A Class E crime in Maine is the lowest level of criminal offense in the state’s five-tier classification system, carrying a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. A judge does not have to impose jail at all, and many first-time Class E cases end in probation, a fine, or a deferred disposition that avoids a conviction entirely. What often matters more than the sentence is what stays behind: a permanent criminal record that can affect jobs, housing, professional licenses, firearm rights in domestic violence cases, immigration status, and travel into Canada.
Where Class E Fits in Maine’s Crime Classes
Maine does not use the traditional “felony” and “misdemeanor” labels. All criminal offenses are sorted into five classes, from Class A (the most serious) down to Class E (the least serious), and the class sets the ceiling on jail time and fines.1Maine Attorney General. Criminal Justice System – Crime and Victims In everyday federal and practical terms, Class D and Class E offenses function the way misdemeanors do elsewhere, which matters whenever a federal background check, immigration rule, or firearm statute uses the word “misdemeanor.”
When a crime defined outside the main criminal code doesn’t specify its class, Maine assigns one based on the maximum imprisonment the statute allows. If that maximum doesn’t exceed one year, the offense is treated as a Class E crime.2Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 4-A – Crimes and Civil Violations Outside the Code
Penalties for a Class E Conviction
Jail Time
The six-month cap comes from Title 17-A, Section 1604, which replaced the older Section 1252 in Maine’s 2019 sentencing code revision.3Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1604 – Imprisonment for Crimes Other Than Murder Six months is a ceiling, not a floor. Judges weigh prior record, the facts of the offense, and any aggravating or mitigating circumstances, and on low-level Class E cases they often suspend jail in favor of probation or community service.
Fines
The maximum fine for a Class E conviction is $1,000 under Title 17-A, Section 1704.4Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1704 – Maximum Fine Amounts Authorized for Convicted Individuals The court can also order restitution to a victim for losses like stolen property or repair costs, and court fees and surcharges get added on top. Judges have discretion to consider ability to pay when setting the amount.
Probation
Probation on a Class E conviction can run up to one year, either instead of jail or on top of a suspended sentence.5Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1804 – Period of Probation; Modification; Termination and Discharge Standard conditions include reporting to a probation officer, drug or alcohol testing, community service, and staying out of new legal trouble. Violating a condition puts you back in court facing the jail time that was suspended.
Offenses Commonly Charged as Class E
Hundreds of Maine offenses sit in the Class E category. Three come up repeatedly.
Low-Value Theft
Under Title 17-A, Section 353, theft by unauthorized taking starts as a Class E crime and moves up in class as the value of the property rises: over $500 up to $1,000 becomes Class D, over $1,000 up to $10,000 becomes Class C, and so on.6Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 353 – Theft by Unauthorized Taking or Transfer Shoplifting and other small-dollar theft cases are typically prosecuted as Class E.
Disorderly Conduct
Disorderly conduct is defined under Title 17-A, Section 501-A. It covers intentionally making loud and unreasonable noise in a public place, fighting, and directing words or gestures at someone that would provoke a violent reaction from a reasonable person in the situation.7Maine Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 501-A – Disorderly Conduct Bar fights, public arguments that escalate, and serious noise complaints all land here.
Driving on a Suspended License
Operating a vehicle while your license is suspended or revoked is a Class E crime under Title 29-A, Section 2412-A.8Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 29-A Section 2412-A – Operating While License Suspended or Revoked One trap here: the statute is a strict liability offense in the sense that the state only needs to prove you were given notice of the suspension by mail, court, or law enforcement, and then drove. Forgetting or not checking your mail is not a defense.
Deferred Disposition: The First-Offense Off-Ramp
Many Class E cases resolve without a trial, and the best available outcome short of dismissal is often a deferred disposition under Title 17-A, Section 1902.9Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1902 – Deferred Disposition You plead guilty, but the court delays sentencing and sets conditions for a deferment period. Conditions usually include staying out of legal trouble and may include an administrative supervision fee of up to $50 per month. If you meet every condition, the charge can be dismissed instead of becoming a conviction. If you break the terms, the court proceeds to sentencing on the guilty plea you already entered.
What Happens to Your Record Afterward
A Class E conviction is permanent unless you take steps to seal it. Maine does not offer expungement, so no conviction is ever fully erased.10Maine Judicial Branch. Sealing Your Criminal Record Sealing hides the conviction from employers, landlords, lenders, and school admissions while keeping it visible to law enforcement and courts.
To qualify for sealing under Title 15, Section 2262, all of the following must be true:11Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 15 Section 2262 – Statutory Prerequisites for Sealing Criminal History Record Information
- The conviction is for an offense the statute lists as eligible.
- At least four years have passed since you fully completed every part of the sentence, including any jail, probation, fines, and restitution.
- You have no new Maine convictions since finishing that sentence.
- You have no convictions from any other state during the same period.
- You have no pending criminal cases anywhere when you file.
The process starts by filing a Motion to Seal Criminal History (form CR-218) with the District Court where the conviction was entered. The form is available on the Maine Judicial Branch website or from any District Court clerk’s office.10Maine Judicial Branch. Sealing Your Criminal Record Because any new conviction resets the four-year clock, the clean-record requirement carries real weight.
Consequences That Outlast the Sentence
The sentence a judge hands down is only part of what a Class E conviction costs.
Employment and Housing
Until a conviction is sealed, it shows up on standard background checks used by employers and landlords. Maine has narrowed how criminal records can be used in hiring decisions, but the conviction still narrows your options in practice, and some industries are especially cautious.
Professional Licensing
Licensing boards in healthcare, education, law, real estate, and other regulated fields ask about criminal history on applications and renewals, and some can open a disciplinary review based on court records without waiting for you to disclose. A Class E theft or disorderly conduct conviction may not automatically disqualify you, but it creates a hurdle you’ll need to address with evidence of rehabilitation.
Firearms and Domestic Violence
Most Class E convictions do not affect firearm rights. The major exception is domestic violence. Federal law permanently bars anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing any firearm or ammunition, and it applies even though Maine doesn’t use the word “misdemeanor.”12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 18 Section 922 A qualifying offense must involve the use or attempted use of physical force against a current or former spouse, cohabitant, co-parent, or dating partner.13Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Misdemeanor Crimes of Domestic Violence Prohibitions Violating the federal prohibition carries up to 15 years in federal prison. If your Class E charge has any domestic violence element, the firearm exposure alone can outweigh the state-level penalties.
Immigration
For non-citizens, even a Class E conviction can trigger severe immigration consequences. Federal immigration law uses the concept of a “crime involving moral turpitude,” which broadly reaches offenses involving fraud, theft with intent to permanently deprive, or intentional infliction of harm. A Class E theft conviction can put someone into deportation proceedings or make them inadmissible for a visa or green card. Immigration judges apply federal standards, not Maine’s classification system, so the fact that the offense is the lowest state class offers no automatic protection. Anyone without U.S. citizenship should talk to an immigration attorney before entering any plea.
Travel to Canada
Canada is the most common travel problem for Maine residents with any record. Canadian border officers look at whether the offense has a Canadian equivalent that qualifies as an indictable or hybrid offense, and even completed sentences and minor convictions can lead to being turned back. The two paths in are a Temporary Resident Permit for a short-term visit or Criminal Rehabilitation, which becomes available five years after you finish your entire sentence. Checking your admissibility before you drive up is safer than testing it at the border.