Misdemeanor Classes and Penalties by State (2026)
How each state grades misdemeanors and the maximum jail time and fines.
| State | Misdemeanor classes and maximum penalties |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Class A misdemeanor: up to one (1) year imprisonment in the county jail, or a fine up to $6,000, or both. Class B misdemeanor: up to six (6) months in the county jail, or a fine up to $3,000, or both. Class C misdemeanor: up to three (3) months in the county jail, or a fine not to exceed $500, or both. The code also defines 'violations' as a lower category; the court rules' bail schedule lists a separate range for a violation. Ala. Code 1975 §§ 13A-5-7, 13A-5-12; Form CR-51 (Rev. 1/2019); Ala. R. Crim. P. 7.2(b) |
| Alaska | Class A misdemeanor: jail for up to 1 year and/or a fine up to $25,000. Class B misdemeanor: jail for up to 90 days and/or a fine up to $2,000. A violation is an offense that carries no jail time but may result in a fine up to $500; a violation is not considered a crime. AS 12.55.035, 12.55.135; Alaska Court System Self-Help Center |
| Arizona | Class 1 misdemeanor: up to six months in jail and a fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars. Class 2 misdemeanor: up to four months and a fine of up to $750. Class 3 misdemeanor: up to thirty days and a fine of up to $500. Petty offense: fine of up to $300 (no jail). A misdemeanor sentence is served somewhere other than state department of corrections custody. If a person is convicted of a misdemeanor or petty offense (other than traffic) within two years of a prior conviction for the same kind of offense, the court sentences the person one class higher. A.R.S. §§ 13-707, 13-802 |
| Arkansas | Class A misdemeanor: up to 1 year; up to $2,500. Class B misdemeanor: up to 90 days; up to $1,000. Class C misdemeanor: up to 30 days; up to $500. Ark. Code §§ 5-4-201, 5-4-401; Arkansas Sentencing Commission, Impact Assessment for SB300 (prepared 3/4/2025) |
| California | California has no misdemeanor classes. A misdemeanor is, by default, a crime punishable, at the discretion of the court, by imprisonment in a county jail for a period of no longer than 6 months or by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by both; individual statutes may set other penalties. An infraction is a violation of a law not punishable by imprisonment but by a fine generally not exceeding $100 for violations of the Vehicle Code or $250 for violations of other codes. Cal. Penal Code §§ 19, 19.8(b); Veh. Code § 42001; Judicial Council of California, Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules, 2026 Edition (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.102) |
| Colorado | For offenses committed on or after March 1, 2022: Class 1 misdemeanor, up to 364 days imprisonment, not more than a one thousand dollar fine, or both; Class 2 misdemeanor, up to 120 days imprisonment, not more than a seven hundred fifty dollar fine, or both. Petty offense: a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, imprisonment for not more than ten days in a county jail, or both. Civil infraction: a fine of not more than one hundred dollars unless otherwise provided by statute; a civil infraction is a civil matter. Drug misdemeanors are graded separately (DM1, DM2). The maximum consecutive county jail sentence for misdemeanors charged in a single case is twenty-four months. C.R.S. §§ 18-1.3-501(1)(a.5), (1)(c.5); 18-1.3-503(1.5), (1.6) (SB 21-271, effective March 1, 2022) |
| Connecticut | A misdemeanor is an offense punishable by not more than one year of imprisonment, classified as Class A, B, C, D and unclassified. Maximum jail (§ 53a-36): Class A — one year; Class B — six months; Class C — three months; Class D — thirty days. Maximum fines (§ 53a-42): Class A — $2,000; Class B — $1,000; Class C — $500; Class D — $250; unclassified — as the defining statute specifies. A 'violation' is an offense for which the only sentence authorized is a fine (unless expressly designated an infraction); the fine for a violation may not exceed $500 unless the defining statute specifies otherwise. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-26, 53a-27, 53a-36, 53a-42, 53a-43 |
| Delaware | Class A misdemeanor — up to 1 year incarceration at Level V and a fine up to $2,300; Class B misdemeanor — up to 6 months and a fine up to $1,150; unclassified misdemeanor (if no sentence is specified in the law) — up to 30 days and a fine up to $575. Violations: the court may impose a fine of up to $345 for the first offense, up to $690 for the second offense of the same violation and up to $1,150 for the third offense of the same violation. 11 Del. C. §§ 4206, 4207(a) |
| District of Columbia | Jail terms are set in each offense's section. Maximum fines by maximum jail term (§ 22-3571.01(b)): $100 if punishable by 10 days or less; $250 if 30 days (one month) or less but more than 10 days; $500 if 90 days (3 months) or less but more than 30 days; $1,000 if 180 days (6 months) or less but more than 90 days; $2,500 if one year or less but more than 180 days. D.C. Code § 22-3571.01(b) |
