A Class C felony in New York is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, with fines reaching $15,000 for drug offenses and $5,000 for everything else. It sits in the middle of New York’s five felony classes, above D and E and below A and B. The exact sentence you face depends on two things: whether the offense is classified as violent under the Penal Law, and whether you have a prior felony conviction. Those two variables decide the minimum prison term, whether probation is available at all, and how long supervision continues after release.
Violent or Non-Violent Changes Everything
Penal Law 70.02 lists which Class C offenses count as “violent felonies.” That label is the single most consequential fact in the case. A violent Class C felony carries a mandatory determinate prison sentence and a fixed period of post-release supervision. A non-violent Class C felony carries an indeterminate sentence and, in the right circumstances, opens the door to probation instead of prison.1New York State Senate. New York Code 70.02 – Sentence of Imprisonment for a Violent Felony Offense
Class C Offenses Commonly Charged as Violent
- Robbery in the second degree — forcibly stealing property while aided by another person, while causing physical injury, or while displaying what appears to be a firearm.
- Burglary in the second degree — unlawfully entering a dwelling with intent to commit a crime inside.
- Gang assault in the second degree — causing serious physical injury with help from two or more accomplices.
- Assault on a police officer, firefighter, or emergency medical professional causing serious physical injury.
- Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree — possessing a loaded firearm outside your home or business.
The statute also covers attempted Class B violent felonies, aggravated manslaughter in the second degree, strangulation in the first degree, and several terrorism-related offenses.1New York State Senate. New York Code 70.02 – Sentence of Imprisonment for a Violent Felony Offense
Class C Offenses Commonly Charged as Non-Violent
- Grand larceny in the second degree — stealing property worth more than $50,000.2New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 155.40 – Grand Larceny in the Second Degree
- Criminal possession of a forged instrument in the first degree — possessing a counterfeit bill or fraudulent bond with intent to defraud.
- Criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fourth degree.
- Promoting gambling in the first degree — running a large-scale gambling operation.
Prison Time for a Violent Class C Felony
A first-time offender convicted of a violent Class C felony faces a determinate prison sentence between 3.5 and 15 years.1New York State Senate. New York Code 70.02 – Sentence of Imprisonment for a Violent Felony Offense A few specific offenses carry higher ranges. Aggravated manslaughter in the second degree and attempted aggravated assault on a police officer both require a minimum of 7 years and allow up to 20.
Every violent Class C conviction also brings mandatory post-release supervision of 2.5 to 5 years.3New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 70.45 – Periods of Post-Release Supervision Violating supervision conditions during that period can send you back to prison. Probation is not available; the court must impose a prison term.
Prison Time for a Non-Violent Class C Felony
Non-violent Class C felonies carry indeterminate sentences. The judge sets both a maximum and a minimum period before parole eligibility. The maximum cannot exceed 15 years. The minimum must be at least one year and no more than one-third of the maximum. So if the court imposes the top of the range, the minimum cannot be more than 5 years.4New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 70.00 – Sentence of Imprisonment for Felony
Prison is not the only option. A judge who concludes incarceration is not necessary for public safety can impose probation of three to five years instead.5New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 65.00 – Sentence of Probation A split sentence combining a short jail term with probation is also possible. These alternatives are most realistic for first-time offenders with strong mitigating circumstances, and courts rarely grant them when the offense involved large financial losses or significant drug quantities.
How a Prior Felony Changes the Sentence
A prior felony conviction moves the sentencing floor sharply upward. Under New York’s second felony offender law, a new non-violent Class C felony requires an indeterminate sentence with a maximum of at least 6 years and up to 15, and the minimum must be set at half the maximum imposed.6New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 70.06 – Sentence of Imprisonment for Second Felony Offender
A second violent felony offender convicted of a Class C violent felony faces a mandatory determinate sentence of at least 5 years and up to 15.6New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 70.06 – Sentence of Imprisonment for Second Felony Offender Probation is off the table for anyone sentenced as a second felony offender. Cases that might otherwise have resolved with probation become guaranteed prison time.
