Ohio: Credit, Debt & Bankruptcy

Federal laws like the FDCPA and FCRA set a floor in every state. But the details that decide real cases in Ohio come from the Ohio Revised Code and Ohio courts. That includes how long a creditor has to sue, how much of a paycheck is protected, and what a creditor has to do before touching wages at all.

Ohio has two features worth knowing early. The legislature shortened the limitation periods on consumer debt in 2021. And before a judgment creditor can garnish wages, it has to send a written demand and give the person a chance to head the garnishment off.

Your official Ohio resources

These are the state-level starting points most Ohioans dealing with debt need:

• Ohio Attorney General — File a Consumer Complaint — the state complaint portal for debt collectors, credit repair companies, and other businesses.
• Ohio Legal Help — the statewide legal-help portal, with plain-language guides, a statewide debt collection answer form, and a legal aid finder.
• Consumer Finance Licensee Lookup — the Department of Commerce page that points to the two databases where Ohio consumer finance registrants can be searched.
• U.S. Bankruptcy Courts — Ohio has two federal districts: Northern (Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown) and Southern (Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton).

If you need	Official starting point
To respond to a debt lawsuit	Ohio Legal Help
To report a collector or scam	Attorney General complaint portal
Free or low-cost legal help	Ohio Legal Help legal aid finder
Bankruptcy forms and local rules	Your district's bankruptcy court site

Debt lawsuits in Ohio

When a creditor sues in Ohio, the case usually lands in a municipal court or a county court for smaller amounts, and in the court of common pleas for larger ones. Either way, the person sued receives a summons and complaint.

Ohio Legal Help states the general rule plainly: the complaint has to be answered within 28 days. Its statewide debt collection answer form can be used anywhere in Ohio, and it publishes a separate guided interview for Franklin County Municipal Court.

Missing that window lets the creditor move for a default judgment, which means the court can treat every statement in the complaint as agreed. Ohio Legal Help also flags a second risk: even after an answer is filed, a creditor may move for summary judgment to win without a hearing.

Answering forces the creditor to prove the debt and the amount, and some courts schedule mediation first. A good starting point is what to do when you're sued for a debt and the debt lawsuit response checklist.

Statute of limitations basics

Ohio shortened these periods in 2021 through Senate Bill 13, and the current numbers are on the Ohio Laws site. R.C. 2305.06 gives six years for an action on a written contract, effective June 16, 2021. R.C. 2305.07(A) gives four years for a contract not in writing.

The provision that matters most for credit cards and medical bills is R.C. 2305.07(C). It sets six years for an action arising out of a consumer transaction incurred primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, whether or not the agreement was written or signed, and it includes an account stated. The same subsection says the cause of action accrues 30 calendar days after the date of the last charge or payment by the consumer, whichever is later.

An expired period is generally a defense a person has to raise; courts do not apply it automatically. One more note on currency: the Ohio Laws page for R.C. 2305.06 shows a further amendment from Senate Bill 219 taking effect September 23, 2026, which keeps the six-year figure and adds a cross-reference. Read how the statute of limitations on debt works before deciding anything about an old account.

Wage garnishment and protected income

Ohio tracks the federal ceiling rather than beating it. R.C. 2329.66(A)(13) exempts the greater of two amounts: 75 percent of disposable earnings, or 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage for a weekly pay period (60 times biweekly, 65 times semimonthly, 130 times monthly). In practice that leaves a maximum of 25 percent of disposable earnings reachable, which mirrors the federal cap described in the Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #30.

What Ohio adds is a warning shot. Under R.C. 2716.02, a judgment creditor that wants to garnish personal earnings has to send a written Notice of Court Proceeding to Collect Debt first. It must go out after the judgment, at least 15 days and not more than 45 days before the garnishment order is sought, by personal service, certified mail, or regular mail with a certificate of mailing.

That notice has to spell out three ways to avoid the garnishment within 15 days: pay the amount due, complete and return the attached Payment to Avoid Garnishment form with the computed payment, or apply to the local municipal or county court to have a trustee appointed to receive the non-exempt part of the earnings. The statute also points people to budget and debt counseling services. If the form and funds are returned properly, the same creditor cannot issue another notice until the pay period listed on the form ends.