| Florida | Misdemeanors are of the first or second degree; a misdemeanor with no degree specified is of the second degree (§ 775.081(2)). First degree — a definite term not exceeding 1 year and a fine of $1,000; second degree — a definite term not exceeding 60 days and a fine of $500. A noncriminal violation carries a fine of $500 (§ 775.083(1)(e)). Fla. Stat. §§ 775.081, 775.082(4), 775.083(1) |
| Georgia | Georgia has two misdemeanor levels. A 'misdemeanor' and a 'misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature' each mean 'any crime other than a felony.' Unless a statute says otherwise, a misdemeanor is punished by 'a fine not to exceed $1,000.00' or jail 'for a total term not to exceed 12 months, or both' (or up to 12 months in a state probation detention center). A misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature carries 'a fine not to exceed $5,000.00,' jail 'for a term not to exceed 12 months,' or both. O.C.G.A. §§ 16-1-3; 17-10-3(a); 17-10-4 |
| Hawaii | Misdemeanor: a definite term not to exceed one year; petty misdemeanor: not to exceed thirty days (§ 706-663). Maximum fines: misdemeanor — $2,000; petty misdemeanor or violation — $1,000 (§ 706-640(1)). A violation 'does not constitute a crime'; it is a non-criminal offense punishable only by a fine, forfeiture or civil penalty (§ 701-107). Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 701-107, 706-640, 706-663 |
| Idaho | Idaho has a single misdemeanor category: every crime that is not a felony is a misdemeanor. Unless a different punishment is prescribed, a misdemeanor is punishable by up to six (6) months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. An infraction is a civil public offense, not a crime, punishable only by a penalty not exceeding three hundred dollars ($300), with no incarceration; if no specific penalty is set, the infraction penalty is $15.50. Idaho Code §§ 18-111, 18-113, 18-113A |
| Illinois | Illinois has Class A, B and C misdemeanors. Class A: less than one year in jail and a fine up to $2,500. Class B: up to 6 months in jail and a fine up to $1,500. Class C: up to 30 days in jail and a fine up to $1,500. The fine can be higher if the offense specifies a greater amount. Probation or conditional discharge can be up to 2 years. 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-55, -60, -65 |
| Indiana | Indiana has Class A, B and C misdemeanors. Class A: a fixed term of not more than one (1) year and a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000). Class B: not more than one hundred eighty (180) days and a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). Class C: not more than sixty (60) days and a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500). Ind. Code §§ 35-50-3-2, 35-50-3-3, 35-50-3-4 |
| Iowa | Iowa has simple, serious and aggravated misdemeanors. Simple misdemeanor: fine of at least $105 but not more than $855, and the court may order up to thirty days in jail instead of or in addition to the fine. Serious misdemeanor: fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560, and the court may also order up to one year. Aggravated misdemeanor (where no specific penalty is provided): up to two years and a fine of at least $855 but not more than $8,540. Surcharges are added on top of these fines. Iowa Code § 903.1 (Iowa Code 2026) |
| Kansas | Kansas has class A, B and C misdemeanors plus unclassified misdemeanors. Jail: class A not to exceed one year; class B not to exceed six months; class C not to exceed one month. Fines: class A up to $2,500; class B up to $1,000; class C up to $500. An unclassified misdemeanor carries the penalty in the statute defining it, or, if none, the class C penalty. K.S.A. 21-6602, 21-6611 |
| Kentucky | Class A misdemeanor — jail term not to exceed 12 months and a fine not to exceed $500; Class B misdemeanor — not to exceed 90 days and a fine not to exceed $250. Violation — a fine not to exceed $250 (an offense punishable by a fine only or other punishment other than death or imprisonment is deemed a violation, § 532.020(4)). Fines are not imposed on a person determined to be indigent. KRS 532.090; KRS 534.040(2), (4); KRS 532.020(4) |
| Louisiana | A 'misdemeanor' is any crime other than a felony. Misdemeanors are not divided into classes; the jail term and fine are set in each offense's statute (for example, theft of less than $1,000: imprisonment for not more than six months, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both, R.S. 14:67(B)(4)(a)). La. R.S. 14:2(A)(6); R.S. 14:67(B)(4) |
| Maine | The lower classes, unless a different maximum is specified by statute: Class D — imprisonment of less than one year and a fine up to $2,000; Class E — 6 months and a fine up to $1,000 (§§ 1604(1), 1704). Civil violations are 'expressly declared not to be criminal offenses' and are enforced in a civil action for a fine, penalty or other sanction or a forfeiture; a law that prohibits conduct but provides no imprisonment penalty is a civil violation (§ 4-B). 17-A M.R.S. §§ 4-B, 1604(1), 1704 |
