California · Penal Code

PEN §490.1: (a) Petty theft, where the value of the money, labor, real or personal property taken is of a value which does not exceed fifty dollars ($50), may be charged as a misdemeanor or an infraction, at the

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Petty theft of property valued at $50 or less may be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or infraction at the prosecutor's discretion, provided the defendant has no prior theft convictions. Infraction violations carry a maximum $250 fine.

Read the full statutory text

(a) Petty theft, where the value of the money, labor, real or personal property taken is of a value which does not exceed fifty dollars ($50), may be charged as a misdemeanor or an infraction, at the discretion of the prosecutor, provided that the person charged with the offense has no other theft or theft-related conviction. (b) Any offense charged as an infraction under this section shall be subject to the provisions of subdivision (d) of Section 17 and Sections 19.6 and 19.7. A violation which is an infraction under this section is punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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