Utah criminal charge
Penalties in Utah
Current through 2026 Utah legislative session
Penalties is a criminal offense under Utah law, defined by Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806. Its classification is not fixed: Utah 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 Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806.
What is the penalty for penalties in Utah?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 6 months (Violation of Subsection 78B-7-802(1) — A violation of Subsection 78B-7-802(1) is a class B misdemeanor.) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Violation of Subsection 78B-7-802(1) — A violation of Subsection 78B-7-802(1) is a class B misdemeanor.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Violation of jail release court order or agreement — felony arrest — Knowingly violating a jail release court order or agreement is a third degree felony if the original arrest was for a felony.; indeterminate prison term, unless the statute provides otherwise; actual release is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Violation of jail release court order or agreement — felony arrest — Knowingly violating a jail release court order or agreement is a third degree felony if the original arrest was for a felony.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Jail / prison | Violation of jail release court order or agreement — misdemeanor arrest — Knowingly violating a jail release court order or agreement is a class A misdemeanor if the original arrest was for a misdemeanor.; up to 364 days — except up to one year for class A misdemeanors under Title 76, Chapter 5 (Offenses Against the Individual), other than Sections 76-5-102.9, 76-5-107.5, 76-5-113, and 76-5-303, which remain at 364 days (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204(1)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Violation of jail release court order or agreement — misdemeanor arrest — Knowingly violating a jail release court order or agreement is a class A misdemeanor if the original arrest was for a misdemeanor.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Violation of pretrial protective order — felony arrest or charge — Violation of a pretrial protective order is a third degree felony if the original arrest or subsequent charge filed is a felony.; indeterminate prison term, unless the statute provides otherwise; actual release is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Violation of pretrial protective order — felony arrest or charge — Violation of a pretrial protective order is a third degree felony if the original arrest or subsequent charge filed is a felony.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Jail / prison | Violation of pretrial protective order — misdemeanor arrest or charge — Violation of a pretrial protective order is a class A misdemeanor if the original arrest or subsequent charge filed is a misdemeanor.; up to 364 days — except up to one year for class A misdemeanors under Title 76, Chapter 5 (Offenses Against the Individual), other than Sections 76-5-102.9, 76-5-107.5, 76-5-113, and 76-5-303, which remain at 364 days (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204(1)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Violation of pretrial protective order — misdemeanor arrest or charge — Violation of a pretrial protective order is a class A misdemeanor if the original arrest or subsequent charge filed is a misdemeanor.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — felony conviction — Violation of a sentencing protective order or continuous protective order is a third degree felony if the underlying conviction was a felony.; indeterminate prison term, unless the statute provides otherwise; actual release is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — felony conviction — Violation of a sentencing protective order or continuous protective order is a third degree felony if the underlying conviction was a felony.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Jail / prison | Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — misdemeanor conviction — Violation of a sentencing protective order or continuous protective order is a class A misdemeanor if the underlying conviction was a misdemeanor.; up to 364 days — except up to one year for class A misdemeanors under Title 76, Chapter 5 (Offenses Against the Individual), other than Sections 76-5-102.9, 76-5-107.5, 76-5-113, and 76-5-303, which remain at 364 days (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204(1)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — misdemeanor conviction — Violation of a sentencing protective order or continuous protective order is a class A misdemeanor if the underlying conviction was a misdemeanor.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
Applies to current (2026 General Session).
How is penalties classified in Utah?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violation of Subsection 78B-7-802(1) | Class B Misdemeanor | A violation of Subsection 78B-7-802(1) is a class B misdemeanor. | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(1)(a) |
| Violation of jail release court order or agreement — felony arrest | Third Degree Felony | Knowingly violating a jail release court order or agreement is a third degree felony if the original arrest was for a felony. | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(1)(b)(i) |
| Violation of jail release court order or agreement — misdemeanor arrest | Class A Misdemeanor | Knowingly violating a jail release court order or agreement is a class A misdemeanor if the original arrest was for a misdemeanor. | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(1)(b)(ii) |
| Violation of pretrial protective order — felony arrest or charge | Third Degree Felony | Violation of a pretrial protective order is a third degree felony if the original arrest or subsequent charge filed is a felony. | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(2)(a) |
| Violation of pretrial protective order — misdemeanor arrest or charge | Class A Misdemeanor | Violation of a pretrial protective order is a class A misdemeanor if the original arrest or subsequent charge filed is a misdemeanor. | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(2)(b) |
| Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — felony conviction | Third Degree Felony | Violation of a sentencing protective order or continuous protective order is a third degree felony if the underlying conviction was a felony. | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(3)(a) |
| Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — misdemeanor conviction | Class A Misdemeanor | Violation of a sentencing protective order or continuous protective order is a class A misdemeanor if the underlying conviction was a misdemeanor. | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(3)(b) |
Common questions about penalties in Utah
Is penalties a felony or a misdemeanor in Utah?
It depends on the circumstances: penalties ranges from a Class B Misdemeanor to a Third Degree Felony in Utah under Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806.
Violation of Subsection 78B-7-802(1): Class B Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(1)(a)) · Violation of jail release court order or agreement — felony arrest: Third Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(1)(b)(i)) · Violation of jail release court order or agreement — misdemeanor arrest: Class A Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(1)(b)(ii)) · Violation of pretrial protective order — felony arrest or charge: Third Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(2)(a)) · Violation of pretrial protective order — misdemeanor arrest or charge: Class A Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(2)(b)) · Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — felony conviction: Third Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(3)(a)) · Violation of sentencing or continuous protective order — misdemeanor conviction: Class A Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806(3)(b))
What are the penalties for penalties in Utah?
Which Utah statute covers penalties?
Penalties is governed by Utah Code Ann. § 78B-7-806 (Penalties).
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.