WHAT EACH CHARGE CARRIES
14 charges people actually meet, each with the section it comes from, what it requires the state to show, and the most it can carry. Wisconsin sorts a crime into a class A to I felony or a class A to C misdemeanor, and below them sit forfeitures, which carry money only and are not crimes. Each level here names its class and the range the statutes set for it.
14 charges
Theft
A MISD to F FELONY · up to Up to 12 years and 6 months
Also searched as stealing, larceny, took something, kept a rental
Intentionally taking, using, concealing or keeping someone else's movable property without consent, intending to deprive the owner permanently, among the other ways the section lists.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| A MISDClass A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months$10,000 fine | WhenNot over $2,500 |
| I FELONYClass I felony | Up to 3 years and 6 months$10,000 fine | WhenOver $2,500, not over $5,000 |
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenOver $5,000, not over $10,000, or a firearm or a domestic animal, whatever the value |
| G FELONYClass G felony | Up to 10 years$25,000 fine | WhenOver $10,000, not over $100,000, or taken from another person's body |
| F FELONYClass F felony | Up to 12 years and 6 months$25,000 fine | WhenOver $100,000 |
A prior theft or retail theft conviction lets a misdemeanor theft be charged as a Class I felony, and a felony theft one class higher. Thefts in one course of conduct may be added together.
Retail theft
A MISD to G FELONY · up to Up to 10 years
Also searched as shoplifting, stealing from a store, price switching, removing a security tag
Taking, concealing, transferring or keeping a merchant's goods, or altering a price, without consent and meaning to deprive the merchant of them or the full price; removing a security tag in the store is the same offense.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| A MISDClass A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months$10,000 fine | WhenMerchandise not over $500 |
| I FELONYClass I felony | Up to 3 years and 6 months$10,000 fine | WhenOver $500, not over $5,000, or $500 or less taken with someone else to sell online |
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenOver $5,000, not over $10,000 |
| G FELONYClass G felony | Up to 10 years$25,000 fine | WhenOver $10,000 |
A merchant with reasonable cause may detain a person in a reasonable manner for a reasonable time, but has to say why, allow phone calls, and may not interrogate or search the person against their will before an officer arrives.
Battery
A MISD to E FELONY · up to Up to 15 years
Also searched as assault, hit someone, fight, substantial battery, aggravated battery
Causing bodily harm to another by an act intended to cause bodily harm, without the harmed person's consent, graded by the harm caused and the harm intended.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| A MISDClass A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months$10,000 fine | WhenBattery: bodily harm |
| I FELONYClass I felony | Up to 3 years and 6 months$10,000 fine | WhenSubstantial battery: substantial bodily harm |
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenAggravated battery: great bodily harm, by an act intended to cause bodily harm, or conduct creating a substantial risk of it |
| E FELONYClass E felony | Up to 15 years$50,000 fine | WhenAggravated battery: great bodily harm, by an act intended to cause great bodily harm |
Disorderly conduct
B MISD · up to Up to 90 days
Also searched as disturbing the peace, boisterous, unreasonably loud, fighting
Violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct, in a public or private place, under circumstances in which it tends to cause or provoke a disturbance.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| B MISDClass B misdemeanor | Up to 90 days$1,000 fine | WhenThe ordinary case |
Loading a firearm, or carrying a firearm or a knife, openly or concealed, is not disorderly conduct unless other facts show a criminal or malicious intent.
Resisting or obstructing an officer
A MISD to G FELONY · up to Up to 10 years
Also searched as resisting, obstructing, gave a false name, lied to police
Knowingly resisting or obstructing an officer acting in an official capacity and with lawful authority. Obstructing includes knowingly giving the officer false information.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| A MISDClass A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months$10,000 fine | WhenThe ordinary case, including a false name |
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenCausing substantial bodily harm or a soft tissue injury to the officer, or false information that helps convict an innocent person |
| G FELONYClass G felony | Up to 10 years$25,000 fine | WhenCausing great bodily harm to the officer |
Fleeing or eluding an officer
H FELONY to D FELONY · up to Up to 25 years
Also searched as fleeing, eluding, car chase, did not pull over
After a visible or audible signal from an officer or a marked police vehicle, fleeing or trying to elude the officer by willful disregard of the signal.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenNo injury or damage |
| G FELONYClass G felony | Up to 10 years$25,000 fine | WhenBodily harm to another, or damage to another's property |
| E FELONYClass E felony | Up to 15 years$50,000 fine | WhenGreat bodily harm to another |
| D FELONYClass D felony | Up to 25 years$100,000 fine | WhenThe death of another |
Knowingly failing to stop as promptly as safety reasonably permits, without fleeing, is separate, with a fine up to $10,000 or up to 9 months, or both.
