A Class A misdemeanor in Missouri is the state’s most serious misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $2,000.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 558.011 – Sentence of Imprisonment, Terms, Conditional Release It sits one step below a felony. The jail time is served in county jail rather than state prison, and the conviction leaves a criminal record that can follow you for years.
What the Sentence Looks Like
One year is the ceiling, not the floor. Many defendants receive less, and some receive no jail time at all when the judge opts for probation and fines instead. The $2,000 statutory fine is also a maximum, but court costs and surcharges add several hundred dollars on top and are effectively unavoidable, even on a lenient sentence.
Probation on a misdemeanor runs between six months and two years in Missouri.2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 559.016 – Probation Terms Conditions typically include reporting to a probation officer, staying in state, random drug testing, community service, and paying fines and restitution on schedule. A judge can tailor conditions to the offense, and any violation gives the court grounds to revoke probation and impose the original jail term.
Offenses Charged as Class A Misdemeanors
Assault
Fourth-degree assault is one of the most frequently charged Class A misdemeanors. It covers recklessly causing physical injury, threatening someone with immediate harm, or making offensive physical contact.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 565.056 – Assault in the Fourth Degree Third-degree assault, which involves attempting to cause or recklessly causing physical injury, is a Class A misdemeanor in most situations.4Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 565.070 – Assault in the Third Degree
Fourth-degree domestic assault follows the same pattern but applies when the victim is a domestic partner, family member, or household member. A first or second offense is a Class A misdemeanor. A third conviction for domestic assault against any domestic victim becomes a Class E felony.5Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 565.076 – Domestic Assault in the Fourth Degree, Penalty
Stealing
Missouri’s stealing statute uses property value to split misdemeanor from felony. Stealing property worth $750 or more is a Class D felony. Stealing property worth less than $150, with no prior theft convictions, is a Class D misdemeanor. Everything in between falls into Class A misdemeanor territory as the default when no other classification applies.6Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 570.030 – Stealing Prior theft-related convictions can also push a low-value theft up to Class A misdemeanor or higher.
Driving While Intoxicated
A first-offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if you qualify as a prior offender under Missouri law or if a child under seventeen was in the vehicle.7Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 577.010 – Driving While Intoxicated Additional prior offenses can push the charge beyond Class A, eventually reaching felony level.
Resisting Arrest
Resisting or interfering with a lawful arrest for a misdemeanor is itself a Class A misdemeanor. If the underlying arrest is for a felony, or if fleeing creates a substantial risk of serious injury or death, the charge becomes a Class E felony.8Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 575.150 – Resisting or Interfering With Arrest, Detention, or Stop
Marijuana Possession
Possessing more than ten grams but no more than thirty-five grams of marijuana is a Class A misdemeanor. Possessing ten grams or less is normally a Class D misdemeanor, but any prior drug conviction anywhere in the country moves it up to Class A.9Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 579.015 – Possession or Control of a Controlled Substance Possession of other controlled substances typically starts at the felony level and would not fall under a Class A misdemeanor charge.
When a Class A Misdemeanor Becomes a Felony
Several offenses that normally sit at the Class A misdemeanor level escalate with prior convictions or aggravating facts. A third domestic assault, a resisting charge tied to a felony arrest, and repeat DWIs are the clearest examples. If you have a prior record in any of these categories, assume the exposure is higher than the Class A ceiling until an attorney confirms otherwise.
Consequences Beyond the Sentence
A Class A misdemeanor creates a criminal record that shows up in job interviews, apartment applications, and professional licensing decisions. Background checks are routine in healthcare, education, finance, and government hiring, and landlords screen the same way.
A domestic violence misdemeanor carries a separate and permanent consequence under federal law: anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence is barred for life from possessing firearms or ammunition.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts That applies whether the Missouri conviction is a misdemeanor or a felony, and it affects anyone who hunts, owns firearms, or works in law enforcement or security.
International travel can also be affected. Canada can deny entry to anyone with a criminal record, and a single DWI conviction is enough to make a visitor inadmissible at the Canadian border because impaired driving is treated as a serious criminal offense under Canadian law.
Expunging a Class A Misdemeanor
Missouri allows people to petition to expunge certain misdemeanor convictions, which removes the offense from your criminal record. You must wait at least three years after completing your entire sentence, including probation or parole. During that waiting period you cannot pick up any new misdemeanor or felony convictions, other than minor traffic violations.11Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 610.140 – Expungement of Certain Records
You also must have paid all fines and restitution and have no pending criminal charges. The court considers whether your conduct since the conviction shows you are not a threat to public safety. Missouri caps lifetime expungements at two misdemeanors and one felony.11Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 610.140 – Expungement of Certain Records
Not every Class A misdemeanor qualifies. The statute lists eligible offenses and excludes others, so an offense outside the eligible list cannot be expunged regardless of how much time has passed. Checking the statute or asking an attorney before filing a petition saves the filing fee if the conviction is ineligible.
Getting an Attorney
Anyone charged with a Class A misdemeanor has the right to an attorney, and the court will appoint a public defender at no cost if you cannot afford one. Private defense attorneys for a serious misdemeanor charge typically cost between $1,000 and $10,000, depending on complexity, whether the case goes to trial, and the attorney’s experience. An attorney can sometimes negotiate a plea to a lower misdemeanor class, secure a suspended sentence, or identify procedural problems with the prosecution’s case. First-time offenders may also qualify for diversion programs that result in dismissal upon completion.