Iowa Code » Chapter 902 — FELONIES
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 902.9 (2026)

Maximum sentence for felons

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. The maximum sentence for any person convicted of a felony shall be that prescribed by statute or, if not prescribed by statute, if other than a class “A” felony shall be determined as follows: a. Reserved. b. A class “B” felon shall be confined for no more than twenty-five years. c. An habitual offender shall be confined for no more than fifteen years. d. A class “C” felon, not an habitual offender, shall be confined for no more than ten years, and in addition shall be sentenced to a fine of at least one thousand three hundred seventy dollars but not more than thirteen thousand six hundred sixty dollars. e. A class “D” felon, not an habitual offender, shall be confined for no more than five years, and in addition shall be sentenced to a fine of at least one thousand twenty-five dollars but not more than ten thousand two hundred forty-five dollars. 2. The surcharges required by sections 911.1, 911.2A, and 911.5 shall be added to a fine imposed on a class “C” or class “D” felon, as provided by those sections, and are not a part of or subject to the maximums set in this section. [C79, 81, §902.9] 84 Acts, ch 1134, §1; 84 Acts, ch 1219, §38; 86 Acts, ch 1220, §44; 92 Acts, ch 1163, §121; 93 Acts, ch 110, §9; 99 Acts, ch 12, §17; 99 Acts, ch 65, §6, 7; 2001 Acts, ch 168, §4; 2002 Acts, ch 1042, §3; 2002 Acts, ch 1050, §55; 2004 Acts, ch 1111, §7; 2013 Acts, ch 30, §224; 2014 Acts, ch 1097, §12; 2020 Acts, ch 1074, §16, 45, 93; 2023 Acts, ch 86, §12 Referred to in §48A.11, 124.401, 321J.2, 707.3, 708.2D, 708A.2, 709.23, 716.10, 716.12, 724.4A, 726.6, 726.6A, 728.12, 901.10, 902.3, 907.14 Enhanced penalties in weapons free zones, see §724.4A Habitual offender, §902.8 Fines, see chapter 909 Surcharge on penalty, chapter 911