Fines, Surcharges, and Restitution
The fine depends on whether the offense involves drugs. Class C felonies under Articles 220 and 221 of the Penal Law carry a maximum fine of $15,000. All other Class C felonies carry a maximum of $5,000. In either case, the court can go higher and impose an amount equal to double the defendant’s financial gain from the crime.7New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 80.00 – Fine for Felony
On top of any fine, every felony conviction triggers a mandatory $300 surcharge and a $25 crime victim assistance fee. The court must impose both regardless of ability to pay.8New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 60.35 – Mandatory Surcharge, Sex Offender Registration Fee, DNA Databank Fee, Supplemental Sex Offender Victim Fee and Crime Victim Assistance Fee
Restitution is separate. Fines go to the state; restitution repays the victim for actual losses. New York caps felony restitution at $15,000, though the cap can be exceeded for reimbursement of returned property or medical expenses. If a court declines to order restitution, it must explain its reasons on the record.9New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 60.27 – Restitution and Reparation
How Long Prosecutors Have to Charge You
Prosecutors generally have five years from the date of the offense to bring Class C felony charges.10New York State Senate. New York Criminal Procedure Law 30.10 – Timeliness of Prosecutions The clock pauses when the defendant is continuously outside New York. Corruption offenses involving public office extend the deadline by up to five additional years beyond the official’s time in office. Certain serious sex offenses and Class A felonies have no time limit, but the standard five-year window applies to most Class C cases.
What Happens After the Sentence
The prison term and fine are only part of the picture. A Class C felony conviction sets off a chain of consequences that continue long after the sentence is complete.
Firearms
Federal law permanently bars anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison from possessing a firearm or ammunition.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts Every Class C felony in New York meets that threshold. The ban applies nationwide, covers guns you already own, and does not expire. Violating it is itself a federal felony carrying up to 10 years.
Immigration
For non-citizens, a Class C conviction can be devastating. Many common Class C offenses — robbery, drug trafficking, burglary with a sentence of at least one year, and fraud exceeding $10,000 — qualify as “aggravated felonies” under federal immigration law. That classification is a permanent bar to establishing good moral character, blocks naturalization, and can trigger mandatory deportation.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part F Chapter 4 – Permanent Bars to Good Moral Character Even a suspended sentence can count toward the one-year threshold that triggers the aggravated felony label.
Voting
Under a 2021 law, New York restores voting rights upon release from incarceration, even during parole or post-release supervision. You lose the right to vote only while physically incarcerated, and you must re-register after release.13New York State Board of Elections. Voting After Incarceration
Employment and Professional Licenses
New York’s correction law offers some protection against blanket criminal-record discrimination in hiring, but licensing boards keep significant authority. State-licensed fields including law, medicine, nursing, accounting, and teaching require disclosure of felony convictions. Boards weigh whether the offense is substantially related to the profession, how much time has passed, and evidence of rehabilitation.
A Certificate of Relief from Disabilities can lift some of the automatic legal bars. It is available to people with no more than one felony conviction, and it restores the right to apply and be considered on the merits rather than being disqualified outright. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision accepts applications either during supervision or after the full sentence is complete.14New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Certificate of Relief / Good Conduct and Restoration of Rights
International Travel
Canada treats any conviction equivalent to a Canadian indictable offense as grounds for inadmissibility, and many Class C felonies have Canadian equivalents that qualify. The United Kingdom’s Electronic Travel Authorisation, required for U.S. citizens as of early 2026, asks about criminal history and automatically denies entry for anyone with a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. Europe’s upcoming ETIAS system will also screen for criminal history.
Sealing a Class C Felony Conviction
New York allows sealing of certain felony convictions, but the eligibility rules are narrow. All violent felonies are excluded, along with Class A felonies, sex offenses, and homicide charges. You can seal no more than two convictions total, and only one can be a felony.15New York State Senate. New York Criminal Procedure Law 160.59 – Sealing of Certain Convictions
The waiting period is at least 10 years from sentencing, or 10 years from your latest release from incarceration, whichever is later. Time spent incarcerated does not count toward the 10 years. Even after the waiting period, sealing is not automatic; a judge must approve the application. A sealed conviction still appears to law enforcement and in background checks for certain sensitive positions, but it would not surface on most standard employer or landlord checks.