Does the United States have the death penalty?
Retained / in use
Retained in law and used.
The United States is one of 54 countries classified “Retained / in use” for the death penalty — 28% of the 196 with data. (Also searched as capital punishment.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Capital punishment by country
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read directly from the source’s own table, without interpretation.
State by state
- Alabama
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Alaska
- Fully abolished Alaska abolished the death penalty in 1957.
- Arizona
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Arkansas
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- California
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (by Governor and court order moratorium).
- Colorado
- Fully abolished Colorado abolished the death penalty in 2020.
- Connecticut
- Fully abolished Connecticut abolished the death penalty in 2012.
- Delaware
- Fully abolished Delaware abolished the death penalty in 2016.
- District of Columbia
- Fully abolished The District of Columbia abolished the death penalty in 1981.
- Florida
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Georgia
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Hawaii
- Fully abolished Hawaii abolished the death penalty in 1957.
- Idaho
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (de facto moratorium).
- Illinois
- Fully abolished Illinois abolished the death penalty in 2011.
- Indiana
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Iowa
- Fully abolished Iowa abolished the death penalty in 1965.
- Kansas
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (de facto moratorium).
- Kentucky
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (by court order moratorium).
- Louisiana
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Maine
- Fully abolished Maine abolished the death penalty in 1887.
- Maryland
- Fully abolished Maryland abolished the death penalty in 2013.
- Massachusetts
- Fully abolished Massachusetts abolished the death penalty in 1984.
- Michigan
- Fully abolished Michigan abolished the death penalty in 1847.
- Minnesota
- Fully abolished Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911.
- Mississippi
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Missouri
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Montana
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (by court order moratorium).
- Nebraska
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Nevada
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (de facto moratorium).
- New Hampshire
- Fully abolished New Hampshire abolished the death penalty in 2019.
- New Jersey
- Fully abolished New Jersey abolished the death penalty in 2007.
- New Mexico
- Fully abolished New Mexico abolished the death penalty in 2009.
- New York
- Fully abolished New York abolished the death penalty in 2004.
- North Carolina
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (by implementers moratorium).
- North Dakota
- Fully abolished North Dakota abolished the death penalty in 1973.
- Ohio
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (de facto moratorium).
- Oklahoma
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Oregon
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (by Governor moratorium).
- Pennsylvania
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (by Governor moratorium).
- Rhode Island
- Fully abolished Rhode Island abolished the death penalty in 1984.
- South Carolina
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- South Dakota
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Tennessee
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Texas
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Utah
- Retained / in use The death penalty is legal and executions are not suspended.
- Vermont
- Fully abolished Vermont abolished the death penalty in 1964.
- Virginia
- Fully abolished Virginia abolished the death penalty in 2021.
- Washington
- Fully abolished Washington abolished the death penalty in 2018.
- West Virginia
- Fully abolished West Virginia abolished the death penalty in 1965.
- Wisconsin
- Fully abolished Wisconsin abolished the death penalty in 1853.
- Wyoming
- Not used in practice The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (de facto moratorium).
Nearby countries
- Bahamas
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Mexico
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Canada
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Cuba
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Belize
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Guatemala
- Abolished for ordinary crimes Abolished for ordinary crimes; retained for exceptional crimes such as those under military law.
Other laws in United States
- Gun Laws
- Varies by region
- School Corporal Punishment
- Varies by region
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
- Jury Trials
- Jury trials used
Every law in the United States → · Which countries have the death penalty? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.