SentenceCalc

Methamphetamine Sentence Calculator

Methamphetamine is scored two ways. An ordinary mixture is counted by its full weight. When a lab tests purity, the pure (“actual”) methamphetamine is counted at ten times that rate, and the court uses whichever gives the higher level. That makes a lab report one of the most important documents in a meth case. In federal court, 50 g triggers a 5-year mandatory minimum and 500 g triggers 10 years.

Verified Checked against the manual text in at least five AI-assisted review rounds. Not yet reviewed by an attorney. Guidelines Manual effective November 1, 2025Updated October 4, 2026

5-year minimum50 g21 U.S.C. §841(b)(1)(B)
10-year minimum500 g21 U.S.C. §841(b)(1)(A)
200 g, no record60 monthsLevel 26, early plea

Calculate a methamphetamine (mixture) case

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Amounts and sentences

AmountBase levelNo criminal history points, early pleaWith the safety valve
30 g2018–24 monthsNo minimum
200 g2660 months
5-year minimum		30–37 months
1,000 g30120 months
10-year minimum		46–57 months

Assumes no criminal history points, no weapon, no violence, no leadership role, an early guilty plea and the 2-level zero-point reduction.

The full quantity table

Amount (total mixture)Base levelNo criminal history points, early pleaMandatory minimum
Less than 5 g120–6 months
5 g to 10 g146–12 months
10 g to 20 g168–14 months
20 g to 30 g1812–18 months
30 g to 40 g2018–24 months
40 g to 50 g2224–30 months
50 g to 200 g2460 months5 years
200 g to 350 g2660 months5 years
350 g to 500 g2860 months5 years
500 g to 1.5 kg30120 months10 years
1.5 kg to 5 kg32120 months10 years
5 kg to 15 kg34120 months10 years
15 kg to 45 kg36120–135 months10 years
45 kg or more38135–168 months10 years

“No criminal history points, early plea” assumes zero criminal history points, no weapon, no violence and no leadership role, so the plea reduction and the 2-level zero-point reduction both apply. The mandatory minimum column assumes no prior serious drug felony or serious violent felony; the safety valve can remove it.

What to know

  • See the calculator for pure methamphetamine and “ice” for the purity-based thresholds.

Frequently asked questions

What amount of methamphetamine mixture triggers a federal mandatory minimum?

50 g of methamphetamine mixture triggers a 5-year mandatory minimum, and 500 g triggers 10 years (21 U.S.C. §841(b)(1)), for someone without a prior serious drug felony or serious violent felony.

What is the guideline sentence for 200 g of methamphetamine mixture?

The Drug Quantity Table puts 200 g at level 26. For someone with no criminal history points who pleads guilty, with no weapon, violence or leadership role, the guideline sentence is 60 months, driven by the 5-year minimum. With the safety valve it is 30–37 months.

Does the weight include the packaging or cutting agents?

Packaging, no. Cutting agents, yes: the weight is the entire mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of the drug, except for drugs the table measures by purity.