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Criminal penalties in Taiwan

Checked in October 2026 against the 中華民國刑法 (Criminal Code of the Republic of China), Ministry of Justice database, last amended 22 July 2026 (read in Chinese).

These are statutory ranges for a first offence, from the least to the most the law allows. A court decides the actual sentence in each case. We read the code in its original language and give the offences in plain English, with the legal term where it helps. For anything that matters, rely on the code itself. Not legal advice.

How Taiwan sets penalties

  • The principal punishments are: death; life imprisonment; limited imprisonment of 2 months to 15 years (up to 20 years where the sentence is increased, and below 2 months where it is reduced); detention of 1 to 60 days (120 if increased); and a fine of at least NT$1,000 (art. 33).
  • Where the Code says 'at least ten years' ('十年以上有期徒刑'), the range therefore runs from 10 to 15 years, and up to 20 if increased. Where it says 'at most five years', the court can go as low as the 2-month floor, or reduce further.
  • Taiwan has no degrees of murder. The basic killing (art. 271) carries death, life, or at least 10 years. Special rules cover killings of a lineal ascendant (art. 272, increased by up to half), of a child under seven (art. 272-1), killing in sudden righteous indignation (art. 273) and a mother killing her newborn (art. 274).
  • Fines are in New Taiwan dollars.
  • This table shows first-offence ranges. Repeat-offence and mitigation rules were not read.

Death penalty: Yes, on the face of the code. The Criminal Code lists death first among the principal punishments (art. 33) and keeps it for murder (art. 271), robbery with killing (art. 332), kidnapping for ransom causing death (art. 347) and other offences. Whether it is carried out in practice is not something the code says, and this table does not cover it.

Read the Taiwan legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →

First-degree murder

Death, life imprisonment, or at least 10 years

Art. 271(1) is the only general murder offence. It is punishable by death, life imprisonment or limited imprisonment of at least 10 years. Where the victim is a child under seven and the killing is carried out with cruelty, the punishment is death or life (art. 272-1).

Voluntary manslaughter

Up to 5 years (negligence); up to 7 years (killing in sudden righteous indignation); life or at least 7 years (injury causing death)

Taiwan has no offence called manslaughter. The nearest are killing on the spot in righteous indignation (art. 273, up to 7 years), injury that causes death (art. 277(2), life or at least 7 years) and causing death by negligence (art. 276, up to 5 years, detention or a fine of up to NT$500,000).

Robbery

At least 5 years; at least 7 years if armed or in a group, among others; death, life or at least 10 years if it ends in rape or arson

  • Robbery (強盜) (Offence)

    Least
    5 years
    Most
    15 years (the maximum for a limited term, up to 20 if aggravated; art. 33)

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 328(1)

  • Robbery with one of the aggravating circumstances of art. 321(1), such as entering a dwelling, carrying a weapon or acting in a group of three or more (Offence)

    Least
    7 years
    Most
    15 years (the maximum for a limited term, up to 20 if aggravated; art. 33)

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 330

  • Robbery causing death (Offence)

    Least
    10 years (the alternatives are death or life imprisonment)
    Most
    Death

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 328(3)

  • Robbery with arson, rape, kidnapping for ransom or causing serious injury (Offence)

    Least
    10 years (the alternatives are death or life imprisonment)
    Most
    Death

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 332(2)

  • Robbery with intentional killing (Offence)

    Least
    Life imprisonment (the alternative is death)
    Most
    Death

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 332(1)

Burglary

Up to 5 years (theft); 6 months to 5 years (aggravated theft, including entering a dwelling)

Taiwan has no separate burglary offence. Aggravated theft (art. 321) covers committing theft by entering a dwelling or an inhabited building, vessel or aircraft or hiding in it, breaking doors, windows or walls, carrying a weapon, acting in a group of three or more, taking advantage of a fire, flood or other disaster, or on public transport premises.

Arson

1 to 7 years (other property, creating public danger); 3 to 10 years (unoccupied building); life or at least 7 years (occupied building)

Aggravated assault

Up to 5 years (injury); 5 to 12 years (serious injury); life or at least 7 years if death results

Rape and sexual assault

3 to 10 years (rape); at least 7 years (aggravated)

Art. 221 covers sexual intercourse by force, coercion, intimidation, hypnosis or other means against the victim's will. Art. 222 covers aggravated forms, including by two or more persons, against a person under 14, against a person with a mental or physical disability, with drugs, with torment, with a weapon, or by entering a dwelling.

Kidnapping

Up to 5 years (deprivation of liberty); life or at least 7 years (kidnapping for ransom)

  • Unlawful detention or deprivation of freedom of movement (Offence)

    Least
    No minimum term set by the statute
    Most
    5 years
    Fine
    Or detention, or a fine of up to NT$9,000

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 302(1)

  • Deprivation of freedom of movement in aggravated forms (three or more persons, a weapon, a person with disabilities, torment, or seven days or more) (Offence)

    Least
    1 year
    Most
    7 years
    Fine
    A fine of up to NT$1,000,000 may be added

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 302-1(1)

  • Kidnapping for ransom (擄人勒贖) (Offence)

    Least
    7 years (the alternative is life)
    Most
    Life imprisonment

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 347(1)

  • Kidnapping for ransom causing death (Offence)

    Least
    12 years (the alternatives are death or life imprisonment)
    Most
    Death

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 347(2)

Embezzlement

Up to 5 years (embezzlement); 1 to 7 years (public duty)

Forgery

Up to 5 years (private document); 1 to 7 years (official document)

Drunk driving, first offence

Up to 3 years, and a fine of up to NT$300,000 may be added

  • Driving a powered vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs (不能安全駕駛) (Offence)

    Least
    No minimum term set by the statute
    Most
    3 years
    Fine
    A fine of up to NT$300,000 may be added

    Criminal Code of Taiwan, art. 185-3(1)

The offence is driving a motor vehicle with a breath alcohol concentration of 0.25 mg per litre or a blood alcohol of 0.05 percent or more, or while otherwise unable to drive safely because of alcohol or drugs. If it causes death, the punishment is 3 to 10 years, and if it causes serious injury, 1 to 7 years.

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