Debt relief in Georgia: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
Georgia at a glance (checked November 2026)
| Georgia | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards and other written contracts | 6 years |
| Open accounts and unwritten agreements | 4 years |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | Up to 25% of take-home pay (15% for a private student loan) |
| State debt collection law | None of its own; federal law and the Fair Business Practices Act apply |
| Who licenses debt collectors | No state license |
| Where to complain | Georgia Department of Law's Consumer Protection Division, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in Georgia
Georgia doesn't have its own debt collection statute or a state license for collection agencies, so the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is your main protection. A third-party collector can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., threaten arrest or a lawsuit it doesn't plan to file, misstate what you owe, or discuss your debt with your family or coworkers. It must send you a validation notice, and if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, it has to stop until it verifies the debt.
Georgia's Fair Business Practices Act bans unfair and deceptive business practices more generally, and the Consumer Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Law takes complaints about collectors.
How long creditors have to sue
- 6 years for written contracts. Georgia courts have treated credit card debt as a written contract (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-24).
- 4 years for open accounts and agreements that aren't in writing (§ 9-3-25).
The clock usually starts when you default. A signed written acknowledgment of the debt can restart it, and some payments count too, so check how old a debt is before paying on it. Once the time limit has run, a collector can still ask you to pay but can't sue you or threaten to.
What can be garnished in Georgia
For ordinary debts, a creditor with a judgment can take the lesser of 25% of your take-home pay or whatever you earn above $217.50 a week, which is 30 times the federal minimum wage (O.C.G.A. § 18-4-5). If the judgment is for a private student loan, the limit drops to 15%. The cap covers all ordinary garnishments together, even if more than one creditor serves your employer, and your employer can't fire you over a garnishment for a single debt.
Read the garnishment notice carefully. It explains how to claim exemptions, such as Social Security and other benefits, and the deadline for doing it.
Ways out of debt in Georgia
- Nonprofit credit counseling can put your cards on one debt management plan, usually at lower rates. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
- A 0% balance transfer can buy time if your credit is still good. Our balance transfer calculator shows what you'd save after the transfer fee.
- Debt management and settlement companies fall under Georgia's Debt Adjustment Act, which generally caps their fee at 7.5% of the money you pay them each month for your creditors and lets an overcharged consumer seek a refund. Federal rules also ban settlement fees before a debt is actually settled, and forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: Georgia makes you use its own exemption list rather than the federal one, and its homestead exemption is modest, so ask a bankruptcy attorney what you would keep before you file.
Where to get help or complain
- Georgia Consumer Protection Division takes consumer complaints online, or call 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- Georgia Legal Aid has free legal information and lists legal aid offices across the state.
General information about Georgia law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.