Three different dates
- Parole eligibility: the earliest date the parole board can consider release. Eligible does not mean released.
- Projected or mandatory release: the date the person must be let out, often under supervision.
- Discharge: the date the sentence fully ends.
Example: Texas
In Texas, good conduct time "does not otherwise affect an inmate's term." It counts toward parole eligibility and, for people who qualify, release to mandatory supervision.[1] Many offenses are excluded from mandatory supervision.[2]
How states compare
Here is how each state's official sources describe credits in one line:
| State | What the official source says |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Since 2023, Alabama "correctional incentive time" is 30 days per 30 days served for Class I, 15 for Class II, 5 for Class III, and none for Class IV. Many sentences are excluded, including any sentence over 15 years. [Alabama SB 1] |
| Alaska | Alaska gives a good-time deduction of one-third of the term to prisoners who follow facility rules, with listed exceptions. [Alaska Stat. §33.20.010] |
| Arizona | Most Arizona prisoners earn 1 day of earned release credit for every 6 days served. Certain drug-possession cases earn 3 days for every 7 days. [A.R.S. §41-1604.07] |
| Arkansas | Arkansas meritorious good time can cut up to 30 days a month off the parole or transfer eligibility date. It never shortens the sentence itself. [12 CAR §60-113] |
| California | Since Prop 57, California awards Good Conduct Credit at rates set by workgroup. Most people in nonviolent cases earn 50% to 66.6%, and people in violent cases earn 33.3% to 50%. Program, education and heroism credits come on top. [CDCR: In-Prison Credit-Earning Opportunities] |
| Colorado | Colorado earned time under C.R.S. §17-22.5-405 is now up to 14 days a month (up from 12) for many people serving class 4-6 felonies or level 3-4 drug felonies. People with certain listed convictions have a lower monthly cap. [Colorado SB26-159 session law] |
| Connecticut | Connecticut awards Risk Reduction Earned Credit (RREC) of 3 to 5 days a month, depending on overall risk level, for following the accountability plan and good conduct. [CT DOC: Risk Reduction Earned Credit grid] |
| Delaware | Delaware good time for behavior is 2 days a month in the first year and 3 days a month after that (36 days a year max). Programs add up to 10 days a month. Total good time is capped at 180 days a year. [11 Del. C. §4381] |
| District of Columbia | People sentenced under D.C. Code §24-403.01 get good time only as provided in the federal statute, 18 U.S.C. §3624(b). D.C. felony prisoners serve their time in the federal Bureau of Prisons. [D.C. Code §24-403.01] |
| Florida | For offenses on or after October 1, 1995, Florida allows up to 10 days a month of incentive gain-time, but no one can be released before serving 85% of the sentence. [Fla. Stat. §944.275] |
| Georgia | Georgia has no automatic good time that shortens sentences. The Parole Board decides release for parole-eligible people and may set a Tentative Parole Month (TPM). People serving term sentences for "serious violent felonies" committed since 1995 serve 100%. [Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles: FAQ] |
| Hawaii | Hawai'i has no good time or earned credits. People serve day-for-day up to the maximum term, and only the Hawai'i Paroling Authority can change time served. [Hawai'i HCR 23 Task Force memo] |
| Idaho | Idaho has no good time during the fixed (minimum) part of a sentence. The person must serve all of it before parole or discharge, except for meritorious service or medical parole. [Idaho Code §19-2513] |
| Illinois | Most Illinois sentences earn day-for-day credit (50%). Truth-in-sentencing limits some offenses to 7.5 days a month (75%) or 4.5 days (85%). First-degree murder gets none (100%). [Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council: Sentence Credits 101] |
| Indiana | For offenses after June 30, 2014, Indiana Level 6 felonies start in Class A (1 day of credit per day served). Level 1-5 felonies start in Class B (1 day per 3 days). Credit restricted felons are in Class C (1 day per 6 days). [Indiana Code 35-50-6] |
| Iowa | Iowa calls its credits "earned time." Category A sentences earn 1.2 days for each day of good conduct and program participation. Category B sentences (85% crimes) earn 15/85 of a day. [Iowa Code §903A.2] |
| Kansas | For crimes on or after July 1, 1993, Kansas good time is capped at 15% of the prison part of the sentence. The cap is 20% for some lower-level crimes. [K.S.A. 21-6821] |
| Kentucky | Kentucky gives 90 days for each diploma, degree or approved program completed. DOC may also award up to 10 days a month for good behavior, plus up to 7 days a month for meritorious service. [KRS 197.045] |
| Louisiana | For felonies committed on or after Aug 1, 2024, Louisiana good time is capped at 15% of the sentence. Earlier offenses use the older, higher rates in R.S. 15:571.3. [La. R.S. 15:571.3.1] [La. R.S. 15:571.3] |
| Maine | For most crimes on or after Aug 1, 2004, Maine allows up to 4 days a month for good conduct plus 3 days a month for meeting program responsibilities. Murder, sex offenses and domestic violence crimes get up to 5 days a month. [17-A M.R.S. §2307] [17-A M.R.S. §2308] |
| Maryland | Maryland gives a good conduct deduction of 10 days per calendar month. It is 5 days for terms that include a crime of violence or certain drug-distribution crimes. [Md. Corr. Servs. §3-704] Other diminution credits are in §§3-705 to 3-707. |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts awards earned good time for programs and work: up to 7.5 days per program per month in state prison (15 days max), plus completion credits. Total reductions are capped at 35% of the term. [Mass. Gen. Laws c.127 §129D] |
| Michigan | Michigan has no good time for current sentences. Instead, people subject to "disciplinary time" get extra time added for each major misconduct, and the parole board considers it. [MCL 800.34] |
| Minnesota | For offenses on or after Aug 1, 1993, a Minnesota executed sentence is two-thirds prison and one-third supervised release. There is no classic good time. [Minn. Stat. §244.101] |
