Class C Felony in Oregon: Penalties, Rights & Set-Aside

A Class C felony in Oregon is the state’s lowest felony tier, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $125,000.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 161.605 – Maximum Terms of Imprisonment for Felonies Those numbers are ceilings, not defaults. What you actually serve depends on Oregon’s sentencing guidelines, and for many first-time offenders the presumptive sentence is probation rather than prison.

Where Class C Sits in Oregon’s Felony Structure

Oregon sorts felonies into Class A, Class B, Class C, and unclassified.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 161.535 – Classification of Felonies Class A carries up to 20 years, Class B up to 10, and Class C up to 5. Unclassified felonies carry whatever the statute defining that specific crime says. So a Class C designation tells you the outer limits before you even look at the underlying offense.

Beyond prison and fines, a judge can impose probation, community service, or restitution to a victim, or some combination. Felony probation usually comes with regular reporting to a probation officer, drug and alcohol testing, travel restrictions, and a requirement to keep working.

What You Actually Serve

Oregon uses a sentencing guidelines grid built on two axes: how serious the crime is (levels 1 through 11) and how extensive your criminal history is (categories A through I, with I meaning no prior felonies or Class A misdemeanors).3Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. Oregon Sentencing Guidelines Grid Most Class C felonies sit in the lower seriousness levels.

If your criminal history is clean, the presumptive sentence for a lower-level Class C felony is probation with somewhere around 30 to 90 jail days. Mid-level offenses run closer to 90 to 180 days, still on probation. Prison becomes the presumptive outcome only when the seriousness level climbs or your record puts you in a higher history category. Judges can depart upward from the grid when aggravating factors justify it, so the guidelines are a strong starting point rather than a guarantee.

Common Class C Felony Charges

The classification cuts across very different kinds of conduct. Frequently charged Class C felonies include:

That’s a partial list. The Oregon Criminal Code marks the classification inside each statute that defines a crime, so the class travels with the offense.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 161.535 – Classification of Felonies

Rights You Lose After Conviction

Oregon’s default rule is that a felony conviction does not sweep away your civil rights wholesale. You keep the right to own property, enter contracts, marry, and file lawsuits.10Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 137.275 – Effect of Conviction on Civil Rights and Property Specific rights, though, are removed by other statutes.

Voting

If you are incarcerated for a felony, you lose the right to vote while you’re behind bars, whether in a state prison, county jail, or federal facility. Voting rights are restored automatically on release, but you have to re-register before your next ballot.

Jury Service

A felony conviction disqualifies you from jury service for 15 years after the conviction or the completion of your sentence, whichever comes later.11Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 10.030 – Eligibility for Jury Service “Sentence” here includes parole, post-prison supervision, and probation. A five-year probation term pushes the 15-year clock out to the day probation ends.

Firearms

Both Oregon and federal law bar convicted felons from possessing firearms.9Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.270 – Possession of Weapons by Certain Felons Oregon carves out a narrow exception: the state prohibition lifts if you have only one felony conviction, it did not involve homicide or the use of a firearm, and 15 years have passed since you were discharged from prison, parole, or probation. Federal law can still apply on its own, so meeting the Oregon exception does not by itself make possession legal. If the conviction is set aside, the Oregon prohibition ends.

Setting Aside a Class C Felony

Oregon lets people convicted of many Class C felonies petition to have the conviction set aside, the state’s version of expungement. You become eligible five years after the date of conviction or five years after your release from imprisonment, whichever is later.12Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 137.225 – Setting Aside Record of Conviction or Arrest You must have completed every part of your sentence first, probation included. If you’re still under supervision, you cannot file.

You file the motion in the court where you were convicted and send fingerprints to the Oregon Department of State Police for a records check. There’s a fee for the check but no court filing fee. The prosecutor has 120 days to object, and any victim has the right to be heard. If no one objects, the court can grant the motion without a hearing.

Not every Class C felony qualifies. Sex crimes are generally excluded, along with assault in the third degree involving a child under 10 and criminally negligent homicide when charged as a Class C felony.12Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 137.225 – Setting Aside Record of Conviction or Arrest When a set-aside is granted, the record is sealed, and you can generally tell employers you have not been convicted. Law enforcement and some professional licensing agencies keep access to the sealed record.