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Indiana criminal charge

Criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions in Indiana

Current through 2026 Indiana legislative session

Criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions is a criminal offense under Indiana law, defined by Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2. Its classification is not fixed: Indiana assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2.

What is the penalty for criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions in Indiana?

Penalties for Criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 1 year (Criminal trespass — base offense — A person commits any of the acts described in subdivisions (1) through (12) of subsection (b), constituting criminal trespass, as a Class A misdemeanor.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-3-2
Fineup to $5,000 (Criminal trespass — base offense — A person commits any of the acts described in subdivisions (1) through (12) of subsection (b), constituting criminal trespass, as a Class A misdemeanor.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-3-2
Jail / prison6 months to 30 months (Criminal trespass — scientific research facility, public utility, school property, school bus, or repeat offense — The offense is elevated to a Level 6 felony if committed on a scientific research facility, a public utility facility, school property, a school bus, or if the person has a prior unrelated conviction under this section for an offense concerning the same property.; fixed term; advisory sentence 1 year; court may enter judgment of conviction as a Class A misdemeanor in limited circumstances (IC 35-50-2-7(c)))presumptiveInd. Code § 35-50-2-7
Fineup to $10,000 (Criminal trespass — scientific research facility, public utility, school property, school bus, or repeat offense — The offense is elevated to a Level 6 felony if committed on a scientific research facility, a public utility facility, school property, a school bus, or if the person has a prior unrelated conviction under this section for an offense concerning the same property.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-2-7
Jail / prison6 months to 30 months (Agricultural operation trespass with property damage ($750–$50,000) — For purposes of subdivision (8) (agricultural operation trespass causing property damage), the offense is a Level 6 felony if the property damage is more than $750 and less than $50,000.; fixed term; advisory sentence 1 year; court may enter judgment of conviction as a Class A misdemeanor in limited circumstances (IC 35-50-2-7(c)))presumptiveInd. Code § 35-50-2-7
Fineup to $10,000 (Agricultural operation trespass with property damage ($750–$50,000) — For purposes of subdivision (8) (agricultural operation trespass causing property damage), the offense is a Level 6 felony if the property damage is more than $750 and less than $50,000.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-2-7
Jail / prison1 years to 6 years (Agricultural or scientific research facility trespass with property damage ($50,000 or more) — For purposes of subdivisions (8) and (9) (agricultural operation or scientific research facility trespass causing property damage), the offense is a Level 5 felony if the property damage is at least $50,000.; fixed term; advisory sentence 3 years)presumptiveInd. Code § 35-50-2-6
Fineup to $10,000 (Agricultural or scientific research facility trespass with property damage ($50,000 or more) — For purposes of subdivisions (8) and (9) (agricultural operation or scientific research facility trespass causing property damage), the offense is a Level 5 felony if the property damage is at least $50,000.)discretionaryInd. Code § 35-50-2-6

Applies to current.

How is criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions classified in Indiana?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Criminal trespass — base offenseClass A MisdemeanorA person commits any of the acts described in subdivisions (1) through (12) of subsection (b), constituting criminal trespass, as a Class A misdemeanor.Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b)
Criminal trespass — scientific research facility, public utility, school property, school bus, or repeat offenseLevel 6 FelonyThe offense is elevated to a Level 6 felony if committed on a scientific research facility, a public utility facility, school property, a school bus, or if the person has a prior unrelated conviction under this section for an offense concerning the same property.Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b)
Agricultural operation trespass with property damage ($750–$50,000)Level 6 FelonyFor purposes of subdivision (8) (agricultural operation trespass causing property damage), the offense is a Level 6 felony if the property damage is more than $750 and less than $50,000.Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b)
Agricultural or scientific research facility trespass with property damage ($50,000 or more)Level 5 FelonyFor purposes of subdivisions (8) and (9) (agricultural operation or scientific research facility trespass causing property damage), the offense is a Level 5 felony if the property damage is at least $50,000.Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b)

Common questions about criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions in Indiana

Is criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions a felony or a misdemeanor in Indiana?

It depends on the circumstances: criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions ranges from a Class A Misdemeanor to a Level 5 Felony in Indiana under Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2.

Criminal trespass — base offense: Class A Misdemeanor (Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b)) · Criminal trespass — scientific research facility, public utility, school property, school bus, or repeat offense: Level 6 Felony (Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b)) · Agricultural operation trespass with property damage ($750–$50,000): Level 6 Felony (Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b)) · Agricultural or scientific research facility trespass with property damage ($50,000 or more): Level 5 Felony (Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2(b))

What are the penalties for criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions in Indiana?

Penalties for criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions in Indiana depend on how it is classified — from a Class A Misdemeanor up to a Level 5 Felony — with the ranges set by Ind. Code § 35-50-3-2, Ind. Code § 35-50-2-7 and Ind. Code § 35-50-2-6; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Indiana statute covers criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions?

Criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions is governed by Ind. Code § 35-43-2-2 (Criminal trespass; denial of entry; denial by posting with purple marks; permission to enter; exceptions).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.