Credit equal to 35% of the minimum and maximum sentence for eligible people who comply with programming.
Excludes violent crimes, sex offenses, certain DUIs, and Category A and B felonies.
Applies to crimes committed on or after the start date; people sentenced earlier may elect the new method.
AB 542 (2025) added up to 90 days a year of meritorious credit and requires a written projection before someone elects.
AB 4 (2025 special session) moved the start date to July 1, 2027 and requires NDOC to compute credits for people within two years of their expiration date.
The 2027 legislative session begins in February 2027 and could change it again.
What to do
Wait for NDOC's written projection before electing the new method.
Keep the Judgment of Conviction and any program certificates.
Watch for changes in the February 2027 legislative session.
Only the Department of Corrections calculates official dates. This is general information, not legal advice.
Check your facility's mailroom rules before mailing printed pages.