The WG-006 is California’s Claim of Exemption form for wage garnishment. If the garnishment prevents you from paying necessary living expenses, this form allows you to ask that the withholding be reduced or stopped. Submit it to the levying officer—not the court clerk—and act as soon as possible.
Written by Christopher Stefan, California Attorney
If your employer has told you that part of your paycheck will be withheld, you may still have options. California allows qualifying judgment debtors to claim that some or all of their earnings are needed to support themselves or their families.
This guide explains the WG-006, the accompanying WG-007 Financial Statement, where to submit the forms, and what happens after they are submitted. It covers ordinary California wage garnishments based on private civil judgments. Different procedures apply to taxes, child support, spousal support, and some government debts.
Free guided tool: Law Without Lawyers provides a free, private browser-based tool to help California users organize their information and prepare the WG-006 and WG-007 forms. Your answers remain in your browser. Use the Free California Wage Garnishment Exemption Tool.
What Is the WG-006?
The WG-006 is the Claim of Exemption form used in California wage-garnishment proceedings. It allows you to tell the levying officer and judgment creditor that you need some or all of your earnings to provide necessary support for yourself or your family.
The wage-garnishment order served on an employer is generally called an Earnings Withholding Order, form WG-002. The employer must also provide the employee with instructions explaining the garnishment and the exemption process.
Submitting the WG-006 does not automatically produce a court hearing. The levying officer sends the claim to the judgment creditor. If the creditor does not oppose the claim, the levying officer may direct the employer to stop or reduce the withholding. If the creditor opposes the claim, the court will schedule a hearing.
Who Can Request an Exemption?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 706.051, a judgment debtor may claim that earnings are necessary for the support of the debtor or the debtor’s family.
The issue is not simply whether the garnishment is inconvenient. You should explain why the withheld earnings are needed for necessary expenses such as housing, food, utilities, medical care, transportation, and support of household members.
Special rules and exceptions apply to certain debts, including child support, spousal support, taxes, and some government obligations. The WG-006 process discussed here primarily concerns wage garnishment resulting from an ordinary civil money judgment.
Submit the Forms as Soon as Possible
The official WG-003 Employee Instructions state that you should file your Claim of Exemption as soon as possible for the greatest protection.
Do not assume that you have permanently lost the ability to request an exemption merely because withholding has already begun or more than 10 days have passed. A Claim of Exemption may generally still be submitted during the withholding period. However, waiting can affect what happens to earnings that have already been withheld or released.
Important: Act promptly. Follow the instructions included with your garnishment papers and contact the levying officer identified on those papers if you are uncertain where or how to submit your claim.
What Information Do the Forms Request?
The WG-006 asks for information identifying the garnishment and allows you to state how much of your earnings you need for support. It also allows you to propose an amount, if any, that you are willing to have withheld during each pay period.
The accompanying WG-007 Financial Statement provides the financial details supporting the request. It asks about matters such as:
- Your income and the income of your household;
- Your rent or mortgage;
- Utilities and food;
- Transportation and employment expenses;
- Medical expenses;
- Childcare and support obligations;
- Other necessary monthly expenses; and
- The people who depend on your income.
Provide accurate and complete information. If the creditor opposes the claim, the judge may examine your income, expenses, household circumstances, and supporting documents.
Where Do You Submit the WG-006 and WG-007?
Do not file the WG-006 with the court clerk.
Mail or deliver the completed WG-006 Claim of Exemption and WG-007 Financial Statement to the levying officer identified on your wage-garnishment papers. The levying officer is ordinarily the county sheriff handling the garnishment.
Follow the current WG-003 Employee Instructions concerning the required number of copies. Keep a complete copy of everything you submit.
For additional official instructions, visit the California Courts Self-Help Guide for wage-garnishment claims of exemption.
What Happens After You Submit the Forms?
The levying officer sends notice of your claim to the judgment creditor.
If the creditor does not oppose the claim, the levying officer may direct your employer to stop withholding or to withhold a smaller amount.
If the creditor opposes the claim, you should receive a Notice of Opposition and a Notice of Hearing stating when and where the court will consider the claim. Attend the hearing and bring documents supporting the income and expenses listed in your Financial Statement.
Possible outcomes include:
- The garnishment is stopped;
- The amount withheld each pay period is reduced;
- The creditor accepts the amount you offered; or
- The exemption is denied.
What Should You Bring to a Hearing?
Bring copies of the WG-006 and WG-007 and documents supporting the financial information you provided. Depending on your situation, useful documents may include:
- Recent pay stubs;
- Bank statements;
- A lease, rent receipt, or mortgage statement;
- Utility bills;
- Medical and prescription expenses;
- Childcare expenses;
- Transportation expenses; and
- Evidence of unusual or necessary household costs.
The purpose of these documents is to show why the requested earnings are genuinely necessary to support you or your family.
How the WG-006 Relates to Other Garnishment Forms
The creditor generally obtains a Writ of Execution, form EJ-130, and asks the levying officer to issue an Earnings Withholding Order, form WG-002. The WG-002 is served on the employer.
The employee receives instructions concerning the withholding and exemption process. The employee then uses the WG-006 Claim of Exemption and WG-007 Financial Statement to request protection for earnings needed for support.
If you are still unclear about how the process began, see our guide to California wage garnishments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does submitting the WG-006 immediately stop the garnishment?
Not necessarily. The result depends partly on whether the creditor opposes the claim and whether the court must hold a hearing. Submit the forms promptly to obtain the greatest available protection.
Do I submit the WG-006 to the court?
No. Submit the WG-006 and WG-007 to the levying officer identified on your garnishment papers, ordinarily the sheriff. Do not file the WG-006 directly with the court clerk.
What happens if the creditor does not oppose my claim?
If the creditor does not oppose the claim within the applicable time, the levying officer may direct the employer to stop withholding or to withhold the reduced amount stated in the claim.
What happens if the creditor opposes my claim?
You should receive documents identifying the creditor’s opposition and the date, time, and location of the court hearing. Attend the hearing and bring evidence supporting your Financial Statement.
Can I submit a claim after garnishment has started?
Generally, yes. However, you should act as soon as possible because delaying can affect earnings that have already been withheld or released.
Can I prepare the forms without an attorney?
Yes. The forms and official instructions are available without charge. Law Without Lawyers also provides a free guided tool that helps you organize your information and prepare the WG-006 and WG-007.
Does this process apply to child support, taxes, or government garnishments?
Not necessarily. Those obligations may be governed by different exemption procedures and withholding rules. Review the documents you received to identify the type of garnishment involved.
Prepare your forms for free: Use Law Without Lawyers’ Free California Wage Garnishment Exemption Tool to prepare the WG-006 and WG-007 through a guided questionnaire. The tool operates in your browser and does not send your answers to Law Without Lawyers.
This article provides general educational information and is not legal advice. Court procedures and forms can change. Review the current instructions included with your garnishment papers and the official California Courts materials before submitting anything.