| Maryland | Misdemeanors are likewise not divided into general classes; the penalty is set in each offense statute. Example (theft): $100 to under $1,500 — misdemeanor, up to 6 months and/or a fine up to $500 for a first conviction (up to 1 year for a second or subsequent); under $100 — misdemeanor, up to 90 days and/or a fine up to $500. Some misdemeanors are punishable by confinement in the penitentiary (Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106(b)). Md. Code, Crim. Law § 7-104(g)(2)-(3); Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106(b) |
| Massachusetts | 'All other crimes are misdemeanors' — that is, any crime not punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison. Misdemeanors are not divided into classes; each offense statute sets its own penalty. Some conduct is made only a civil offense (for example, possession of 3 ounces or less of marijuana, G.L. c. 94C, § 32L). G.L. c. 274, § 1 |
| Michigan | Misdemeanor penalties are set in each offense statute. A misdemeanor for which no punishment is specially prescribed is punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both. Examples of statutory tiers (larceny): less than $200 — misdemeanor, up to 93 days and/or a fine up to $500 or 3 times the value; $200 to less than $1,000 — misdemeanor, up to 1 year and/or a fine up to $2,000 or 3 times the value (MCL 750.356(4)-(5)). Some violations are civil infractions (for example, certain marihuana violations, MCL 333.27965). MCL 750.504; MCL 750.356(4)-(5) |
| Minnesota | Gross misdemeanor — any crime that is not a felony or misdemeanor; maximum fine $3,000 (§ 609.02, subd. 4); when not otherwise fixed, up to 364 days' imprisonment, a fine up to $3,000, or both (§ 609.03). Misdemeanor — not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both (§ 609.02, subd. 3). Petty misdemeanor — a petty offense prohibited by statute that 'does not constitute a crime,' with a fine of not more than $300 (§ 609.02, subd. 4a). Minn. Stat. §§ 609.02, subds. 3, 4, 4a; 609.03 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi does not group misdemeanors into classes; each offense statute sets its own fine and jail term. When a statute makes conduct a crime without setting a penalty, the default punishment is a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), up to six months in the county jail, or both (§ 99-19-31). Under § 1-3-11, a 'felony' is any violation punished with death or confinement in the penitentiary, so offenses punished only by fine or county jail are misdemeanors. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 99-19-31, 1-3-11 |
| Missouri | Class A misdemeanor — a term not to exceed one year and a fine not exceeding $2,000; Class B — not to exceed six months and $1,000; Class C — not to exceed fifteen days and $750; Class D misdemeanor — fine not exceeding $500 (no jail term is listed in § 558.011). Infraction — fine not exceeding $400. RSMo §§ 558.002, 558.011 |
| Montana | Montana does not grade misdemeanors into classes. A 'misdemeanor' is an offense for which the sentence imposed upon conviction is imprisonment in the county jail for a term or a fine, or both, or imprisonment in a state prison for a term of 1 year or less (§ 45-2-101(42)). When an offense is designated a misdemeanor and no penalty is otherwise provided, the court may impose a term not to exceed 6 months in the county jail, a fine not to exceed $500, or both (§ 46-18-212). MCA §§ 45-2-101(42), 46-18-212 |
| Nebraska | Class I misdemeanor — maximum one year imprisonment, $1,000 fine, or both; Class II — six months, $1,000, or both; Class III — three months, $500, or both; Class IIIA — seven days, $500, or both; Class IV — no imprisonment, $500 fine; Class V — no imprisonment, $100 fine. None of these classes has a minimum penalty. (Class W misdemeanors apply to impaired-driving offenses and are not covered here.) Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-106(1) |
| Nevada | Gross misdemeanor — imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 364 days, or a fine of not more than $2,000, or both (NRS 193.140). Misdemeanor — imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 6 months, or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both (NRS 193.150(1)); in each case unless a different penalty is prescribed by statute. A misdemeanor is a crime punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or county jail for not more than 6 months; 'Every other crime is a gross misdemeanor' (NRS 193.120). NRS 193.120, 193.140, 193.150 |
| New Hampshire | Class A misdemeanor — up to one year of imprisonment and a fine up to $2,000. Class B misdemeanor — no incarceration or probation may be imposed (§ 651:2, III); fine up to $1,200. Violation — fine up to $1,000; a violation does not constitute a crime (§ 625:9). A misdemeanor with no specified class is presumed to be a class B misdemeanor unless it has an element of an act or threat of violence, the state files notice of intent to seek class A penalties by arraignment, or the charge is filed directly in superior court. A statutory requirement that specifies neither a penalty nor a classification is deemed a violation. RSA 625:9; RSA 651:2, II-IV |