Harassment
B FORFEITURE to A MISD · up to Up to 9 months
Also searched as harassing, shoving, threats, course of conduct
Intending to harass or intimidate, striking, shoving or kicking someone or threatening to, or a course of conduct that harasses or intimidates and serves no legitimate purpose.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| B FORFEITUREClass B forfeiture | No jail, and not a crime$1,000 fine | WhenThe ordinary case |
| A MISDClass A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months$10,000 fine | WhenWith a credible threat putting the victim in reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm, together with an order or injunction limiting contact |
Stalking
I FELONY to F FELONY · up to Up to 12 years and 6 months
Also searched as following someone, repeated messages, showing up at work, tracking
Intentionally carrying out a course of conduct aimed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person serious emotional distress or fear of injury or death, knowing or having reason to know it will, and actually causing it.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| I FELONYClass I felony | Up to 3 years and 6 months$10,000 fine | WhenThe ordinary case |
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenThe victim is under 18, among the other circumstances the section lists |
| F FELONYClass F felony | Up to 12 years and 6 months$25,000 fine | WhenCausing bodily harm, or involving a dangerous weapon |
A course of conduct is 2 or more acts showing a continuity of purpose.
Trespass to land, and to a dwelling
B FORFEITURE to A MISD · up to Up to 9 months
Also searched as trespassing, refused to leave, posted land, entered a house
Entering enclosed, cultivated or undeveloped land of another without consent, or staying after being told not to; or intentionally entering or staying in someone else's dwelling without consent, tending to provoke a breach of the peace.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| B FORFEITUREClass B forfeiture | No jail, and not a crime$1,000 fine | WhenLand |
| A MISDClass A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months$10,000 fine | WhenA dwelling |
Possession of a controlled substance
I FELONY · up to Up to 3 years and 6 months
Also searched as drug possession, possession of THC, marijuana, cocaine possession
Possessing a controlled substance without getting it directly from, or on a valid prescription or order of, a practitioner acting in professional practice.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| I FELONYClass I felony | Up to 3 years and 6 months$10,000 fine | WhenA schedule I or II narcotic drug, or any listed substance after an earlier controlled substances conviction |
A first conviction for THC carries a fine up to $1,000, up to 6 months, or both, and for cocaine and the other substances the paragraph lists a fine up to $5,000 and up to one year in the county jail.
Carrying a concealed weapon
A MISD · up to Up to 9 months
Also searched as concealed carry without a license, CCW, gun in the car
Carrying a concealed and dangerous weapon without being a licensee, an out-of-state licensee, a peace officer or one of the others the section lists. A knife is not a dangerous weapon for this section.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| A MISDClass A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months$10,000 fine | WhenThe ordinary case |
The offense does not reach carrying in one's own dwelling or place of business, or on land one owns, leases or legally occupies.
Reckless driving
H FELONY · up to Up to 6 years
Also searched as negligent driving, endangering safety, bad driving
Endangering the safety of any person or property by negligently operating a vehicle, or causing bodily harm or great bodily harm that way.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenCausing great bodily harm |
Endangering safety is a forfeiture of $50 to $400 the first time and a fine of $100 to $1,000, up to one year in the county jail, or both after that. Causing bodily harm is a fine of $600 to $4,000 and up to 2 years in the county jail.
Operating while suspended or revoked
I FELONY to H FELONY · up to Up to 6 years
Also searched as driving on a suspended license, OAR, OWS, revoked license
Operating on a highway during a suspension or revocation, whether or not the driver knew of it.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| I FELONYClass I felony | Up to 3 years and 6 months$10,000 fine | WhenKnowingly operating while suspended and causing great bodily harm |
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenKnowingly operating while suspended and causing a death |
Operating while suspended is otherwise a forfeiture of $50 to $200, and while revoked a forfeiture up to $2,500. Not receiving a notice mailed to the last known address is no defense.
