A Class B felony is the second-most-serious grade of criminal offense in jurisdictions that rank felonies by letter, sitting below Class A (life or death) and above Class C. Under federal law, any crime whose statute authorizes a maximum prison term of 25 years or more but less than life falls into this class.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3559 – Sentencing Classification of Offenses States that use the same letter system set their own ranges, and the differences are dramatic: a Class B felony might mean up to 20 years in one state and up to 60 years in another. The consequences also reach well beyond prison, affecting firearm rights, voting, employment, and housing for years after the sentence ends.
Where a Class B Felony Sits in the Ranking
Not every state sorts felonies the same way. Roughly half use a letter-based system (Class A, B, C, and so on), while others use numerical degrees (first degree, second degree) or attach unique ranges to individual offenses without grouping them at all. Whatever the labels, the classification determines the range of prison time and fines a judge can impose, and a Class B felony is always less severe than a Class A but more severe than a Class C.
Under the federal framework, the sort is mechanical. If the statute defining a crime authorizes a maximum sentence of 25 years or more but less than life, it is a Class B felony.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 3559 – Sentencing Classification of Offenses States draw those lines wherever they choose, which is why the same label can mean very different things depending on where the crime occurred.
Common Offenses Charged as Class B Felonies
Because each state draws its own lines, there is no single national list. Certain categories, though, appear repeatedly across jurisdictions that use the letter system:
- Aggravated assault involving serious bodily injury or a deadly weapon
- Drug trafficking, particularly possession with intent to distribute larger quantities of controlled substances
- Robbery, especially when a weapon is involved
- Burglary with aggravating factors, such as breaking into an occupied home or using a weapon
- Manslaughter, meaning unlawful killings that lack the premeditation required for murder
- Kidnapping
- Large-scale fraud or embezzlement involving substantial sums
At the federal level, Class B felonies include large-scale drug trafficking, certain kidnapping offenses, and serious crimes of violence against children that carry mandatory minimums of 25 years.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3559 – Sentencing Classification of Offenses A crime that qualifies as a Class B felony in one state might be a Class C or a second-degree felony somewhere else, so the label matters less than the sentencing range your specific statute attaches to it.
Prison Time and Fines
Prison terms vary enormously. Some states cap the sentence at 20 years, while others allow up to 60 years for the same classification. Minimums differ just as widely, from as low as two years in some states to eight or more in others. The federal threshold — 25 years or more but less than life — is one reference point, not a universal ceiling.
At the federal level, any felony conviction can carry a fine of up to $250,000 for an individual, or a higher amount if the statute defining the specific crime sets one.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 3571 – Sentence of Fine State-level fines for Class B felonies range from tens of thousands of dollars to six figures depending on jurisdiction and offense. After release from federal prison, a person convicted of a Class B felony can be placed on supervised release for up to five years, with conditions such as drug testing, employment requirements, or travel restrictions.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 3583 – Inclusion of a Term of Supervised Release After Imprisonment Most state sentences also carry probation or parole after prison, with the threat of return to custody for violations.
What Affects the Sentence a Judge Imposes
Within the statutory range, several factors move the sentence up or down. Prior criminal history is the most influential. Someone with previous felony convictions, especially for similar offenses, will almost always receive a longer sentence, and some states impose mandatory minimums for repeat offenders that eliminate judicial discretion entirely. Aggravating circumstances like using a weapon, targeting a vulnerable victim, or causing severe injury push sentences toward the upper end.
Mitigating factors pull the other way. A clean record, a minor role in the offense, cooperation with law enforcement, and rehabilitation efforts can all bring a sentence closer to the minimum.
The Role of Plea Bargaining
Roughly 90 to 95 percent of felony cases at both the federal and state level resolve through plea bargaining rather than trial.5Bureau of Justice Assistance. Plea and Charge Bargaining In a typical deal, the defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced charge, a dismissed count, or a sentencing recommendation from the prosecutor. A Class B felony charge might be reduced to a Class C or, in some cases, to a misdemeanor, depending on the strength of the evidence, the severity of the offense, and whether the defendant can offer useful cooperation. The statutory maximum printed in a code section often matters far less than what the prosecutor is willing to offer and the judge is willing to accept. Accepting a deal still means a felony conviction in most cases, with most of the collateral consequences intact.