| Mississippi | For sentences imposed after June 30, 1995, Mississippi earned time is 4.5 days per 30 days served, capped at 15% of the sentence. [Miss. Code §47-5-138] |
| Missouri | Missouri allows "good time" credit only on the superintendent's recommendation, under a DOC policy. There is no fixed statutory monthly rate. [RSMo §558.041] |
| Montana | Montana generally makes people with time sentences eligible for parole after serving one-fourth of the full term. Life sentences become eligible after 30 years. [MCA §46-23-201] |
| Nebraska | Nebraska cuts the term by 6 months for each year (half), plus 3 days a month after a 12-month period with no serious discipline. [Neb. Rev. Stat. §83-1,107] |
| Nevada | Nevada gives 20 days a month of statutory credit for good conduct, up to 10 more for work or study, and education bonuses. Credits come off the maximum. For many nonviolent offenses, they also come off the minimum toward parole eligibility. [NRS 209.4465] |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire has no monthly good time. Instead it gives one-time reductions to both the minimum and maximum sentence for completing programs, from 60 to 180 days each. [RSA 651-A:22-a] |
| New Jersey | New Jersey applies commutation credit ("good time") automatically when computing parole eligibility, based on one-third of the term minus jail credit. Work credit (1 day per 5 worked) and minimum custody credit (3 to 5 days a month) are earned. [NJ State Parole Board: Parole Eligibility Basic Calculations] |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Earned Meritorious Deductions are up to 4 days a month for serious violent offenses and up to 30 days a month for other crimes. The Corrections Department's policy was revised for the July 1, 2025 changes. [NM Corrections Dept. Policy CD-080400, Earned Meritorious Deductions] |
| New York | New York good time can take up to one-third off the maximum of an indeterminate sentence and one-seventh off a determinate sentence. Merit time can take another one-sixth off the minimum for eligible nonviolent offenses. [NYS DOCCS: Serving a Sentence] |
| North Carolina | Under North Carolina structured sentencing, people must serve the full minimum term. Earned time can only reduce the maximum term down to the minimum. [N.C. Gen. Stat. §15A-1340.13] |
| North Dakota | North Dakota can credit eligible prisoners 5 days of good time per month of the sentence imposed, based on performance. Meritorious credit is also possible. [N.D.C.C. ch. 12-54.1] |
| Ohio | Ohio has no traditional good time. People can earn program credit of 1 or 5 days per month toward the stated prison term, capped at 15% of the term. [Ohio Rev. Code §2967.194] |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma earned credits under 57 O.S. §138 depend on class level: 0, 22, 33 or 44 credits a month today. From Nov 1, 2026, Classes 3 and 4 rise to 45 and 60 for people never convicted of a §138(E)-listed offense. [SB 1213 enrolled] |
| Oregon | For felonies on or after Nov 1, 1989, Oregon allows earned time of up to 20% of the prison term, for good institutional behavior and adult basic skills programs. [ORS 421.121] |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania has no good time. The main way to shorten a minimum is RRRI: eligible people get an RRRI minimum of three-fourths of a minimum of 3 years or less, or five-sixths of a longer minimum. [61 Pa.C.S. §4505] [PA DOC: Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive] |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island deducts 10 days for each month of good behavior for most sentences over one month. Listed sex offenses get less, and certain offenses get none. [R.I. Gen. Laws §42-56-24] |
| South Carolina | Most South Carolina sentences earn 20 days of good conduct credit per month. "No parole" offenses earn only 3 days a month and must serve at least 85%. [S.C. Code ch. 24-13] |
| South Dakota | South Dakota sets each person's initial parole date as a percentage of the full term, from a grid based on felony class, violent or nonviolent, and prior felonies. For example, a first Class 4 nonviolent felony is 25%. [SDCL §24-15A-32] |
| Tennessee | Tennessee sentence credits are capped at 6 or 8 days a month for behavior and 6 or 8 days a month for programs, depending on security status. [Tennessee Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board: FAQ on sentence credits] |
| Texas | Texas "good conduct time" does not shorten the sentence itself. It only moves up parole eligibility and, for people who qualify, release to mandatory supervision. [Tex. Gov't Code ch. 498] |
| Utah | Utah uses indeterminate sentences (for example "0 to 5 years"). The Board of Pardons and Parole decides release, using a Sentencing Commission matrix only as a starting point. [Utah Board of Pardons and Parole: Offenders and Family] |
| Vermont | Since 2021, Vermont gives 7 days off both the minimum and maximum sentence for each month without a major disciplinary violation. [28 V.S.A. §818] |
| Virginia | Virginia earned sentence credits are capped at 4.5 days per 30 served for violent and other listed offenses. Other offenses use a four-level system that tops out at 15 days per 30. [Va. Code §53.1-202.3] |
| Washington | Most Washington prisoners can earn early release of up to one-third of the sentence. Serious violent offenses and class A sex offenses are capped at 10% or 15%. Some lower-risk people can earn up to 50%. [RCW 9.94A.729] |
| West Virginia | West Virginia gives eligible prisoners one day of good time for each day served, counted against the maximum or fixed term. [W. Va. Code §15A-4-17] |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin is a truth-in-sentencing state. For felonies on or after Dec 31, 1999, the confinement part of the sentence is served without good-time reduction. [Wis. Stat. §973.01] |
| Wyoming | Wyoming good time is set by rules the governor adopts. It can come off the minimum, the maximum, or both, and is "a matter of grace," not a right. [Wyo. Stat. §7-13-420] |
51 jurisdictions listed. Each row quotes our state page, which cites the statute or agency page. A summary is not legal advice.