Felony or Misdemeanor
13 V.S.A. § 1 — a felony is an offense whose maximum term is more than two years
Vermont does not sort its crimes into classes. Any offense whose maximum term of imprisonment is more than two years, or life, is a felony, and any other offense is a misdemeanor. The line turns on the most the offense's own section allows, and that section sets the fine too.
- An attempt at murder, aggravated murder, kidnapping, arson causing death, human trafficking, or sexual assault is punished as the offense itself.
- An attempt at any other felony carries the less severe of up to 10 years and $10,000, or the penalty for the offense attempted.
- An attempted misdemeanor carries up to one-half of the maximum penalty for the offense attempted.
Sources for this section (2)
- 13 V.S.A. § 1 — Felonies and misdemeanors defined
- 13 V.S.A. § 9 — Attempts
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Vermont attorney.