What Happens After You’re Charged
The first major event is an appearance before a judge, usually within 24 to 72 hours of arrest. The judge decides whether to release you before trial and under what conditions. Federal law directs judges to impose the least restrictive conditions that will reasonably ensure the defendant appears in court and does not endanger the community.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 3142 – Release or Detention of a Defendant Pending Trial For serious felonies, those conditions often include substantial bail, electronic monitoring, or surrender of a passport. When the charge involves violence or the defendant is considered a flight risk, the judge can order pretrial detention with no bail at all.
Defense is expensive. Private attorneys handling serious felony cases typically charge anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $70,000 or more, depending on complexity and whether the case goes to trial. Court-appointed attorneys are available for defendants who cannot afford private counsel, but eligibility is based on income. Mandatory court fees and administrative costs add another layer, generally running a few hundred dollars before any fine is imposed as part of the sentence.
Collateral Consequences of a Conviction
The prison sentence ends. The collateral consequences often don’t. These are the penalties that follow a felony conviction into housing applications, job interviews, and voting booths for years or permanently.
Firearm Rights
Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment from possessing a firearm or ammunition.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts Every Class B felony clears that threshold, so a conviction means losing gun rights nationwide. Restoration is possible but difficult. For state convictions, it depends on whether the state where the conviction occurred has a process for restoring civil rights that also lifts the firearms ban. For federal convictions, only a federal pardon or expungement can restore firearm rights; there is no federal procedure for a general restoration of civil rights.8United States Department of Justice Archives. Criminal Resource Manual 1435 – Post-Conviction Restoration of Civil Rights
Voting Rights
Rules differ dramatically by state. Some states restore voting rights automatically upon release from prison, others require completion of parole or probation, and a few strip voting rights permanently unless the governor grants a pardon.9National Conference of State Legislatures. Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons The practical effect is that a Class B felony conviction can keep you from voting for anywhere from the length of your sentence to the rest of your life, depending entirely on where you live.
Employment and Professional Licensing
Most employers run background checks, and a felony conviction creates an immediate hurdle. Fields that require professional licenses (healthcare, education, law, real estate, finance) are especially difficult. Licensing boards in most states have authority to deny, suspend, or revoke a license based on a felony conviction, and many do so as a matter of course. Even in industries without formal licensing, a Class B felony on a background check often means the application goes no further. Some jurisdictions have adopted “ban the box” laws that prevent employers from asking about criminal history on initial applications, but those laws delay the question rather than eliminate it.
Housing
Private landlords routinely use background checks and many will reject applicants with a felony record. Public and subsidized housing programs add their own restrictions. Federal law gives local housing authorities the power to deny applicants based on criminal activity, and convictions for certain offenses, such as manufacturing methamphetamine on public housing property or crimes requiring lifetime sex offender registration, result in a permanent ban from federally assisted housing. Other felony convictions give housing authorities discretion to accept or deny on a case-by-case basis, which in practice often means denial.
Statute of Limitations
Prosecutors cannot wait indefinitely to file charges. Every jurisdiction sets a deadline. For Class B felonies, these typically range from five to eight years, though a handful of states impose no time limit on their most serious felony classes. The clock usually starts on the date the crime was committed, and it can be paused if the suspect flees the jurisdiction or if the crime wasn’t discovered until later.
Some offenses have no statute of limitations regardless of classification, murder being the most common. Sex crimes against minors also frequently receive extended or eliminated deadlines. If you believe charges might be filed against you, the limitations period is one of the first things a defense attorney will check.
Clearing a Class B Felony From Your Record
A Class B felony conviction is not always permanent, but clearing it is harder than for lesser offenses and impossible for certain crimes. Eligibility rules vary by state. Where expungement or record sealing is available, common requirements include waiting a set number of years after completing the sentence, staying conviction-free during that period, and filing a petition with the court.
Waiting periods range from about three years in some states to ten years or more in others. Some states limit eligibility further by excluding convictions for violent offenses or crimes against persons.10National Conference of State Legislatures. Record Clearing by Offense Sex offenses and violent crimes are the most commonly excluded categories. Even where a record is sealed rather than fully expunged, it may still be visible to law enforcement and certain licensing boards.
Expungement does not undo every consequence. Federal firearm prohibitions, for example, may survive a state-level expungement depending on how the state’s restoration process interacts with federal law.8United States Department of Justice Archives. Criminal Resource Manual 1435 – Post-Conviction Restoration of Civil Rights Anyone pursuing expungement should confirm whether the process in their state also restores firearm rights and other civil liberties, because the answer is often no.