Charges and sentences
Felony and misdemeanor classes in Connecticut
Connecticut grades felonies as Class A, B, C, D or E, plus unclassified felonies that set their own sentence. Misdemeanors are Class A, B, C or D, plus unclassified misdemeanors. An offense that carries only a fine is a violation.1
Checked October 29, 2026 against Connecticut's own statutes, then by a second reader. General information, not legal advice.
- What makes it a felony
- In Connecticut, a felony is an offense that can be punished by more than one year in prison. An offense with a maximum of one year or less is a misdemeanor.1
- Felony theft starts at
- More than $2,000How theft is graded
- When a OUI is a felony
- Connecticut's DUI statute does not label any repeat offense a felony or a misdemeanor. A second violation within 10 years of a prior conviction carries up to 2 years in prison, and a third or later violation within 10 years carries up to 3 years. State law defines a felony as an offense that can bring more than one year in prison (§ 53a-25).2
Felony classes in Connecticut
From most to least serious: Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, Class E, Unclassified. The sentence is the range the law allows; the judge picks within it.
| Class | Prison | Fine | The law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A felony | 10 to 25 yearsMurder is 25 years to life. Aggravated sexual assault of a minor (§ 53a-70c) is 25 to 50 years. Murder with special circumstances is life without the possibility of release. | Up to $20,000 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-35a(1)-(4), 53a-411 |
| Class B felony | 1 to 20 yearsManslaughter in the first degree with a firearm (§ 53a-55a) is 5 to 40 years. | Up to $15,000 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-35a(5)-(6), 53a-411 |
| Class C felony | 1 to 10 years | Up to $10,000 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-35a(7), 53a-411 |
| Class D felony | Up to 5 years | Up to $5,000 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-35a(8), 53a-411 |
| Class E felony | Up to 3 years | Up to $3,500 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-35a(9), 53a-411 |
| Unclassified felony | As set by the law that defines the crimeThe felony ranges above apply "unless the section of the general statutes that defines or provides the penalty for the crime specifically provides otherwise." | As set by the law that defines the crime | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-35a(10), 53a-41(6)1 |
Misdemeanor classes in Connecticut
| Class | Jail | Fine | The law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 364 daysSection 53a-36 still says one year, but since Oct. 1, 2021, § 53a-36a caps any sentence of up to one year at 364 days. A conviction stays a misdemeanor. | Up to $2,000 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-36(1), 53a-36a(a), 53a-42(1)1 |
| Class B misdemeanor | Up to 6 months | Up to $1,000 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-36(2), 53a-42(2)1 |
| Class C misdemeanor | Up to 3 months | Up to $500 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-36(3), 53a-42(3)1 |
| Class D misdemeanor | Up to 30 days | Up to $250 | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-36(4), 53a-42(4)1 |
| Unclassified misdemeanor | As set by the law that defines the crime | As set by the law that defines the crime | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-36(5), 53a-42(5)1 |
Below a misdemeanor
| Class | Penalty | The law |
|---|---|---|
| Violation | Fine only, up to $500An offense for which the only sentence allowed is a fine is a violation unless the law designates it an infraction (§ 53a-27(a)). If the law that defines the offense states a fine amount, that amount applies. | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-27(a), 53a-431 |
Good to know
Each felony's class is written into the statute that defines it. An offense outside the Penal Code that carries more than one year but names no class is treated as a class E felony if the maximum is three years or less, and as an unclassified felony if the maximum is longer.1
A misdemeanor with no named class is sorted by its maximum term: one year is a class A misdemeanor, six months is class B, three months is class C, 30 days is class D, and any other term is unclassified.1
Prison sentences for felonies and misdemeanors are definite sentences, meaning the court sets a fixed term. The ranges above apply unless the specific crime's statute sets a different one.1
When theft is a felony in Connecticut
In Connecticut, larceny of property worth more than $2,000 is a felony. It is larceny in the third degree, a class D felony, from more than $2,000 up to $10,000. Over $10,000 it is second degree (class C felony), and over $20,000 it is first degree (class B felony). Taking property from another person is second-degree larceny at any value. At $2,000 or less it is generally a misdemeanor (larceny in the fourth, fifth or sixth degree), with a few exceptions such as stealing certain public records.1
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-122, 53a-123, 53a-124, 53a-125 · Felony theft amounts in every state
OUI in Connecticut
Connecticut's statute is titled "operation while under the influence." It covers operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor or drugs or with an elevated blood alcohol content, and is often called DUI.
