Kentucky Felony Classes and Sentences
Kentucky has four felony classes and two misdemeanor classes. A Class D felony carries 1 to 5 years, Class C 5 to 10, Class B 10 to 20, and Class A 20 to 50 years or life. A Class A misdemeanor carries up to 12 months and a Class B misdemeanor up to 90 days. There is no Class C misdemeanor in Kentucky, despite how often you will see one listed.
Checked against the current statute on .
Every grade, and what it carries
| Grade | Prison or jail | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class A felony | 20 to 50 years, or life | $1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain |
| Class B felony | 10 to 20 years | $1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain |
| Class C felony | 5 to 10 years | $1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain |
| Class D felony | 1 to 5 years | $1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain |
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 12 months | Up to $500 |
| Class B misdemeanor | Up to 90 days | Up to $250 |
| Violation | No jail | Up to $250 |
Source: KRS 532.060, KRS 532.090, KRS 534.030, KRS 534.040. Checked 2026-09-20.
Five things the grade does not tell you
- A felony sentence in Kentucky is indeterminate. The judge fixes a maximum within the range above, and how much of it is actually served depends on parole eligibility rather than on the number announced in court.
- A felony fine is not imposed at all on a defendant the court determines to be indigent. That is written into KRS 534.030(4), and it applies to a large share of defendants.
- Some statutes override the ordinary range for their own offense. Possession of a controlled substance in the first degree is a Class D felony but caps at three years, not five. Possession of marijuana is a Class B misdemeanor but caps at 45 days, not ninety.
- For a misdemeanor, a fine and jail are not mutually exclusive. KRS 534.040 lets a court impose either, both, or a fine instead of jail.
- A violation is not a crime you can be jailed for. If a charge is denominated a violation, the exposure is the fine and nothing more.
Where the classes come from
KRS 532.020 is the section that sorts offenses into classes. It works backwards from the sentence: an offense defined outside the penal code carrying at least one but not more than five years is deemed a Class D felony, five to ten a Class C, ten to twenty a Class B, and twenty to fifty or life a Class A.
The same section handles the lower grades. A maximum between 90 days and twelve months is a Class A misdemeanor, a maximum under 90 days is a Class B misdemeanor, and anything punishable only by a fine is a violation. Those three categories are the whole list, which is why a Kentucky Class C misdemeanor does not exist.
Common questions
What is a Class D felony in Kentucky?
A Class D felony is Kentucky's least serious felony grade. It carries one to five years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000, or double whatever the defendant gained from the offense, whichever is greater. Common examples are theft of $1,000 to under $10,000, theft of a firearm of any value, and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, though that last one caps at three years by its own statute.
How much time does a Class D felony carry in Kentucky?
One to five years, under KRS 532.060(2)(d). The sentence is indeterminate, so the judge sets a maximum inside that range and parole eligibility governs actual release. A handful of Class D offenses cap lower: first-degree possession of a controlled substance caps at three years.
What is the minimum sentence for a felony in Kentucky?
One year. That is the floor for a Class D felony, the lowest felony grade, under KRS 532.060. Anything with a maximum under one year is a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
What are the types of misdemeanors in Kentucky?
Two: Class A, carrying up to 12 months in jail and a fine up to $500, and Class B, carrying up to 90 days and a fine up to $250. Below those sits the violation, which carries a fine up to $250 and no jail. Kentucky has no Class C misdemeanor.
What is the maximum fine for a felony in Kentucky?
$10,000, or double the defendant's gain from the offense if that is greater, under KRS 534.030(1). Where someone is convicted of two or more felonies arising from a single act, the fines together cannot exceed $10,000 or double the gain. No felony fine is imposed on a defendant the court finds indigent.
How long do misdemeanors stay on your record in Kentucky?
Indefinitely, unless they are expunged. A Kentucky misdemeanor, violation or traffic infraction can be petitioned for expungement under KRS 431.078 five years after you finish the sentence or successfully finish probation, whichever is later, for a $100 filing fee.