Federal Process · Sentencing

The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Chart

Deandra M. Grant
Reviewed by Deandra M. Grant, ACS-CHAL · SFST Instructor
Updated July 29, 2026
Read time 10 min
The Short Answer

The federal Sentencing Table converts an offense level and a criminal history category into a range expressed in months. This page reproduces the full table and explains how to locate your cell, what the four zones mean, and why the range is a starting point rather than the sentence.

Defendants are handed a range long before anyone explains where it came from. "Level 26, category II" is delivered as though it were a measurement.

It is the output of two contestable calculations. This page shows the table itself, then where the inputs can be attacked.

How to find your cell

Two inputs. The offense level runs down the left, 1 to 43, and comes from the offense-specific guideline plus enhancements and adjustments. The criminal history category runs across the top, I to VI, and comes from points assigned to prior sentences.

Where they intersect is a range in months. Read our guide to how the calculation works for how each input is built, and our page on criminal history scoring for the horizontal axis.

The Sentencing Table

Ranges are in months. "Life" and "360–life" reflect the top of the table.

Offense levelCHC ICHC IICHC IIICHC IVCHC VCHC VI
10–60–60–60–60–60–6
20–60–60–60–60–61–7
30–60–60–60–62–83–9
40–60–60–62–84–106–12
50–60–61–74–106–129–15
60–61–72–86–129–1512–18
70–62–84–108–1412–1815–21
80–64–106–1210–1615–2118–24
94–106–128–1412–1818–2421–27
106–128–1410–1615–2121–2724–30
118–1410–1612–1818–2424–3027–33
1210–1612–1815–2121–2727–3330–37
1312–1815–2118–2424–3030–3733–41
1415–2118–2421–2727–3333–4137–46
1518–2421–2724–3030–3737–4641–51
1621–2724–3027–3333–4141–5146–57
1724–3027–3330–3737–4646–5751–63
1827–3330–3733–4141–5151–6357–71
1930–3733–4137–4646–5757–7163–78
2033–4137–4641–5151–6363–7870–87
2137–4641–5146–5757–7170–8777–96
2241–5146–5751–6363–7877–9684–105
2346–5751–6357–7170–8784–10592–115
2451–6357–7163–7877–9692–115100–125
2557–7163–7870–8784–105100–125110–137
2663–7870–8778–9792–115110–137120–150
2770–8778–9787–108100–125120–150130–162
2878–9787–10897–121110–137130–162140–175
2987–10897–121108–135121–151140–175151–188
3097–121108–135121–151135–168151–188168–210
31108–135121–151135–168151–188168–210188–235
32121–151135–168151–188168–210188–235210–262
33135–168151–188168–210188–235210–262235–293
34151–188168–210188–235210–262235–293262–327
35168–210188–235210–262235–293262–327292–365
36188–235210–262235–293262–327292–365324–405
37210–262235–293262–327292–365324–405360–life
38235–293262–327292–365324–405360–life360–life
39262–327292–365324–405360–life360–life360–life
40292–365324–405360–life360–life360–life360–life
41324–405360–life360–life360–life360–life360–life
42360–life360–life360–life360–life360–life360–life
43lifelifelifelifelifelife

The four zones, and what each permits

The table is divided into zones that determine whether prison is required at all. Under U.S.S.G. § 5C1.1:

Zone A — ranges of 0–6 months. Straight probation is available with no confinement.
Zone B — probation is available but must include a condition of confinement, which can be intermittent confinement, community confinement, or home detention.
Zone C — a split sentence, where at least half the minimum must be served in prison and the remainder can be community confinement or home detention.
Zone D — imprisonment is required for the whole minimum.

The exact cell boundaries between zones are set out in § 5C1.1 and should be checked against the current Guidelines Manual. The strategic point is more useful than the boundary: moving from Zone D into Zone C or B is frequently worth more than shaving months off a range, because it changes the kind of sentence rather than its length.

The range is advisory, not the sentence

Since United States v. Booker (2005) the Guidelines are advisory. The court must calculate the range correctly and consider it, then decide what sentence is sufficient under the § 3553(a) factors — and it may go outside the range in either direction.

A miscalculated range is still reversible error, which is why the arithmetic matters even though it does not bind. In practice the range anchors the whole proceeding.

Where the table stops mattering

If a statute carries a mandatory minimum above the top of your range, the minimum controls and the table is irrelevant. The only routes below it are the safety valve and a government substantial-assistance motion.

A § 924(c) count sits outside the table entirely — its mandatory term runs consecutively to whatever the table produces.

A caution about versions

The Guidelines are amended annually, with changes normally effective 1 November. The table above reflects the structure in current use, but enhancements, criminal history scoring rules, and zone boundaries do change — the 2023 amendments altering status points and adding a zero-point-offender reduction moved a great many ranges.

Always confirm against the Guidelines Manual edition applicable to your case, which is generally the one in effect at sentencing. This page is an explanation, not a substitute for the Manual or for advice about your own case.

Key Terms

The words that come up most on this page, in plain English.

Offense level
A value from 1 to 43 representing offense seriousness, forming the vertical axis of the table.
Criminal history category
A category from I to VI derived from prior-sentence points, forming the horizontal axis.
Zone
One of four divisions of the table determining whether and how much confinement is required.
Split sentence
A Zone C disposition where part of the term is prison and part community confinement or home detention.

More on This Topic

The other guides in this section.

Deandra M. Grant, J.D.
Written & Reviewed By

Deandra M. Grant, J.D.

ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist with an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Science and a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Toxicology. Author of The Texas DWI Manual, and a trained SFST instructor. Defending Texas DWI cases since 1994.

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