A Class B felony in Washington State is the middle tier of the state’s three felony classes, punishable by up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both. Residential burglary, motor vehicle theft, second-degree assault, and second-degree manslaughter all fall into this class. The ten-year figure is a ceiling, though, not a prediction. What most defendants actually face is a narrower range set by a sentencing grid, plus a set of consequences that follow the conviction long after any sentence ends.
The Statutory Maximum
Under RCW 9A.20.021, a person convicted of a Class B felony can be sentenced to as much as ten years in a state correctional institution, fined up to $20,000, or both.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 9A.20.021 – Maximum Sentences for Crimes Committed July 1, 1984, and After The judge chooses between prison, a fine, or a combination. Those caps govern unless a different Washington statute sets a specific maximum for the particular offense. The fine provision applies only to adult offenders.
How Sentences Actually Get Set
Washington’s Sentencing Reform Act narrows the ten-year ceiling for most defendants through the grid in RCW 9.94A.510.2Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.94A.510 – Table 1, Sentencing Grid The grid has two axes. The offense’s seriousness level, ranked I through XVI, runs down one side. The defendant’s offender score, which reflects criminal history, runs across the top. Where the two meet, the grid shows a standard range in months.
Seriousness Level
Every felony is assigned a seriousness level by statute. Class B offenses span a wide stretch of the grid. Residential burglary sits well below second-degree manslaughter, for instance. The level is fixed by the offense itself and does not shift with the defendant’s history.
Offender Score
Prior felony convictions add points. The total, which can reach 9 or higher, determines the column.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.94A.525 – Offender Score A first-time defendant with a score of zero sits in the lightest column. Someone with a long record sits in a much heavier one for the same offense.
Prior Class B convictions (other than sex offenses) can wash out of the offender score if the person spends ten consecutive years in the community without a new conviction.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.94A.525 – Offender Score
What That Looks Like
A first-time defendant convicted of a lower-seriousness Class B felony may face a range measured in months. Someone with a heavy record convicted of a high-seriousness Class B may face a range approaching the ten-year cap. The judge sentences within the standard range unless the case qualifies for an exceptional sentence above or below it. Two people convicted of the same statute can walk out with very different prison terms because of this.
Crimes Classified as Class B
Washington’s criminal code assigns a class to each felony individually. Some of the Class B offenses charged most often include:
- Residential burglary, meaning unlawfully entering or remaining in a dwelling with intent to commit a crime inside. The statute treats residential burglary as more serious than second-degree burglary for sentencing.4Washington State Legislature. RCW 9A.52.025 – Residential Burglary
- Motor vehicle theft.5Washington State Legislature. RCW 9A.56.065 – Theft of Motor Vehicle
- Second-degree assault, including intentional assaults involving a deadly weapon or reckless infliction of substantial bodily harm.6Washington State Legislature. RCW 9A.36.021 – Assault in the Second Degree
- Second-degree manslaughter, meaning causing a death through criminal negligence.7Washington State Legislature. RCW 9A.32.070 – Manslaughter in the Second Degree
Certain drug offenses reach Class B status as well, particularly those involving the manufacture or delivery of controlled substances. Circumstances like weapon involvement or the severity of harm can push a specific offense into a higher or lower class than the basic charge suggests.
Time Limit for Prosecution
Prosecutors generally have three years from the date of the offense to file charges on a Class B felony under RCW 9A.04.080.8FindLaw. Washington Code 9A.04.080 – Limitation of Actions Certain serious crimes carry longer windows or no limit at all. Homicide, arson, and sex offenses involving minors are the main examples. The three-year rule covers Class B felonies that don’t fall into one of those special categories.
Consequences Beyond the Sentence
Prison and fines are only part of what a conviction brings.
Firearms
Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment from possessing firearms or ammunition.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts Every Class B felony meets that threshold, so every Class B conviction triggers the ban. It is permanent unless rights are specifically restored.
Voting
Washington restores voting rights automatically once the person is no longer in total confinement under the Department of Corrections.10Washington State Legislature. RCW 29A.08.520 – Felony Conviction, Restoration of Voting Rights No petition or pardon is needed. Re-registering is, before you can cast a ballot.
Employment
Washington’s Fair Chance Act bars employers from asking about criminal history on an application or screening applicants out based on a record before making an initial qualification decision. Job ads cannot say things like “no felons.”11Washington State Office of the Attorney General. Fair Chance Act The law applies to almost all employers in the state, with exemptions for positions involving unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults, law enforcement, and certain financial roles. It delays when the question comes up; it does not stop employers from weighing the record later in the process.
Jury Service
A felony conviction disqualifies you from serving on a federal jury unless your civil rights have been legally restored.12United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses Washington state courts apply similar rules.
Clearing a Class B Conviction
Washington allows some people to ask the court to vacate a Class B felony, which clears the record. The rules are strict. Under RCW 9.94A.640, you cannot apply until at least ten years have passed since the latest of your sentencing date, release from confinement, or release from community custody.13Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.94A.640 – Vacation of Offender’s Record of Conviction
Even after the ten years, you are ineligible if any of these are true:
- You have criminal charges pending anywhere.
- You were convicted of a new crime during the ten years before you apply.
- The offense was a violent offense or a crime against persons. Narrow exceptions exist for second-degree assault, third-degree assault not against a law enforcement officer, and second-degree robbery, but only if the conviction did not include a firearm, deadly weapon, or sexual motivation enhancement.
All terms of the sentence, including any community custody, must be complete before you apply.13Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.94A.640 – Vacation of Offender’s Record of Conviction The ten-year clock does not start until every piece is finished, which is where many applicants miscount.
Class B in Context
RCW 9A.20.010 splits Washington felonies into three classes.14Washington State Legislature. RCW 9A.20.010 – Classification and Designation of Crimes Class A is the most serious, with a maximum of life in prison and a $50,000 fine, covering offenses like first-degree murder, first-degree rape, and first-degree kidnapping. Class B sits in the middle at ten years and $20,000. Class C is the least severe, with a five-year maximum and a $10,000 fine, covering offenses like third-degree assault and second-degree theft.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 9A.20.021 – Maximum Sentences for Crimes Committed July 1, 1984, and After
Class matters beyond the sentence for the current case. Under Washington’s persistent offender law, a defendant can face life without release if they accumulate the required qualifying prior convictions.15Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.94A.570 – Persistent Offenders That “three strikes” consequence makes a Class B charge far more serious for anyone with prior felonies in their background.