| New Jersey | New Jersey's lower-level offenses are disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses, which 'are petty offenses' and 'are not crimes within the meaning of the Constitution of this State' (§ 2C:1-4). Disorderly persons offense — imprisonment not to exceed 6 months and a fine up to $1,000. Petty disorderly persons offense — imprisonment not to exceed 30 days and a fine up to $500. N.J.S. 2C:1-4; N.J.S. 2C:43-3; N.J.S. 2C:43-8 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico has two lower grades of crime: misdemeanors and petty misdemeanors. Misdemeanor: imprisonment in the county jail for a definite term less than one year, or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, in the judge's discretion. Petty misdemeanor: imprisonment in the county jail for a definite term not to exceed six months, or a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both. When a sentence is deferred or suspended, the court places the defendant on supervised or unsupervised probation. NMSA 1978, § 31-19-1(A)-(C); § 30-1-5 |
| New York | Class A misdemeanor — term shall not exceed three hundred sixty-four days; fine not exceeding one thousand dollars. Class B misdemeanor — term shall not exceed three months; fine not exceeding five hundred dollars. Unclassified misdemeanor — as specified in the law defining the crime, and in any event not to exceed three hundred sixty-four days; fine per the defining law. Violation — term shall not exceed fifteen days; fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars. References to 'one year' or '365 days' in misdemeanor sentences are treated as 364 days (§ 70.15(1-a)). N.Y. Penal Law §§ 70.15, 80.05 |
| North Carolina | Misdemeanors are Class A1, 1, 2 and 3, sentenced by class and prior conviction level (Level I no priors; Level II one to four; Level III five or more) (§ 15A-1340.23(c)). Class A1 — 1-60 days (Level I), 1-75 days (Level II), 1-150 days (Level III). Class 1 — 1-45 days, 1-45 days, 1-120 days. Class 2 — 1-30 days, 1-45 days, 1-60 days. Class 3 — 1-10 days (Level I), 1-15 days (Level II), 1-20 days (Level III). Fines: unless otherwise provided, the maximum fine is two hundred dollars ($200.00) for a Class 3 misdemeanor and one thousand dollars ($1,000) for a Class 2 misdemeanor; the fine for a Class 1 or Class A1 misdemeanor is in the discretion of the court (§ 15A-1340.23(b)). A person convicted of a Class 3 misdemeanor who has no more than three prior convictions receives a fine only (§ 15A-1340.23(d)). N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1340.23 |
| North Dakota | Class A misdemeanor: maximum of imprisonment for three hundred sixty days, a fine of three thousand dollars, or both. Class B misdemeanor: maximum of thirty days' imprisonment, a fine of one thousand five hundred dollars, or both. Infraction: maximum fine of one thousand dollars (no jail); a person convicted of an infraction who, within one year before the offense, was previously convicted at least twice of the same infraction may be sentenced as though convicted of a class B misdemeanor. N.D.C.C. § 12.1-32-01(5)-(7) |
| Ohio | Misdemeanor of the first degree: not more than one hundred eighty days in jail and a fine of not more than one thousand dollars. Second degree: not more than ninety days; fine not more than seven hundred fifty dollars. Third degree: not more than sixty days; fine not more than five hundred dollars. Fourth degree: not more than thirty days; fine not more than two hundred fifty dollars. Minor misdemeanor: fine of not more than one hundred fifty dollars (no jail term is listed for a minor misdemeanor). R.C. 2929.24(A), 2929.28(A)(2)(a) |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma does not divide misdemeanors into classes in the general provisions. Except where a different punishment is prescribed, every misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or both. Individual statutes set their own misdemeanor penalties (for example, petit larceny: a fine of not less than Ten Dollars ($10.00) or more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or county jail not to six (6) months, or both). 21 O.S. §§ 10, 1706 |
| Oregon | Misdemeanor sentences are for a definite term: Class A misdemeanor, up to 364 days and a fine of up to $6,250; Class B misdemeanor, up to 6 months and a fine of up to $2,500; Class C misdemeanor, up to 30 days and a fine of up to $1,250. Violations are offenses punishable by a fine but not by a term of imprisonment; maximum fines for an individual are $2,000 for a Class A violation, $1,000 for a Class B violation, $500 for a Class C violation, $250 for a Class D violation, and $2,000 (or the amount otherwise set by law) for a specific fine violation. ORS 161.615, 161.635(1), 153.008(1), 153.018(2) |
