What is the maximum penalty for an Ordinance offense?

• A. Death
• B. $1,000 and 1 year
• C. $5,000 and 5 years
• D. $200 fine

Answer: (B)

Ordinance offenses are violations of local laws set by cities or counties, not state crimes. The penalties for these violations are designed to be modest and typically include a fine and, in some cases, a short jail term. The standard upper limit you’ll see for ordinance offenses is a fine of up to $1,000 and up to one year in county jail. Death or large prison terms aren’t used for local ordinance violations, and $200 is not the maximum. So the highest permissible penalty under this framework is a $1,000 fine combined with up to one year of imprisonment.