open tool →Total Cost to Sue CalculatorThe full out-of-pocket cost to sue in small claims court — filing fee plus service of process, added together and cited to each court's own fee schedule.
Open tool →