Debt relief in Ohio: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
Ohio at a glance (checked November 2026)
| Ohio | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards and most consumer debts | 6 years, counted from 30 days after your last charge or payment |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | Up to 25% of take-home pay |
| State debt collection law | None of its own; the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act covers collectors |
| Who licenses debt collectors | No state license |
| Where to complain | Ohio Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in Ohio
Ohio doesn't license collection agencies or have a separate debt collection statute. The Attorney General says the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act together protect you from abusive, deceptive and unfair collection.
Under the federal law, 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, or misstate what you owe. 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. If a collector breaks these laws, you can sue it within one year of the violation.
The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section takes complaints about collectors and offers informal dispute resolution.
How long creditors have to sue
Since a 2021 change, Ohio gives creditors 6 years to sue on a consumer debt, such as a credit card, personal loan or medical bill (Ohio Rev. Code 2305.07). The clock starts 30 days after your last charge or payment, whichever is later, so a payment starts it over.
Once 6 years have passed, a collector can still ask you to pay but can't sue you or threaten to. If you're sued in Ohio, you have 28 days after you're served to file an answer, or you'll likely lose by default.
What can be garnished in Ohio
Ohio follows the federal limit. A creditor with a judgment can take the lesser of 25% of your take-home pay or the amount you earn above $217.50 a week, which is 30 times the federal minimum wage.
Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even after they're deposited in your bank account.
Ways out of debt in Ohio
- 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.
- What do minimum payments cost? Our minimum payment calculator shows how long the minimums would take and the interest you'd pay.
- Debt settlement companies can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt, under federal rules. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: Ohio makes you use its own exemption list rather than the federal one, including a homestead exemption for the home you live in. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you what you would keep.
Where to get help or complain
- Ohio Attorney General, debt collector complaints takes complaints online or at 800-282-0515.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- Ohio Legal Help has free guides on debt lawsuits and helps you find legal aid, or call 866-529-6446.
General information about Ohio law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.