Skip to main content
US Criminal Defense.org
Menu

Colorado criminal charge

Cheating in Colorado

Current through 2026 Colorado legislative session

Cheating is a criminal offense under Colorado law, defined by C.R.S. § 18-20-106. Its classification is not fixed: Colorado assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by C.R.S. § 18-20-106.

What is the penalty for cheating in Colorado?

Penalties for Cheating
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison12 months to 18 months (Cheating by licensee — Applies when the person violating the section is issued a license pursuant to article 30 of title 44.)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine1000 usd to 100000 usd (Cheating by licensee — Applies when the person violating the section is issued a license pursuant to article 30 of title 44.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision1 years to 1 years (Cheating by licensee — Applies when the person violating the section is issued a license pursuant to article 30 of title 44.; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Jail / prisonup to 120 days (no statutory minimum) (Cheating by non-licensee — Applies when the person violating the section is any other person not licensed under article 30 of title 44.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-501
Fineup to 750 usd (no statutory minimum) (Cheating by non-licensee — Applies when the person violating the section is any other person not licensed under article 30 of title 44.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-501
Jail / prison1 years to 3 years (Cheating by repeating gambling offender — Applies when the person violating the section is a repeating gambling offender.)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine1000 usd to 100000 usd (Cheating by repeating gambling offender — Applies when the person violating the section is a repeating gambling offender.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision2 years to 2 years (Cheating by repeating gambling offender — Applies when the person violating the section is a repeating gambling offender.; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401

Applies to offenses on/after 2018-07-01.

How is cheating classified in Colorado?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Cheating
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Cheating by licenseeclass 6 felonyApplies when the person violating the section is issued a license pursuant to article 30 of title 44.18-20-106(3)
Cheating by non-licenseeclass 2 misdemeanorApplies when the person violating the section is any other person not licensed under article 30 of title 44.18-20-106(3)
Cheating by repeating gambling offenderclass 5 felonyApplies when the person violating the section is a repeating gambling offender.18-20-106(3)

Common questions about cheating in Colorado

Is cheating a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?

It depends on the circumstances: cheating ranges from a class 2 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-20-106.

Cheating by licensee: class 6 felony (C.R.S. § 18-20-106(3)) · Cheating by non-licensee: class 2 misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-20-106(3)) · Cheating by repeating gambling offender: class 5 felony (C.R.S. § 18-20-106(3))

What are the penalties for cheating in Colorado?

Penalties for cheating in Colorado depend on how it is classified — from a class 2 misdemeanor up to a class 5 felony — with the ranges set by C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401 and C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Colorado statute covers cheating?

Cheating is governed by C.R.S. § 18-20-106 (Cheating).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.