| Pennsylvania | Misdemeanor of the first degree: up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000. Misdemeanor of the second degree: up to two years and up to $5,000. Misdemeanor of the third degree: up to one year and up to $2,500. Summary offense: imprisonment of not more than 90 days and a fine of up to $300 when no higher fine is established. 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 1101, 1104, 1105 |
| Rhode Island | Misdemeanor: any criminal offense punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both. Petty misdemeanor: punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both. Violation: any offense punishable by only a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500). R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-1-2 |
| South Carolina | Classified misdemeanors: Class A misdemeanor, not more than three years; Class B, not more than two years; Class C, not more than one year. All offenses with a term of imprisonment of less than one year are misdemeanors and exempt from the classification system; their penalties (including fines) are set in the individual statutes. S.C. Code §§ 16-1-20(A)(7)-(9), 16-1-10(C) |
| South Dakota | Class 1 misdemeanor: one year imprisonment in a county jail or two thousand dollars fine, or both. Class 2 misdemeanor: thirty days imprisonment in a county jail or five hundred dollars fine, or both. The court must also order restitution to any victim. For statutes outside certain listed titles, an act prohibited by statute with no penalty stated is a Class 2 misdemeanor. SDCL 22-6-2 |
| Tennessee | Tennessee has three misdemeanor classes. Class A misdemeanor: not greater than 11 months, 29 days, or a fine not to exceed $2,500, or both. Class B misdemeanor: not greater than 6 months or a fine not to exceed $500, or both. Class C misdemeanor: not greater than 30 days or a fine not to exceed $50, or both. Each applies 'unless otherwise provided by statute.' Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-35-111(e) |
| Texas | Class A misdemeanor: a fine not to exceed $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both. Class B misdemeanor: a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days, or both. Class C misdemeanor: a fine not to exceed $500 (no jail). Tex. Penal Code §§ 12.21-12.23 |
| Utah | Class A misdemeanor: a term not exceeding 364 days (a class A misdemeanor under Title 76, Chapter 5, Offenses Against the Individual, may be up to one year, with listed exceptions), and a fine not exceeding $2,500. Class B misdemeanor: a term not exceeding six months and a fine not exceeding $1,000. Class C misdemeanor: a term not exceeding 90 days and a fine not exceeding $750. Infraction: no imprisonment; the person may be subject to a fine (not exceeding $750), forfeiture, and disqualification. Utah Code §§ 76-3-204, 76-3-205, 76-3-301(1) |
| Vermont | Vermont does not grade misdemeanors into classes. Any offense that is not a felony (that is, any offense whose maximum term of imprisonment is two years or less) is a misdemeanor; the maximum jail term and fine are set in each offense statute. 13 V.S.A. § 1 |
| Virginia | Class 1 misdemeanor: confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and/or a fine of not more than $2,500. Class 2: confinement in jail for not more than 6 months and/or a fine of not more than $1,000. Class 3: a fine of not more than $500. Class 4: a fine of not more than $250. Va. Code § 18.2-11 |
| Washington | Gross misdemeanor: up to 364 days in the county jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Misdemeanor: up to 90 days in the county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. RCW 9A.20.021(2)-(3) |
| West Virginia | No general misdemeanor classes. Any offense not punishable by confinement in the penitentiary is a misdemeanor, and the jail term and fine are set in the statute defining each offense (for example, petit larceny: up to 1 year in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or both; simple possession of a controlled substance: 90 days to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both). W. Va. Code §§ 61-11-1, 61-3-13(b), 60A-4-401(c) |
| Wisconsin | Class A misdemeanor: a fine not to exceed $10,000, or imprisonment not to exceed 9 months, or both. Class B misdemeanor: a fine not to exceed $1,000, or imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, or both. Class C misdemeanor: a fine not to exceed $500, or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or both. Forfeitures (civil, no imprisonment): Class A, not to exceed $10,000; Class B, $1,000; Class C, $500; Class D, $200; Class E, $25. Wis. Stat. §§ 939.51(3), 939.52(3) |
| Wyoming | No general misdemeanor classes. Unless a different penalty is prescribed by law, every crime declared to be a misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), or both. Each conviction also carries a court automation fee of forty dollars ($40.00) and an indigent civil legal services fee of ten dollars ($10.00). Some offenses (mostly game and fish offenses in Title 23) are labeled 'low' or 'high' misdemeanors, which differ by the penalty specified. W.S. 6-10-101, 6-10-103 |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.