Unlawful interception
H FELONY · up to Up to 6 years
Also searched as wiretapping, secret recording, recording a call
Intentionally intercepting a wire, electronic or oral communication outside the exceptions, or disclosing or using the contents knowing they were illegally intercepted.
| Class | Up to | When |
|---|---|---|
| H FELONYClass H felony | Up to 6 years$10,000 fine | WhenThe ordinary case |
It is not unlawful to intercept a communication one is a party to, or one a party consented to, unless it is done to commit a criminal or tortious act.
Every class on this page, for reference
Each range comes from the statutes' felony, misdemeanor and forfeiture sections. A penalty an offense writes out for itself, without a class, is in that card's note.
- B FORFEITUREClass B forfeitureNo jail, and not a crime$1,000
- B MISDClass B misdemeanorUp to 90 days$1,000
- A MISDClass A misdemeanorUp to 9 months$10,000
- I FELONYClass I felonyUp to 3 years and 6 months$10,000
- H FELONYClass H felonyUp to 6 years$10,000
- G FELONYClass G felonyUp to 10 years$25,000
- F FELONYClass F felonyUp to 12 years and 6 months$25,000
- E FELONYClass E felonyUp to 15 years$50,000
- D FELONYClass D felonyUp to 25 years$100,000
Words on a charging document
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
19 words
- BatteryCausing bodily harm to another, by an act intended to cause bodily harm, without the harmed person's consent. A Class A misdemeanor.
- Class A misdemeanorThe highest misdemeanor class: up to $10,000, up to 9 months, or both.
- Commencement of a prosecutionA prosecution is commenced when a warrant or summons is issued, an indictment is found, or an information is filed. A felony must be commenced within 6 years and a misdemeanor within 3 years after the offense, except as the section provides.
- Disorderly conductViolent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct, under circumstances in which it tends to cause or provoke a disturbance.
- ExpungementClearing a record, ordered at the time of sentencing for a person under 25 at the time of an offense carrying a maximum of 6 years or less, taking effect once the sentence is successfully completed.
- Fleeing or eludingWillful disregard of an officer's signal to stop. With no injury or damage, a Class H felony.
- ForfeitureA penalty that carries money only: Class A up to $10,000, Class B up to $1,000, Class C up to $500.
- HarassmentStriking, shoving or kicking someone, or threatening to, or a course of conduct that harasses or intimidates and serves no legitimate purpose. A Class B forfeiture, up to $1,000.
- HazingIntentionally or recklessly endangering a student's physical health or safety for initiation, admission or affiliation with an organization connected with a school, college or university.
- Negligent operationThe standard Wisconsin's reckless driving section rests on: endangering the safety of any person or property by negligent operation of a vehicle.
- ObstructingKnowingly resisting or obstructing an officer acting in an official capacity and with lawful authority. A Class A misdemeanor.
- Opened containerAn opened container of alcohol beverages or nitrous oxide. No driver or passenger may have one on their person in a private vehicle on a public highway.
- Operating while suspendedOperating on a highway during a suspension. A forfeiture of $50 to $200.
- Retail theftTaking, concealing, transferring or keeping a merchant's goods, or altering a price, without consent and meaning to deprive the merchant. Not over $500 is a Class A misdemeanor.
- StalkingIntentionally carrying out a course of conduct aimed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person serious emotional distress or fear, and does. A Class I felony.
- TheftIntentionally taking, using, concealing or keeping someone else's movable property without consent, intending to deprive the owner permanently. Not over $2,500 is a Class A misdemeanor.
- Trespass to landEntering enclosed, cultivated or undeveloped land of another without consent, or staying after being told not to. A Class B forfeiture, up to $1,000.
- Underage personA person below the legal drinking age, who commits a violation by knowingly possessing or consuming alcohol beverages. A first violation is a forfeiture of $100 to $200.
- Unsecured appearance bondRelease on a promise to pay if the person does not appear, without depositing money first.
About this guide — maximums, not predictions. What a specific case carries turns on priors, the facts, and the court, and only a licensed Wisconsin attorney can tell you what yours is. Current as of September 2026.