Utah criminal charge
Criminal mischief in Utah
Current through 2026 Utah legislative session
Criminal mischief is a criminal offense under Utah law, defined by Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106. Its classification is not fixed: Utah 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 Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106.
What is the penalty for criminal mischief in Utah?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | Tampering endangering human life — Applies when the actor's tampering with another's property recklessly endangers human life under Subsection (2)(a)(i)(A).; up to 364 days — except up to one year for class A misdemeanors under Title 76, Chapter 5 (Offenses Against the Individual), other than Sections 76-5-102.9, 76-5-107.5, 76-5-113, and 76-5-303, which remain at 364 days (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204(1)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Tampering endangering human life — Applies when the actor's tampering with another's property recklessly endangers human life under Subsection (2)(a)(i)(A).; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Jail / prison | up to 6 months (Tampering endangering human health or safety — Applies when the actor's tampering with another's property recklessly endangers human health or safety under Subsection (2)(a)(i)(B).) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Tampering endangering human health or safety — Applies when the actor's tampering with another's property recklessly endangers human health or safety under Subsection (2)(a)(i)(B).; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Jail / prison | 1 years to 15 years (Tampering causing/threatening critical infrastructure disruption — Applies when the actor's tampering recklessly causes or threatens a substantial interruption or impairment of critical infrastructure under Subsection (2)(a)(ii).; indeterminate prison term, unless the statute provides otherwise; actual release is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Fine | up to $10,000 (Tampering causing/threatening critical infrastructure disruption — Applies when the actor's tampering recklessly causes or threatens a substantial interruption or impairment of critical infrastructure under Subsection (2)(a)(ii).; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Jail / prison | 1 years to 15 years (Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $5,000 or more — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of $5,000 or more.; indeterminate prison term, unless the statute provides otherwise; actual release is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Fine | up to $10,000 (Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $5,000 or more — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of $5,000 or more.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $1,500 to $5,000 — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of at least $1,500 but less than $5,000.; indeterminate prison term, unless the statute provides otherwise; actual release is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $1,500 to $5,000 — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of at least $1,500 but less than $5,000.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-203 |
| Jail / prison | Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $500 to $1,500 — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of at least $500 but less than $1,500.; up to 364 days — except up to one year for class A misdemeanors under Title 76, Chapter 5 (Offenses Against the Individual), other than Sections 76-5-102.9, 76-5-107.5, 76-5-113, and 76-5-303, which remain at 364 days (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204(1)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $500 to $1,500 — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of at least $500 but less than $1,500.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Jail / prison | up to 6 months (Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss under $500 — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of less than $500.) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss under $500 — Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of less than $500.; greater amounts may be specifically authorized by statute (Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-301)) | discretionary | Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 |
Applies to current (2026 General Session).
How is criminal mischief classified in Utah?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampering endangering human life | Class A Misdemeanor | Applies when the actor's tampering with another's property recklessly endangers human life under Subsection (2)(a)(i)(A). | Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(a) |
| Tampering endangering human health or safety | Class B Misdemeanor | Applies when the actor's tampering with another's property recklessly endangers human health or safety under Subsection (2)(a)(i)(B). | Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(b) |
| Tampering causing/threatening critical infrastructure disruption | Second Degree Felony | Applies when the actor's tampering recklessly causes or threatens a substantial interruption or impairment of critical infrastructure under Subsection (2)(a)(ii). | Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(c) |
| Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $5,000 or more | Second Degree Felony | Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of $5,000 or more. | Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(i) |
| Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $1,500 to $5,000 | Third Degree Felony | Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of at least $1,500 but less than $5,000. | Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(ii) |
| Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $500 to $1,500 | Class A Misdemeanor | Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of at least $500 but less than $1,500. | Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(iii) |
| Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss under $500 | Class B Misdemeanor | Applies to any other violation of the section where conduct causes or is intended to cause pecuniary loss of less than $500. | Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(iv) |
Common questions about criminal mischief in Utah
Is criminal mischief a felony or a misdemeanor in Utah?
It depends on the circumstances: criminal mischief ranges from a Class B Misdemeanor to a Second Degree Felony in Utah under Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106.
Tampering endangering human life: Class A Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(a)) · Tampering endangering human health or safety: Class B Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(b)) · Tampering causing/threatening critical infrastructure disruption: Second Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(c)) · Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $5,000 or more: Second Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(i)) · Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $1,500 to $5,000: Third Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(ii)) · Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss $500 to $1,500: Class A Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(iii)) · Criminal mischief with pecuniary loss under $500: Class B Misdemeanor (Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106(3)(d)(iv))
What are the penalties for criminal mischief in Utah?
Which Utah statute covers criminal mischief?
Criminal mischief is governed by Utah Code Ann. § 76-6-106 (Criminal mischief).
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.