Chapter 7 Exemptions: What You Keep
Filing Chapter 7 does not mean losing everything. Exemptions are categories of property the law protects from the bankruptcy trustee. This table compares the homestead, motor-vehicle, and wildcard exemptions for the federal set under 11 U.S.C. §522(d) and ten priority states, and shows whether a debtor may elect the federal set. Many other category-specific exemptions exist (retirement accounts, tools of trade, public benefits, household goods) — this table covers only the three figures a consumer estimator surfaces (11 U.S.C. §522; Nolo state guides).
The 730-Day Domicile Rule
You cannot simply pick the most generous state. Under 11 U.S.C. §522(b)(3), to use a state's exemptions you must have been domiciled there for the 730 days before filing; otherwise an earlier state's exemptions, or the federal set, apply. "Opt-in" states let a debtor choose the federal §522(d) set instead of state exemptions; "opt-out" states require their own.
Federal §522(d) (2026)
The federal exemptions under 11 U.S.C. §522(d) are effective April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028 (Judicial Conference / Federal Register 90 FR 8923): homestead $31,575, one motor vehicle $5,025, and a wildcard of $1,675 plus up to $15,800 of any unused homestead exemption. A married couple filing jointly may each claim the federal set, effectively doubling the amounts. The federal set is available only in opt-in states.
Amounts Change — Always Verify
Exemption amounts change frequently — the federal figures adjust every three years and many states index to CPI or legislate increases. Illinois increased its homestead and vehicle exemptions effective January 1, 2026; Georgia's homestead rises July 1, 2026. The figures below were cross-checked against Nolo state guides and state statutes in June 2026. Verify the current statute before relying on any figure.
People's Justice is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice; we connect you with licensed attorneys. We are not a government agency. These figures are educational estimates only.
The dataset
The Data
| State | Homestead | Vehicle | Wildcard | Can elect federal §522(d)? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Federal §522(d) | $31,575 | $5,025 | $1,675 + up to $15,800 unused homestead | N/A (federal set; available only in opt-in states) |
California | System 1: up to $743,681.08 (2026 max, indexed, varies by county) / System 2: $36,750 | $8,625 (both systems) | System 1: none / System 2: $1,950 + unused homestead (up to $36,750) | No — CA may not use federal; debtor elects System 1 (CCP §704) or System 2 (§703) |
Texas | Unlimited (10 acres urban / 100–200 acres rural) | Unlimited for one vehicle per licensed household member | No state wildcard; personal property capped $50,000 single / $100,000 family | Yes |
Florida | Unlimited (0.5 acre municipal / 160 acres elsewhere) | $5,000 | $1,000 ($4,000 if homestead not used) | No |
New York | $204,825 / $170,700 / $102,400 by county tier (CPI-indexed) | $4,825 ($11,975 if equipped for a disabled debtor) | Up to $1,175 cash/personal property only if homestead not used | Yes |
Illinois | $50,000 individual / $100,000 joint (eff. Jan 1, 2026) | $3,600 (eff. Jan 1, 2026) | $4,000 individual / $8,000 joint | No |
Georgia | $21,500 individual / $43,000 joint (rises to $50,000/$100,000 Jul 1, 2026) | $5,000 | $1,200 + up to $10,000 unused homestead | No |
Pennsylvania | None (no state homestead) | None (no state vehicle exemption) | $300 any property | Yes — most PA debtors elect the federal set |
Ohio | $182,625 (eff. Apr 1, 2025, CPI-adjusted) | $5,025 | $1,675 any property | No |
North Carolina | $35,000 ($60,000 if 65+ and former co-owner spouse deceased) | $3,500 (one vehicle) | Up to $5,000 of unused homestead/burial applied to any property | No |
Arizona | $400,000+ base (CPI-adjusted each Jan 1) | $15,000 ($25,000 if debtor/dependent disabled) | None (no wildcard) | No |
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Exemptions by State (2026)
Methodology
How We Gathered This Data
Sources & attribution
Data Sources
- 11 U.S.C. § 522 (federal exemptions; §522(d) amounts per Federal Register 90 FR 8923, eff. Apr 1, 2025–Mar 31, 2028)
- Nolo — Federal Bankruptcy Exemptions (2025–2028)
- California: CCP §704 (System 1) / §703.140 (System 2)
- Texas: Tex. Prop. Code §41 / §42; Florida: Fla. Const. art. X §4 / Fla. Stat. §222
- New York: CPLR §5206 / D&CL §282–283; Illinois: 735 ILCS 5/12-901 et seq. (eff. Jan 1, 2026)
- Georgia: O.C.G.A. §44-13-100 (homestead rises Jul 1, 2026, HB 1024); Pennsylvania: 42 Pa. C.S. §8123
- Ohio: Ohio Rev. Code §2329.66; North Carolina: N.C. Gen. Stat. §1C-1601; Arizona: A.R.S. §33-1101 et seq.
- Nolo state bankruptcy exemption guides (cross-checked June 2026)