- Repeat offenses
- Connecticut's DUI statute does not label any repeat offense a felony or a misdemeanor. A second violation within 10 years of a prior conviction carries up to 2 years in prison, and a third or later violation within 10 years carries up to 3 years. State law defines a felony as an offense that can bring more than one year in prison (§ 53a-25).
- Which past offenses count
- 10 years after a prior conviction for the same offense. Earlier convictions under §§ 14-227m, 14-227n, 53a-56b or 53a-60d, boating under the influence (§§ 15-133(d), 15-140l, 15-140n), and similar out-of-state offenses also count.
- Other felony versions
- Killing someone while driving under the influence is manslaughter in the second degree with a motor vehicle, a class C felony. Causing serious physical injury is assault in the second degree with a motor vehicle, a class D felony. DUI with a passenger under 18 carries up to 1 year for a first violation and up to 3 years for a second violation within 10 years.
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-227a(g), 14-227m(c), 53a-56b, 53a-60d2 · Felony DUI rules in every state
After a conviction
Common questions
What is a felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, a felony is an offense that can be punished by more than one year in prison. An offense with a maximum of one year or less is a misdemeanor.
What is a Class A felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the prison range for a Class A felony is 10 to 25 years, and the fine is up to $20,000. Murder is 25 years to life. Aggravated sexual assault of a minor (§ 53a-70c) is 25 to 50 years. Murder with special circumstances is life without the possibility of release.
What is a Class B felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the prison range for a Class B felony is 1 to 20 years, and the fine is up to $15,000. Manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm (§ 53a-55a) is 5 to 40 years.
What is a Class C felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the prison range for a Class C felony is 1 to 10 years, and the fine is up to $10,000.
What is a Class D felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the prison range for a Class D felony is up to 5 years, and the fine is up to $5,000.
What is a Class E felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the prison range for a Class E felony is up to 3 years, and the fine is up to $3,500.
What is an unclassified felony in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the prison range for an unclassified felony is as set by the law that defines the crime, and the fine is as set by the law that defines the crime. The felony ranges above apply "unless the section of the general statutes that defines or provides the penalty for the crime specifically provides otherwise.".
What is a Class A misdemeanor in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the jail range for a Class A misdemeanor is up to 364 days, and the fine is up to $2,000. Section 53a-36 still says one year, but since Oct. 1, 2021, § 53a-36a caps any sentence of up to one year at 364 days. A conviction stays a misdemeanor.
What is a Class B misdemeanor in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the jail range for a Class B misdemeanor is up to 6 months, and the fine is up to $1,000.
What is a Class C misdemeanor in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the jail range for a Class C misdemeanor is up to 3 months, and the fine is up to $500.
What is a Class D misdemeanor in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the jail range for a Class D misdemeanor is up to 30 days, and the fine is up to $250.
What is an unclassified misdemeanor in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the jail range for an unclassified misdemeanor is as set by the law that defines the crime, and the fine is as set by the law that defines the crime.
These are the general ranges in Connecticut's sentencing laws. A specific crime can carry its own minimum or maximum, and past convictions can raise the range. This isn't legal advice; a defense lawyer or public defender can tell you what applies to a case.
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Cite this page
Second Chance Index, "Felony and misdemeanor classes in Connecticut" https://secondchanceindex.com/felony-classes/connecticut, checked October 29, 2026.
Sources
Each source was opened and checked on October 29, 2026.
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-25(a), 53a-26(a)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-227a(g), 14-227m(c), 53a-56b, 53a-60d
- Chapter 952, Penal Code: Offenses (General Statutes of Connecticut, revised to January 1, 2025)Connecticut General Assembly
- Chapter 952, Penal Code: Offenses (2026 Supplement, revised to January 1, 2026)Connecticut General Assembly
- Chapter 248, Vehicle Highway Use (2026 Supplement, revised to January 1, 2026)Connecticut General Assembly
- 2026 Acts Affecting Criminal Justice and Public Safety (OLR Report 2026-R-0078)Connecticut General Assembly, Office of Legislative Research
- Connecticut DUI Law (OLR Report 2016-R-0147)Connecticut General Assembly, Office of Legislative Research