Support orders, taxes, and federal debts follow different rules. Fact Sheet #30 explains that child support and alimony orders can reach 50 or 60 percent of disposable earnings, that federal agencies can garnish up to 15 percent for defaulted federal debts including student loans, and that an employer cannot fire someone over garnishment for a single debt. Our wage garnishment guide covers the federal baseline and how exemption claims generally work.

Bankruptcy in Ohio

Bankruptcy is federal, but it runs through local courts. Which of Ohio's two districts handles a case depends on where the filer lives. Each district posts local rules, forms, filing locations, and self-representation information: Northern and Southern.

State law decides which property exemptions a filer can use, and Ohio has opted out of the federal list. R.C. 2329.662 says Ohio specifically does not authorize debtors domiciled in Ohio to use the exemptions in 11 U.S.C. §522(d).

The Ohio list lives in R.C. 2329.66, amended effective September 30, 2025 by House Bill 96. As published there, it protects an interest of up to $125,000 in one parcel or item used as a residence, $3,225 in one motor vehicle, $400 in cash and bank deposits, and $525 per item up to $10,775 in household goods, plus a $1,075 wildcard that applies only in bankruptcy. Ohio also gives medical debt separate treatment: for a judgment for health care services, the residence is exempt from execution, garnishment, attachment, or sale, and enforcement of any judgment lien is delayed until the property is sold or transferred.

Those dollar figures move. R.C. 2329.66(B) directs the Ohio Judicial Conference to adjust every amount in the section for inflation every three years and to publish the adjusted amounts in the Register of Ohio, so the current numbers should be confirmed there or with the court before anyone relies on them.

For the big picture, start with our bankruptcy hub, the guide to Chapter 7, and filing without a lawyer. If bankruptcy is one of several options, debt relief compares them.

Free and low-cost legal help

Many Ohioans qualify for free help and never use it. Ohio Legal Help hosts guided forms, plain-language articles in more than a dozen languages, and a legal aid finder that matches an address to the local legal aid office. The Northern District's legal assistance page points to bankruptcy-specific help, and the LSC legal aid finder covers every state.

Common mistakes to avoid

• ✕Letting the 28-day answer window pass because settlement talks are underway. Negotiating does not pause the court clock, and a default judgment can still be entered.
• ✕Assuming an answer ends the risk. Ohio Legal Help warns that a creditor may still move for summary judgment to win without a hearing.
• ✕Throwing away the Notice of Court Proceeding to Collect Debt. Under R.C. 2716.02 that notice opens a 15-day window with three specific ways to avoid the garnishment.
• ✕Treating the old eight-year contract deadline as current. Senate Bill 13 cut written contracts to six years in 2021, and consumer transactions run six years from 30 days after the last charge or payment.
• ✕Relying on a printed dollar figure for an Ohio exemption. R.C. 2329.66(B) has the Judicial Conference re-adjust every amount for inflation on a three-year cycle.
• ✕Paying a company for help before trying Ohio Legal Help and the legal aid finder, which are free.

Credit repair companies in Ohio: registration, bond, and how to check

Ohio regulates credit repair companies as credit services organizations under the Ohio Credit Services Organization Act, R.C. Chapter 4712. It is one of the stricter regimes in the country.

Under R.C. 4712.02, a company must file a registration application with, and receive a certificate of registration from, the Division of Financial Institutions before conducting business in Ohio. The application costs $100, has to attach the contract the company plans to use and evidence of its bond, and the certificate expires annually on April 30. R.C. 4712.13 requires the registration number to appear in any printed or published advertisement.

R.C. 4712.06 sets the bond at $50,000, filed with the Division, running in favor of anyone injured by a violation, and maintained for at least two years after the company stops doing business in Ohio. Unlike some states, the bond is not a workaround for advance fees: R.C. 4712.07(A) bars charging or receiving money until all agreed services are completed within the time limits in R.C. 4712.05(A)(3). R.C. 4712.05 also requires a written contract with a three-business-day right to cancel and two detachable cancellation notices. Violations are a fifth-degree felony under R.C. 4712.99 and a deceptive act under R.C. 4712.11.

How to check a company: search the databases listed on the Department of Commerce's Consumer Finance Licensee Lookup page, and ask for the registration number that the law requires in advertising. Then search the CFPB complaint database.

How to complain: the Ohio Attorney General's complaint portal and the CFPB.

