Federal Sentencing Guidelines Estimator

Estimate an advisory guideline range in months from the current U.S. Sentencing Commission table (2025 Guidelines Manual, effective November 1, 2025).

The Guidelines are advisory, not mandatory. Since United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005), federal judges are not bound by the guideline range. The judge must consider all of the sentencing factors in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) and may sentence above or below the range.

This tool is an ESTIMATE ONLY. A real guideline calculation involves many adjustments this tool does not model: offense-specific characteristics, role, obstruction, grouping of multiple counts, career offender status, safety valve, departures, and variances, among others. Only a lawyer reviewing your actual case can give you a reliable number.

1Total Offense Level

Total offense level (1 to 43)

This number usually comes from the Presentence Report (PSR) prepared by the probation office, or from your lawyer's estimate. It starts with a base level for the offense and moves up or down with specific adjustments. If you do not have it yet, ask your attorney for a working estimate.

Enter a whole number from 1 to 43.

2Criminal History

Choose whichever you know. Criminal history points come from USSG §4A1.1 and map to a category as follows: 0 or 1 point = Category I, 2 or 3 = II, 4 to 6 = III, 7 to 9 = IV, 10 to 12 = V, 13 or more = VI.

Criminal History Category

Select a category, or enter criminal history points (0 or more).

3Acceptance of Responsibility

Under USSG §3E1.1, a defendant who clearly accepts responsibility (usually by pleading guilty) receives a 2-level reduction. A third level is available only if the offense level before the 2-level reduction is 16 or greater, the plea was timely, and the government moves for it. Important: if the total offense level you entered above already includes this reduction, choose None so it is not subtracted twice.

NoneNot applied, or already included in the level above 2 levels§3E1.1(a) 3 levels§3E1.1(a) and (b): requires level 16+, timely plea, and a government motion

4Mandatory Minimum (Optional)

Statutory mandatory minimum, in months

Some federal statutes require a minimum sentence regardless of the Guidelines (for example, 60 or 120 months in certain drug and firearm cases). If one applies to your charge, enter it here. Leave blank if none applies or you are not sure.

If entered, the mandatory minimum must be a whole number of months (0 or more).

Inputs have changed. Press the button again to update the estimate.

Estimated advisory guideline range

Remember: this range is advisory and this tool is an estimate only. After United States v. Booker, the judge weighs the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors and may go above or below the range. Real calculations involve many adjustments this tool does not model.

Facing a federal charge?

The difference between a rough estimate and a real sentencing strategy is a lawyer who has worked both sides of a federal courtroom. Lance Kennedy is a former federal prosecutor. Call for a consultation.

Call (737) 324-7540

Methodology, Sources, and Limits

How the estimate is computed

The full 43-level by 6-category Sentencing Table is embedded from the U.S. Sentencing Commission's 2025 Guidelines Manual (effective November 1, 2025), Chapter 5, Part A.
Criminal history points map to categories per the table headings: 0 or 1 point = I; 2 or 3 = II; 4 to 6 = III; 7 to 9 = IV; 10 to 12 = V; 13 or more = VI.
Acceptance of responsibility is applied as a subtraction from the total offense level under USSG §3E1.1. The tool applies the third level only when the pre-reduction level is 16 or greater, as §3E1.1(b) requires; the government-motion and timely-plea conditions are noted but assumed.
Zones follow USSG §5C1.1: Zone A means the range minimum is zero months; Zone B means the minimum is at least 1 but not more than 9 months; Zone C means the minimum is 10 or 12 months; Zone D means the minimum is 15 months or more.
If a statutory mandatory minimum exceeds the bottom of the range, it becomes the effective bottom of the range (USSG §5G1.1(c)(2)). If it exceeds the top of the range, the mandatory minimum itself becomes the guideline sentence (USSG §5G1.1(b)).
A computed offense level below 1 is treated as level 1, and a level above 43 as 43 (Guidelines Manual Ch. 5 Pt. A, comment n.2).

What this tool does NOT model

Chapter 2 offense conduct and specific offense characteristics (drug quantity, loss amount, weapons, injury, and similar).
Chapter 3 adjustments other than acceptance: role in the offense, obstruction, vulnerable victim, abuse of trust, and grouping of multiple counts.
Career offender (§4B1.1), armed career criminal (§4B1.4), and the zero-point offender adjustment (§4C1.1).
The statutory maximum cap of §5G1.1(a), safety-valve relief from mandatory minimums (18 U.S.C. § 3553(f); USSG §5C1.2), and substantial-assistance motions (USSG §5K1.1; 18 U.S.C. § 3553(e)).
Departures, variances, supervised release, fines, restitution, forfeiture, good-time credit, and Bureau of Prisons programs such as First Step Act earned time credits.

Primary sources

U.S. Sentencing Commission, Guidelines Manual (Nov. 1, 2025), Ch. 5 Pt. A (Sentencing Table), available at ussc.gov.
USSG §3E1.1 (Acceptance of Responsibility); §4A1.1 (Criminal History Category); §5C1.1 (Imposition of a Term of Imprisonment); §5G1.1 (Sentencing on a Single Count of Conviction).
United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005).
18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) (factors to be considered in imposing a sentence).

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