Federal sentencing guides
Plain-English explanations of the rules that decide federal sentences, each tied to the section of the manual it comes from.
- How federal sentencing worksA plain-English walk through a federal sentence: offense level, adjustments, criminal history, the sentencing table, minimums and what the judge does.
- The federal sentencing tableThe 2025 federal sentencing table: all 43 offense levels by criminal history category I to VI, in months, with the zones that decide when probation is possible.
- Criminal history points and categoriesHow federal criminal history points are counted: 3, 2 or 1 per prior sentence, the 4-point cap, status points, and Categories I to VI.
- Acceptance of responsibilityPleading guilty usually takes 2 or 3 levels off a federal sentence under §3E1.1. Here is when the third level applies and how much time it is worth.
- The zero-point offender reductionSince 2023, federal defendants with no criminal history points can get 2 levels off under §4C1.1. The 11 conditions, and how much time the reduction saves.
- The safety valveThe safety valve lets a judge sentence below a federal drug mandatory minimum and takes 2 levels off. The five criteria under 18 U.S.C. §3553(f) and §5C1.2.
- 18 U.S.C. §924(c): the gun charge that runs on topA §924(c) conviction adds at least 5, 7 or 10 years, served after the other sentence with no plea discount. How it works with the guidelines.
- Multiple crimes: how counts are groupedTwo federal crimes rarely mean double the time. How the grouping rules (§§3D1.1–3D1.5) combine counts, and the units table that adds 1 to 5 levels.
- The career offender guidelineTwo prior felonies for violence or drug trafficking can make someone a career offender: Category VI and a higher minimum level.
- Relevant conduct: what the sentence is based onFederal sentences rest on relevant conduct, not just the charge: acts the person did or aided, partners' foreseeable acts, and the whole scheme.
- Cooperation: substantial assistance motionsA substantial assistance motion (§5K1.1) can take a federal sentence below the range and, under §3553(e), below a mandatory minimum.
- Attempt, conspiracy, helpers and accessoriesHow federal sentences change for attempt or conspiracy (often 3 levels less), aiding (the same), accessory (6 less) and misprision (9 less).