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The Daily Insight

What dollar amount is considered a felony in Virginia

Author

William Taylor

Published May 21, 2026

Most states have statutory exceptions to the general felony threshold amount, based on specific characteristics of the offender, victims, or property stolen. In Virginia, larceny from a person is a felony if the stolen item’s value is $5.00 or more. Larceny of a firearm, regardless of its value, is a felony.

What dollar amount is a felony in Virginia?

Finally, in 2018, the General Assembly raised the threshold amount to $500, and in 2020 they increased the amount again, this time to $1000. So today in Virginia, theft of an item or money valued at less than $1000 is petit larceny, a misdemeanor. Stealing property valued at $1000 or more is grand larceny, a felony.

What amount is grand larceny in Virginia?

Under Virginia Code § 18.2-108.01, any person who commits larceny of property valued at $1000 or more with the intent to sell or distribute is guilty of a felony punishable by a minimum of two years in prison, up to a maximum of 20 years. This is a separate and distinct offense from grand larceny.

How much money stolen is a felony?

In order to be a felony theft, the value of the property must exceed a minimum amount established by state law, typically between $1,000 and $2,500—often referred to as the felony-theft threshold. (Some states have been slow to keep up with inflation, so stealing a $500 item can be a felony.)

Is larceny a felony in Virginia?

Virginia Larceny Law Grand larceny is a felony offense, while petit larceny is a misdemeanor offense. Grand larceny is charged when the value of the stolen items is over $1000.

What is a felony charge?

/ˈfel.ə.ni/ (an example of) serious crime that can be punished by one or more years in prison: a felony charge. He was convicted of a felony.

Is there a statute of limitations on felonies in Virginia?

Virginia establishes time limits, as do all other states, for how soon after an arrest a prosecutor must file formal criminal charges. However, Virginia is unique in that it does not have a statute of limitations for most felonies. …

What's the lowest felony you can get?

So, exactly what is a 4th Degree felony then? In states who apply this category of crimes, it is the least serious type of felony offense that a defendant can be charged with and is one step above the most serious level of misdemeanor offenses.

What dollar amount is grand theft?

Grand theft under California Penal Code Section 487(a) is defined as the illegal or unlawful taking of another person’s property which is valued in excess of $950. This crime can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor.

What state is toughest on crime?

New Hampshire is the top state for crime and corrections. It’s followed by Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Jersey to round out the top five. Four of the 10 states that are best for crime and corrections also rank among the top 10 Best States overall.

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What is higher than Grand theft?

You may be charged with petty theft for taking money or property valued less than $950. … Grand theft involves taking money or property valued more than $950. Grand theft is what’s called a “wobbler” in California. This means it can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor.

What's the difference between grand theft and grand larceny?

Grand larceny is a type of theft where the property of another person is taken, and it is moved to another location. … Grand theft, on the other hand, refers to taking of property. Grand theft can consist of many crimes, including robberies, burglaries, or larceny.

What are examples of grand larceny?

  • Stealing jewelry from a jewelry store that is valued over $950.
  • Removing a wallet from a woman’s purse that is physically touching the rightful owner. …
  • Stealing computers or mobile devices.

What amount of money is grand larceny?

What is California Grand Theft? Under Section 487 of the California Penal Code, grand theft is an unlawful taking in any of the following, with the intent to steal: Money, labor, or property with a value of over $950.

What's the difference between larceny and felony?

Similar to theft, larceny is the taking of property with the intent of depriving the owner of its use. … Petty or simple larceny is usually a misdemeanor and involves theft of property less than the local threshold for grand larceny, while grand larceny is typically a felony.

Is stealing a car a felony in Virginia?

Auto theft refers to the theft of a vehicle belonging to someone else, with the intention of permanently depriving that person of that vehicle and, any time the vehicle is worth $200 or more, it constitutes a felony offense.

Can you get a felony removed from your record in Virginia?

If you have misdemeanor—or felony—non-convictions on your record but do not meet the requirements above, you can petition for expungement under current law.

What is a Class 1 felony in VA?

Under Virginia’s laws, the most serious felonies are Class 1 felonies, punishable by life imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000. Murder is an example of a Class 1 felony.

How do you get a felony off your record in Virginia?

If you are eligible to have your record expunged, you may file a petition for expungement. You must file the petition in the circuit court of the county or city in which your case was handled. (Virginia Statutes § 19.2-392.2 (2018).) You can find the petition forms on the website of the Virginia Judicial System.

What are 3 examples of a felony?

Some examples of felonies include murder, rape, burglary, kidnapping and arson. People who have been convicted of a felony are called felons. Repeat felons are punished extra harshly because sentencing laws take into consideration their criminal history.

What is the most common felony?

  • Drug abuse violations are the most common felony charges in recent years, with about 2,000,000 violations annually, according to some estimates.
  • Property crimes – including auto theft, burglary, larceny, arson, and theft.

What are the different levels of felonies?

  • Class A. The maximum punishment for a class A felony is often a life sentence or death. …
  • Class B. …
  • Class C. …
  • Class D. …
  • Class E. …
  • Indictable. …
  • Summary. …
  • Hybrid.

Can you be charged with theft if the item is returned?

Returning an Item Due to Remorse Because intent is present, it is entirely possible to prosecute a person for stealing an item they later return. The return is irrelevant to the charges. The person took the item on purpose and permanently, and that is all the prosecution needs to know to seek justice.

How do you prove grand theft?

  1. The defendant took someone else’s property.
  2. He or she did so without the owner’s consent.
  3. The defendant intended to take this property away from the true owner when he or she seized it.
  4. The defendant moved or kept the property.

What is the difference between theft and grand theft?

What is the difference between grand theft and petty theft under California law? Petty theft is when someone unlawfully takes less than $950 of cash or goods from someone else. When the stolen property is worth $950 or more, it becomes grand theft.

What is a Class 4 felony in Virginia?

Embezzlement, arson of an unoccupied building, prostitution, kidnapping, and manslaughter can result in a Class 4 felony conviction. The penalties range from 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

What state has the harshest sentencing?

So which states dish out the harshest prison sentences for various crimes? For drug-related offenses, Iowa ranked the highest with a mean of 9.3 years of jail time (Tennessee, South Carolina, Minnesota, and Hawaii made up the rest of the top five).

What are the two types of felonies?

Violent and Nonviolent Felonies While most crimes involving violence are considered felonies, not all felonies involve violence. These two types of felony are looked at differently by the court, especially when considering past crimes in conviction and sentencing.

What's the safest state in the USA?

  1. New Jersey. New Jersey’s distinction as the safest state in the U.S. in our rankings is in large part due to its runaway score in the law enforcement officers per capita category, which is over 100% greater than the national average. …
  2. New Hampshire. …
  3. Rhode Island. …
  4. Maine. …
  5. Vermont. …
  6. Connecticut. …
  7. Ohio. …
  8. New York.

Which state is number one in crime?

But in terms of absolute number of cases, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest incidence of violent crimes accounting for 15.2% of total violent crimes in India (65,155 out of 4,28,134) followed by Maharashtra (10.7%), and Bihar and West Bengal each accounting for 10.4% of such cases.

What state has highest murders?

STATEHOMICIDE RATEMississippi20.5Louisiana19.9Alabama14.2Missouri14