What an Offense Level Means
HRS 706-663 — a misdemeanor is up to 364 days, or a year for a crime of violence
Crimes are of three grades, felonies, misdemeanors and petty misdemeanors, and felonies are murder and attempted murder in the first and second degrees and three classes, A, B and C. A violation, an offense punishable only by a fine or other civil penalty, is not a crime, and a conviction of one carries no civil disability.
Who handles this in Hawaii: Office of the Public Defender and Hawaii State Bar Association, Lawyer Referral and Information Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Hawaii directory.
| Level | Imprisonment | Fine up to |
|---|---|---|
| LevelClass A felony | ImprisonmentAn indeterminate term of twenty years, without suspension or probation | Fine up to$50,000 |
| LevelClass B felony | ImprisonmentUp to ten years | Fine up to$25,000 |
| LevelClass C felony | ImprisonmentUp to five years | Fine up to$10,000 |
| LevelMisdemeanor | ImprisonmentUp to 364 days, or one year for a crime of violence | Fine up to$2,000 |
| LevelPetty misdemeanor | ImprisonmentUp to 30 days | Fine up to$1,000 |
| LevelViolation | ImprisonmentNone | Fine up to$1,000 |
- For a class A, B or C felony the paroling authority sets the minimum term within the maximum the court imposes.
- A crime of violence here has the meaning the firearms chapter gives it.
- A felony with no class given is a class C felony, and a crime with no grade given is a misdemeanor.
- A fine may instead be any higher amount equal to double the defendant's gain from the offense.
Sources for this section (6)
- HRS 701-107 — Grades and classes of offenses
- HRS 706-610 — Classes of felonies
- HRS 706-640 — Authorized fines
- HRS 706-659 — Sentence of imprisonment for class A felony
- HRS 706-660 — Sentence of imprisonment for class B and C felonies; ordinary terms; discretionary terms
- HRS 706-663 — Sentence of imprisonment for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Hawaii attorney.