A Class E crime in Maine is the lowest level of criminal offense in the state’s classification system, punishable by up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and probation of up to one year. It still produces a permanent criminal record, and the fallout can reach employment, professional licensing, firearm rights, immigration status, and travel into Canada. The sentence is only part of what a Class E conviction costs.
Where Class E Fits in Maine’s Crime System
Maine doesn’t label offenses as felonies or misdemeanors the way most states do. Every crime is sorted into one of five classes, Class A through Class E, with Class A the most serious and Class E the least.1Maine Attorney General. Criminal Justice System – Crime and Victims When a crime defined outside the main criminal code doesn’t name a class, it defaults to Class E if the maximum imprisonment the statute allows is one year or less.2Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 4-A – Crimes and Civil Violations Outside the Code
For federal purposes and most practical uses of the word, Class D and Class E offenses function the way misdemeanors do elsewhere. That matters when you run into federal background checks, immigration rules, or firearm statutes that use the term “misdemeanor.” Maine’s labeling doesn’t shield you from those federal consequences.
What a Judge Can Impose
Jail
The maximum jail sentence is six months, set under Title 17-A, Section 1604, which replaced the older Section 1252 in Maine’s 2019 sentencing code revision.3Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1604 – Imprisonment for Crimes Other Than Murder Nothing in that statute requires a judge to impose jail time. On a first offense with no aggravating facts, judges often suspend the entire sentence in favor of probation or community service.
Fines
The ceiling on a Class E fine is $1,000 under Title 17-A, Section 1704.4Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1704 – Maximum Fine Amounts Authorized for Convicted Individuals On top of the fine, a judge can order restitution to a victim for losses tied to the offense, like stolen property or repair costs. Court fees and surcharges add to the final bill. Judges have discretion to weigh ability to pay when setting the fine.
Probation
Probation of up to one year is available on a Class E conviction, either on its own or paired with a suspended jail sentence.5Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1804 – Period of Probation; Modification; Termination and Discharge Conditions commonly include check-ins with a probation officer, drug or alcohol testing, community service, and a requirement to pick up no new charges. Violating a condition can trigger the original jail sentence that was held in reserve.
Offenses Commonly Charged as Class E
Hundreds of individual offenses sit in Class E. A few show up constantly.
Low-dollar theft. Under Title 17-A, Section 353, theft by unauthorized taking starts as a Class E crime and only escalates when the property value crosses statutory thresholds.6Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 353 – Theft by Unauthorized Taking or Transfer Shoplifting and other small-value theft cases typically land here.
Disorderly conduct. Title 17-A, Section 501-A covers intentionally making loud and unreasonable noise in public, fighting, and directing words or gestures at someone that would provoke a violent reaction from a reasonable person.7Maine Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 501-A – Disorderly Conduct Bar altercations, public arguments that escalate, and noise complaints that cross a line all live in this statute.
Operating with a suspended license. Driving while your license is suspended or revoked is a Class E crime under Title 29-A, Section 2412-A.8Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 29-A Section 2412-A – Operating While License Suspended or Revoked It’s a strict liability offense in a practical sense: the state only has to show you received notice of the suspension and then drove. “I forgot” or “I didn’t check my mail” won’t defeat the charge.
How a Class E Case Moves and Where It Can Resolve
A Class E case starts in District Court, usually by arrest or summons. At arraignment, the court reads the charges and takes your initial plea. You have the right to counsel, and the court will decide whether you qualify for a court-appointed attorney if you can’t afford one. Most Class E cases resolve through negotiation rather than trial.
Deferred Disposition
Title 17-A, Section 1902 lets a judge defer sentencing after a guilty plea.9Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 1902 – Deferred Disposition You agree to a set of conditions during a deferment period, which can include an administrative supervision fee of up to $50 per month. Complete the conditions and the charge can be dismissed instead of becoming a conviction. Fall short, and the court sentences you on the guilty plea you already entered. For a first Class E offense, deferred disposition is often the best realistic outcome short of outright dismissal.
