What happens if I get caught shoplifting?

Written by NotALawyer Legal AI · Reviewed by External Legal AI · Published July 2, 2026

In every state, the value of what was taken drives the charge: below a dollar threshold it's a misdemeanor, above it a felony. Where that line sits varies widely by state — see the table on this page. Even a first misdemeanor can carry jail exposure, fines, and a record, but first-time offenders often have better options than they expect.

The dollar value sets the charge

States charge shoplifting in tiers keyed to the value of the merchandise. Small amounts are petty or ordinary misdemeanors; crossing the state's felony threshold turns the same conduct into a felony with dramatically higher stakes.

Separate incidents can be added together

If prosecutors can show multiple thefts were one scheme or course of conduct, many states let them combine the values to reach a higher tier. This is common in retail-theft cases built from store video spanning several visits.

A civil demand letter is not the criminal case

Stores often mail a letter demanding a few hundred dollars for their losses. Paying it is voluntary and does not dismiss or settle the criminal charge — the two run on completely separate tracks.

Common defenses

No intent to steal (you forgot the item was in your hand or cart), mistaken identity, mismarked prices, an unlawful stop or search by store security, and cases resting on a single guard's word with no video.

Diversion can keep a record clean

Many courts offer pre-prosecution diversion or conditional discharge for first-time misdemeanor shoplifting. Completing the program — classes, community service, restitution — usually ends in dismissal with no conviction on your record.

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Sources & primary references

Theft — Cornell Legal Information Institute (Wex)

Shoplifting felony threshold by stateCompare the felony theft threshold in all 50 states.

This is the dollar value of stolen goods at which shoplifting or ordinary theft stops being a misdemeanor and becomes a felony in each state. Each value is cited to the state statute or agency; a state with no sourced figure shows "Not yet sourced."

State	Felony theft threshold	Source
Alabama	$500	Ala. Code § 13A-8-4.1
Alaska	$750	Alaska Stat. § 11.46.130
Arizona	$1,000	Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-1802
Arkansas	$1,000	Ark. Code § 5-36-103
California	$950	Cal. Penal Code § 487
Colorado	$2,000	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-4-401
Connecticut	$2,000	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-124
Delaware	$1,500	11 Del. Code § 841
District of Columbia	$1,000	D.C. Code § 22-3212
Florida	$750	Fla. Stat. § 812.014
Georgia	$1,500	Ga. Code § 16-8-12
Hawaii	$750	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 708-831
Idaho	$1,000	Idaho Code § 18-2407
Illinois	$500	720 ILCS 5/16-1
Indiana	$750	Ind. Code § 35-43-4-2
Iowa	$1,500	Iowa Code § 714.2
Kansas	$1,500	Kan. Stat. § 21-5801
Kentucky	$1,000	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 514.030
Louisiana	$1,000	La. Rev. Stat. § 14:67
Maine	$1,000	17-A M.R.S. § 353
Maryland	$1,500	Md. Crim. Law § 7-104
Massachusetts	$1,200	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 266 § 30
Michigan	$1,000	Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.356
Minnesota	$1,000	Minn. Stat. § 609.52
Mississippi	$1,000	Miss. Code § 97-17-41
Missouri	$750	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 570.030
Montana	$1,500	Mont. Code § 45-6-301
Nebraska	$1,500	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-518
Nevada	$1,200	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 205.220
New Hampshire	$1,000	N.H. Rev. Stat. § 637:11
New Jersey	$200	N.J. Stat. § 2C:20-2
New Mexico	$500	N.M. Stat. § 30-16-1
New York	$1,000	N.Y. Penal Law § 155.30
North Carolina	$1,000	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-72
North Dakota	$1,000	N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-23-05
Ohio	$1,000	Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.02
Oklahoma	$1,000	21 Okla. Stat. § 1704
Oregon	$1,000	Or. Rev. Stat. § 164.055
Pennsylvania	$2,000	18 Pa. C.S. § 3903
Rhode Island	$1,500	R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-41-5
South Carolina	$2,000	S.C. Code § 16-13-30
South Dakota	$1,000	S.D. Codified Laws § 22-30A-17
Tennessee	$1,000	Tenn. Code § 39-14-105
Texas	$2,500	Tex. Penal Code § 31.03
Utah	$1,500	Utah Code § 76-6-412
Vermont	$900	13 V.S.A. § 2501
Virginia	$1,000	Va. Code § 18.2-95
Washington	$750	Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.56.030
West Virginia	$1,000	W. Va. Code § 61-3-13
Wisconsin	$500	Wisconsin Statutes §943.50(4) (Retail theft)
Wyoming	$1,000	Wyo. Stat. § 6-3-402

General information, not legal advice. Rules change and exceptions apply — confirm the current rule with the cited source for your state.

NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.