How Much Theft Is a Felony in Kentucky?
Theft becomes a felony in Kentucky at $1,000. Below that it is a misdemeanor: under $500 is a Class B misdemeanor and $500 to under $1,000 is a Class A misdemeanor. The threshold was $500 until 29 June 2021, when 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 66 raised it, and a great deal of material online still quotes the old figure.
Checked against the current statute on .
The value tiers
| Value | Grade | Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Under $500 | Class B misdemeanor | Up to 90 days, fine up to $250 |
| $500 to under $1,000 | Class A misdemeanor | Up to 12 months, fine up to $500 |
| $1,000 to under $10,000 | Class D felony | 1 to 5 years |
| $10,000 to under $1,000,000 | Class C felony | 5 to 10 years |
| $1,000,000 to under $10,000,000 | Class B felony | 10 to 20 years |
Source: KRS 514.030, KRS 532.060, KRS 532.090. Checked 2026-09-20.
Where value is not what decides it
- A firearm is a Class D felony however little it is worth. The value tiers do not apply to it at all.
- Controlled substances worth less than $10,000 collectively are a Class D felony, again regardless of the ordinary tiers.
- Anhydrous ammonia is a Class D felony, and a Class B felony on a first offense if the Commonwealth proves the intent was to manufacture methamphetamine.
- Three or more convictions in the $500-to-$1,000 band within five years turn the next one into a Class D felony. The five years is measured from the dates the offenses happened, not the dates of the judgments.
- Property taken over a 90-day period can be added together, so a series of small takings can cross the felony line as a group.
Why the value is usually the fight
Because the grade follows the number, the value of the property is very often the most contested fact in a Kentucky theft case. It is the Commonwealth's to prove, and the difference between $960 and $1,040 is the difference between a misdemeanor handled in district court and a felony that goes to the grand jury.
Value means market value at the time and place of the offense, not replacement cost and not what the owner originally paid. Retail price tags, depreciation, and the condition of used goods are all live issues, which is why an itemised valuation is worth reading closely.
Common questions
How much do you have to steal for it to be a felony in Kentucky?
$1,000. At $1,000 or more, theft by unlawful taking is a Class D felony carrying one to five years. Under $1,000 it is a misdemeanor. The one big exception is a firearm, which is a Class D felony at any value.
Is shoplifting a felony in Kentucky?
Only if the value reaches $1,000, or if the item is a firearm, or if you have three or more prior convictions in the $500-to-$1,000 band within five years. Ordinary shoplifting below $500 is a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to 90 days.
What is the maximum jail time for theft by unlawful taking in Kentucky?
It depends entirely on value. Under $500 the maximum is 90 days. From $500 to under $1,000 it is 12 months. At $1,000 the offense becomes a Class D felony carrying one to five years, and the ranges climb from there to 10 to 20 years for property worth $1,000,000 or more.
When did Kentucky raise the felony theft threshold?
29 June 2021, by 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 66, sec. 8, which amended KRS 514.030. Before that the felony line sat at $500, where it had been for decades, and Kentucky had one of the lowest thresholds in the country.
Can felony theft charges be dropped in Kentucky?
They can be dismissed or amended, and the most common route is a successful challenge to the value that drops the charge below $1,000 and into district court as a misdemeanor. A district court judge can also reduce a felony charge to a misdemeanor on motion and for good cause under KRS 24A.110(4). Only the prosecutor or the court can do either; the alleged victim cannot.
What is theft by deception in Kentucky?
A separate statute, KRS 514.040, covering theft obtained by creating a false impression rather than by simply taking. It is graded on the same dollar thresholds as theft by unlawful taking, so $1,000 is the felony line there too.