Criminal penalties in Connecticut
Checked in October 2026 against the Connecticut General Statutes, chapters 248 and 952.
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. Not legal advice.
How Connecticut sets penalties
- Connecticut sentences are definite terms fixed by the court (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-35a). Class A felony of murder: 25 years to life. Other class A felonies: 10 to 25 years. Class B: 1 to 20 years (5 to 40 years for manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm). Class C: 1 to 10 years. Class D: up to 5 years. Class E: up to 3 years. Unclassified felonies carry the term stated in their own section.
- Fines for felonies: up to $20,000 for a class A felony, $15,000 for class B, $10,000 for class C, $5,000 for class D and $3,500 for class E, unless the offence's own section provides otherwise (§ 53a-41).
- Many offences carry mandatory minimum terms in the section that defines them, for example for robbery or burglary in the first degree committed with a firearm, or for sexual assault in the first degree. The minimums are noted where read, and the full text of each section should be consulted.
- The sections read have one offence of murder, not degrees. Murder (§ 53a-54a) is a class A felony, with an affirmative defence of extreme emotional disturbance that reduces it to manslaughter in the first degree. Murder with special circumstances (§ 53a-54b) carries life without release.
- Larceny is graded by value: more than $20,000 is a class B felony, more than $10,000 a class C felony, more than $2,000 a class D felony, and more than $1,000 a class A misdemeanor (§§ 53a-122 to 53a-125). Embezzlement is larceny.
- This table shows first-offence ranges.
Death penalty: No. The most serious sentence in § 53a-35a is life imprisonment without the possibility of release, for murder with special circumstances committed on or after 25 April 2012. The same section refers to a sentence of death only for capital felonies committed before that date.
First-degree murder
25 years to life (murder); life without release (murder with special circumstances)
Murder: causing the death of another with intent to cause death (Class A felony)
- Least
- 25 years
- Most
- Life imprisonment
- Fine
- Up to $20,000
The term is not less than 25 years and not more than life (§ 53a-35a(2)).
Murder with special circumstances (the class A felony of murder committed on or after 25 April 2012 under § 53a-54b) (Class A felony)
- Least
- Life imprisonment without the possibility of release
- Most
- Life imprisonment without the possibility of release
Voluntary manslaughter
A class C felony (second degree) up to a class B felony (first degree)
Manslaughter in the second degree (Class C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Manslaughter in the first degree (Class B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000
With a firearm (§ 53a-55a), the term is 5 to 40 years.
Robbery
A class C felony (second degree) up to a class B felony (first degree)
Robbery in the second degree (Class C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Robbery in the first degree (Class B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000
A person found guilty under subdivision (a)(2) of the section is sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment under the section.
Burglary
A class C felony (second degree) up to a class B felony (first degree)
Burglary in the second degree (Class C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Burglary in the first degree (Class B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000
A person found guilty under subdivision (a)(1) of the section is sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment under the section.
Arson
A class A felony (arson in the first degree)
Arson in the first degree (Class A felony)
- Least
- 10 years
- Most
- 25 years
- Fine
- Up to $20,000
Aggravated assault
A class D felony (second degree) up to a class B felony (first degree)
Assault in the second degree (Class D felony)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 5 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
It is a class C felony if the offence resulted in serious physical injury.
Assault in the first degree (Class B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000
A person found guilty under subdivision (a)(1) of the section is sentenced to a mandatory minimum term under the section.
Rape and sexual assault
A class B felony (first degree sexual assault, with 2 years that may not be suspended); a class A felony if the victim is under 13
Sexual assault in the first degree (Class B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000
Two years of the sentence may not be suspended or reduced. The offence is a class A felony where the victim is under a stated age.
Aggravated sexual assault in the first degree (Class B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000
Kidnapping
A class A felony (first degree): 10 to 25 years
Kidnapping in the first degree (Class A felony)
- Least
- 10 years
- Most
- 25 years
- Fine
- Up to $20,000
Embezzlement
A class A misdemeanor (over $1,000) up to a class B felony (over $20,000)
Larceny in the fourth degree (value over $1,000) (Class A misdemeanor)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 364 days
Larceny in the third degree (value over $2,000) (Class D felony)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 5 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
Larceny in the second degree (value over $10,000) (Class C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Larceny in the first degree (value over $20,000) (Class B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000
Connecticut punishes embezzlement as larceny (§ 53a-119), graded by value.
Forgery
A class D felony (second degree) up to a class C felony (first degree)
Forgery in the second degree (Class D felony)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 5 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
Forgery in the first degree (Class C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Drunk driving, first offence
A fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 6 months in jail (48 consecutive hours not suspendable), and a licence suspension of 45 days
Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, first violation (Misdemeanor)
- Least
- 48 consecutive hours (or probation with 100 hours of community service)
- Most
- 6 months
- Fine
- $500 to $1,000
The licence is suspended for 45 days, and an ignition interlock device must be installed on each vehicle owned or operated by the person as a condition of restoration and for one year after.
Compare with: Iowa, Arizona, California, New York, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Maryland, Minnesota, Maine, South Carolina, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alabama, Alaska, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Vermont, West Virginia, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Illinois.