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 286 cases (53 in the last 5 years), 1978–2026 · leading case: State v. Maxwell, 743 N.W.2d 185 (Iowa 2008).
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State v. Maxwell, 743 N.W.2d 185 (Iowa 2008). · cites it 15× “We also recognized section 902.9 specifically states it applies to the “‘sentencing of any person convicted of a felony’ unless otherwise specified by another statute.”
State v. Peterson, 327 N.W.2d 735 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 78× “He would bolster this argument by the language of section 902.9 which states: "The maximum sentence for any person convicted of a felony.”
State of Iowa v. Andre Letroy Antwan Harrington, 893 N.W.2d 36 (Iowa 2017). · cites it 8× “See Iowa Code § 902.9 (1)(a)–(e). Thus, any immigration consequences would inevitably result from the primary offense, not the sentencing enhancement.”
State v. Owens, 635 N.W.2d 478 (Iowa 2001). · cites it 18× “In Draper , we determined the habitual-offender enhancement imposed pursuant to section 902.9 “dovetailed” with section 204.”
State v. Nail, 743 N.W.2d 535 (Iowa 2007). · cites it 12× “3, a defendant shall be assessed a civil penalty of an amount not less than the amount of any criminal fine authorized by law for the offense under section 902.9 or section 903.1. The defendants argued, among other things, that the civil penalty authorized by section 907.”
State v. Draper, 457 N.W.2d 600 (Iowa 1990). · cites it 22× “Iowa Code § 902.9 . The term “habitual offender” is defined in Iowa Code section 902.”
State of Iowa v. Donald Benjamin Earl Reed, 875 N.W.2d 693 (Iowa 2016). · cites it 4× “felony that, pursuant to Iowa Code section 902.9(1)(6), carries a twenty-five-year indeterminate sentence, The jury found he committed that crime while in the immediate possession of a firearm in violation of section 124.”
State v. Ayers, 590 N.W.2d 25 (Iowa 1999). · cites it 12× “See Iowa Code §§ 902.9 (3), 903.1(2). Ayers appeals only from the sentence imposed.”
State v. Sisk, 577 N.W.2d 414 (Iowa 1998). · cites it 24× “(quoting Iowa Code § 902.9 (1987)). We also held in Draper that the penalty imposed under section 902.”
State v. Carstens, 594 N.W.2d 436 (Iowa 1999). · cites it 32× “See Iowa Code § 902.9 (2). We affirm. Our review of challenges to the legality of a sentence is for errors at law.”
State v. Iowa Dist. Court for Black Hawk Cnty., 616 N.W.2d 575 (Iowa 2000). · cites it 11× “See Iowa Code § 902.9 (setting forth a maximum sentence of ten years for a person convicted of a class “C” felony).”
State v. Carpenter, 616 N.W.2d 540 (Iowa 2000). · cites it 14× “8(l)(c), referred only to sentencing pursuant to section 902.9, the general sentencing statute applicable to felony offenses, and did not specifically mention the 85% rule under section 902.”
Show all 286 citing cases →
— Iowa Code § 902.9(1) — 9 cases
State v. Iowa Dist. Court for Monroe Cnty., 630 N.W.2d 778 (Iowa 2001).
State v. Johnson, 445 N.W.2d 337 (Iowa 1989).
State v. Conner, 292 N.W.2d 682 (Iowa 1980).
State v. Ohnmacht, 342 N.W.2d 838 (Iowa 1983).
State v. Wilson, 314 N.W.2d 408 (Iowa 1982).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(1)(6) — 2 cases
State of Iowa v. Donald Benjamin Earl Reed, 875 N.W.2d 693 (Iowa 2016). “felony that, pursuant to Iowa Code section 902.9(1)(6), carries a twenty-five-year indeterminate sentence, The jury found he committed that crime while in the immediate possession of a firearm in violation of section 124.”
State of Iowa v. Scott Robert Robinson, 859 N.W.2d 464 (Iowa 2015).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(1)(a) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Scott W. Carter (Iowa Ct. App. 2015).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(1)(b) — 12 cases
State of Iowa v. Donald Benjamin Earl Reed, 875 N.W.2d 693 (Iowa 2016). “felony that, pursuant to Iowa Code section 902.9(1)(6), carries a twenty-five-year indeterminate sentence, The jury found he committed that crime while in the immediate possession of a firearm in violation of section 124.”
State of Iowa v. Scott Robert Robinson, 859 N.W.2d 464 (Iowa 2015).
State of Iowa v. Dean Michael Pennell (Iowa Ct. App. 2016).
State of Iowa v. Nicholas Thorne Wireman (Iowa Ct. App. 2016).
Amended May 5, 2016 State of Iowa v. Donald Benjamin Earl Reed (Iowa 2016).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(1)(c) — 10 cases
State of Iowa v. Shawn Eric Pattison (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
State of Iowa v. Richard Yates III (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
State of Iowa v. Anthony John McGilvrey (Iowa Ct. App. 2020).
State of Iowa v. David Charles Miller (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
State of Iowa v. Joseph Anthony Spencer, 919 N.W.2d 637 (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(1)(d) — 12 cases
State of Iowa v. Nicholas Thorne Wireman (Iowa Ct. App. 2016).
State of Iowa v. Eddie DeLong (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
State of Iowa v. Mekhi Jermaine White (Iowa Ct. App. 2026).
State of Iowa v. Richard Osmond McLachlan Jr. (Iowa Ct. App. 2015).
State of Iowa v. Ricky Andre Carter (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(1)(e) — 9 cases
State of Iowa v. Iowa Dist. Court for Woodbury Cnty. (Iowa 2023).
State of Iowa v. Terrell Sallay (Iowa Ct. App. 2020).
State of Iowa v. Joseph Scott Waigand (Iowa 2021).
State of Iowa v. Bennie Lee Cunningham (Iowa Ct. App. 2022).
State of Iowa v. James Earl Calvin Jr. (Iowa Ct. App. 2025).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(2) — 25 cases
State v. Owens, 635 N.W.2d 478 (Iowa 2001). “In Draper , we determined the habitual-offender enhancement imposed pursuant to section 902.9 “dovetailed” with section 204.”
State v. Sisk, 577 N.W.2d 414 (Iowa 1998). “(quoting Iowa Code § 902.9 (1987)). We also held in Draper that the penalty imposed under section 902.”
State of Iowa v. Denem Anthony Null, 836 N.W.2d 41 (Iowa 2013).
State of Iowa v. Damion John Seats, 865 N.W.2d 545 (Iowa 2015).
Eric Wayne Dempsey v. State of Iowa, 860 N.W.2d 860 (Iowa 2015).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(3) — 30 cases
State v. Maxwell, 743 N.W.2d 185 (Iowa 2008). “We also recognized section 902.9 specifically states it applies to the “‘sentencing of any person convicted of a felony’ unless otherwise specified by another statute.”
State v. Owens, 635 N.W.2d 478 (Iowa 2001). “In Draper , we determined the habitual-offender enhancement imposed pursuant to section 902.9 “dovetailed” with section 204.”
State v. Ayers, 590 N.W.2d 25 (Iowa 1999). “See Iowa Code §§ 902.9 (3), 903.1(2). Ayers appeals only from the sentence imposed.”
State v. Byers, 456 N.W.2d 917 (Iowa 1990).
State v. Ross, 729 N.W.2d 806 (Iowa 2007).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(4) — 31 cases
State v. Peterson, 327 N.W.2d 735 (Iowa 1982). “He would bolster this argument by the language of section 902.9 which states: "The maximum sentence for any person convicted of a felony.”
State of Iowa v. David Howard Rooney, 862 N.W.2d 367 (Iowa 2015).
State v. Williams, 315 N.W.2d 45 (Iowa 1982).
State v. Ross, 729 N.W.2d 806 (Iowa 2007).
State v. Lyle, 854 N.W.2d 378 (Iowa 2014).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(5) — 12 cases
State v. Maxwell, 743 N.W.2d 185 (Iowa 2008). “We also recognized section 902.9 specifically states it applies to the “‘sentencing of any person convicted of a felony’ unless otherwise specified by another statute.”
State of Iowa v. David Lee Miller, 841 N.W.2d 583 (Iowa 2014).
Eric Wayne Dempsey v. State of Iowa, 860 N.W.2d 860 (Iowa 2015).
State v. Gordon, 732 N.W.2d 41 (Iowa 2007).
State v. Bartley, 797 N.W.2d 608 (Iowa Ct. App. 2011).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(b) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Mario Goodson (Iowa 2021).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(d) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Ethan Joseph Walztoni (Iowa Ct. App. 2015).
— Iowa Code § 902.9(e) — 2 cases
State of Iowa v. Mariah Mae Wolfe (Iowa Ct. App. 2016).
State of Iowa v. Jordan Kevin Cole (Iowa 2025).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.