The federal floor everywhere: the Credit Repair Organizations Act (15 U.S.C. §1679) bans advance fees, requires a written contract, and gives a three-business-day right to cancel. Accurate, timely items cannot be removed by anyone. How to vet an offer is on credit repair services.

Finding a bankruptcy attorney in Ohio

Ohio has two federal bankruptcy districts — Northern and Southern — and a case is filed in the one serving the county where the filer lives. Each district site posts local rules, local forms, and its pro se resources. The Northern District publishes a legal assistance page and a local bar association directory; the Southern District organizes its self-help material into before, during, and after filing.

Ohio has no single statewide bar referral line. Referrals come from metropolitan and county bar associations, which the Northern District's directory page links to, and Ohio Legal Help maintains a find-a-lawyer section.

If income is limited, the LSC legal aid locator finds the federally funded program for any Ohio address, and the NACBA member directory lists consumer bankruptcy attorneys by ZIP code. The ordered path, what a consultation costs, and the questions to ask before paying are on how to find a bankruptcy attorney near you.

Frequently asked questions

How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Ohio for credit card debt?

R.C. 2329.66(A)(13) exempts the greater of 75 percent of disposable earnings or 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage for a weekly pay period, which leaves a maximum of 25 percent of disposable earnings reachable. That matches the federal ceiling described in the Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #30, so Ohio does not go beyond the federal floor on the percentage itself.

What is Ohio's statute of limitations on credit card debt?

R.C. 2305.07(C) sets six years for an action arising out of a consumer transaction incurred primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, whether or not it was reduced to writing or signed, including an account stated. The same subsection says the cause of action accrues 30 calendar days after the date of the last charge or payment by the consumer, whichever is later.

Did Ohio shorten its statute of limitations on debt?

Yes. Senate Bill 13, effective June 16, 2021, cut the written-contract period in R.C. 2305.06 to six years and set R.C. 2305.07(A) at four years for contracts not in writing. The Ohio Laws page for R.C. 2305.06 also shows a further amendment from Senate Bill 219 taking effect September 23, 2026, which keeps the six-year figure and adds a cross-reference.

What is the notice a creditor has to send before garnishing wages in Ohio?

Under R.C. 2716.02, a judgment creditor has to send a written Notice of Court Proceeding to Collect Debt after the judgment, at least 15 days and not more than 45 days before seeking a garnishment order. The notice lists three ways to avoid the garnishment inside 15 days: pay the amount due, return the attached Payment to Avoid Garnishment form with the computed payment, or apply to the local municipal or county court for appointment of a trustee.

How long do I have to respond to a debt lawsuit in Ohio?

Ohio Legal Help states that the complaint has to be answered within 28 days, and it publishes a debt collection answer form that can be used statewide. Missing that window lets the creditor move for default judgment, which means the court can treat every statement in the complaint as agreed.

Does Ohio let bankruptcy filers use the federal exemptions?

No. R.C. 2329.662 says Ohio specifically does not authorize debtors domiciled in Ohio to use the exemptions in 11 U.S.C. §522(d), so Ohio filers use the state list in R.C. 2329.66. That section was amended effective September 30, 2025 by House Bill 96, and its dollar figures are re-adjusted for inflation every three years.

Is a home protected from a medical debt judgment in Ohio?

R.C. 2329.66(A)(1)(a) treats health care judgments separately: for money owed for health care services or supplies, the residence is exempt from execution, garnishment, attachment, or sale, and enforcement of a judgment lien is delayed until the property is sold or otherwise transferred. That is narrower than it sounds, because the lien itself can still attach, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.

Where do I find legal aid in Ohio?

Ohio Legal Help is the statewide portal, with guided court forms, plain-language articles in more than a dozen languages, and a legal aid finder that matches an address to the local legal aid office. The Northern District bankruptcy court also publishes a legal assistance page and a local bar association directory.

Do credit repair companies have to be registered in Ohio?

Yes. Under R.C. 4712.02, a credit services organization must file a registration application with and receive a certificate of registration from the Division of Financial Institutions before conducting business in Ohio, and R.C. 4712.06 requires a $50,000 surety bond filed with the Division. Ohio does not let the bond unlock advance fees: R.C. 4712.07(A) bars charging anything until the agreed services are complete, and violations are a fifth-degree felony under R.C. 4712.99.

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