Defenses and Mitigation
Defense strategy depends on the charge. A theft case requires the state to prove you intended to permanently deprive the owner of the property, so a mistaken taking, a genuine belief in your right to the item, or an intent to return it can undercut that element.6Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 17-A Section 353 – Theft by Unauthorized Taking or Transfer Disorderly conduct requires intentional or reckless behavior, so showing that conduct was accidental or that witnesses mischaracterized events can weaken the case.
Mitigating facts don’t dismiss charges but they shape sentencing. A clean record, documented mental health or substance use treatment, and tangible efforts to make the victim whole give a judge reasons to choose probation or community service over jail.
The Record a Conviction Leaves
A Class E conviction becomes a permanent part of your criminal record unless you take affirmative steps to seal it. Maine does not offer expungement, so no conviction is ever erased.10Maine Judicial Branch. Sealing Your Criminal Record Sealing is the available remedy. A sealed record is hidden from employers, landlords, lenders, and schools, while remaining visible to law enforcement and courts.
Qualifying to Seal a Class E Conviction
Title 15, Section 2262 sets the prerequisites. You must satisfy all of them:11Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 15 Section 2262 – Statutory Prerequisites for Sealing Criminal History Record Information
- The conviction has to be for an offense the statute lists as eligible.
- At least four years must have passed since you fully completed every piece of the sentence, including jail, probation, fines, and restitution.
- You cannot have been convicted of another crime in Maine since finishing that sentence.
- You cannot have been convicted of a crime in any other state during the same period.
- You cannot have any pending criminal charges when you file.
To ask the court to seal the record, file a Motion to Seal Criminal History (form CR-218) in the District Court where the conviction occurred. The form is available on the Maine Judicial Branch website and from any District Court clerk’s office. A new offense during the four-year window resets the clock, so staying clean during that window has real consequences.
Consequences That Reach Beyond Sentencing
Employment and Housing
Until a record is sealed, a Class E conviction shows up on background checks that employers and landlords run. Some industries screen more aggressively than others, and some employers are required by law to screen. Maine has limited how employers can use criminal records in hiring, but the conviction still narrows your options.
Professional Licensing
Healthcare, education, law, real estate, and other licensed fields require disclosure of criminal history on applications and renewals. Licensing boards can also open investigations off court records alone, without waiting for you to self-report. A Class E theft or disorderly conduct conviction isn’t necessarily disqualifying, but it creates a hurdle you’ll need to address with evidence of rehabilitation.
Firearms and Domestic Violence
Most Class E convictions don’t affect your right to own a firearm. The exception is domestic violence. Federal law permanently bars anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing any firearm or ammunition.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 18 Section 922 A qualifying offense must involve the use or attempted use of physical force against a current or former spouse, cohabitant, co-parent, or dating partner.13Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Misdemeanor Crimes of Domestic Violence Prohibitions Maine’s “Class E” label doesn’t exempt the conviction from that federal rule. A violation can carry up to 15 years in federal prison, so when a Class E charge has any domestic violence element, the firearm exposure can dwarf the state penalty.
Immigration
Non-citizens face serious risk even at the Class E level. Federal immigration law looks at “crimes involving moral turpitude,” a category that broadly covers fraud, theft with intent to permanently deprive, and intentional infliction of harm. A Class E theft conviction can trigger removal proceedings or make someone inadmissible for a visa or green card. Immigration judges apply federal standards, not Maine’s class system, so being charged with the lowest class under state law offers no automatic protection. Anyone without U.S. citizenship facing a Class E charge should talk to an immigration attorney before entering any plea.
Travel to Canada
Canadian border officers assess visitors by whether the offense has a Canadian equivalent treated as indictable or hybrid. Even completed sentences and minor convictions can get you turned away at the border. Two routes exist for people with records: a Temporary Resident Permit for short-term visits, or Criminal Rehabilitation (available five years after full completion of the sentence) for a permanent fix. Checking admissibility before you travel is safer than finding out at the crossing.