{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-2003/section-244",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-2003/section-244.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2003/44",
  "legislation_title": "Criminal Justice Act 2003",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-2003",
  "path": "section/244",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "244",
  "heading": "Duty to release prisoners not subject to special provision for release",
  "text": "(1) As soon as a fixed-term prisoner, other than a prisoner to whom section 243A , 244ZA, 244A , 246A , 247 or 247A applies, has served the requisite custodial period for the purposes of this section, it is the duty of the Secretary of State to release him on licence under this section.\n(1ZA) Subsection (1) does not apply if—\n(a) the prisoner’s case has been referred to the Board under section 244ZB, or\n(b) a notice given to the prisoner under subsection (4) of that section is in force.\n(1A) Subsection (1) does not apply if the prisoner has been released on licence under section 246 or 248 and recalled under section 254 (provision for the release of such persons being made by sections 255B to 255C).\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) For the purposes of this section “the requisite custodial period” means—\n(a) in relation to a prisoner serving one sentence, one-half of his sentence,\n(a) in relation to a prisoner serving one sentence imposed under section 91 of the PCC(S)A 2000 or section 250 of the Sentencing Code, one-half of the sentence,\n(aa) in relation to a prisoner serving one sentence of any other kind, one-third of the sentence,\n(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(d) in relation to a person serving two or more concurrent or consecutive sentences ... , the period determined under sections 263(2) and 264(2B) or (2E).\n(4) This section is subject to paragraphs 5, 6, 8, 25 and 28 of Schedule 20B (transitional cases).",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(1) inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 14 para. 6(2)(a); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in s. 244(1) inserted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 1 para. 5; S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 72"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in s. 244(1) inserted (28.6.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 130(2)(b), 208(5)(m)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Word in s. 244(1) inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), ss. 125(2), 151(1); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(e)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(1) substituted (26.2.2020) by Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Act 2020 (c. 3), ss. 2(3), 10(4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(1) inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 14 para. 6(2)(b); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 244(1ZA) inserted (28.4.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 132(3), 208(4)(p)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 244(1A) inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), ss. 114(2), 151(1) (with Sch. 15); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(1A) inserted (1.2.2015) by Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 (c. 11), ss. 9(2), 22(1) (with Sch. 7 para. 5); S.I. 2015/40, art. 2(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Word in s. 244(1A) substituted (31.3.2026 for specified purposes and otherwise coming into force in accordance with reg. 4 of the commencing S.I.) by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 33(5), 49(1) (with s. 33(14)); S.I. 2026/86, regs. 3(b)(iv), 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "S. 244(2) omitted (3.12.2012) by virtue of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 10 para. 21(2); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(h)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(3) substituted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 14 para. 6(3)(a); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "S. 244(3)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 244(3)(a) (1.10.2026 except in relation to sentences for excluded offences listed in Sch. and with phased commencement in accordance with regs. 3, 4 in relation to a person serving a sentence imposed before that date) by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 23(3), 49(1) (with s. 23(12)-(15)); S.I. 2026/953, regs. 2(b), 3-5, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(3)(a) substituted (1.2.2015) by Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 (c. 11), s. 22(1), Sch. 3 para. 18 (with Sch. 7 para. 2); S.I. 2015/40, art. 2(u)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "S. 244(3)(b)(c) omitted (3.12.2012) by virtue of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 10 para. 21(3)(a); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(h); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(h)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(3)(d) omitted (3.12.2012) by virtue of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 10 para. 21(3)(b); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(h)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Words in s. 244(3)(d) substituted (28.6.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 144(4), 208(5)(p)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "S. 244(4) inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 17 para. 2; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(o)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F19",
      "text": "Words in s. 244 heading inserted (28.6.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 130(2)(a), 208(5)(m)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 244 modified (10.9.2024 for specified purposes, 22.10.2024 in so far as not already in force) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Requisite and Minimum Custodial Periods) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/844), arts. 1(2), 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 244(3)(a) modified (1.4.2020) by The Release of Prisoners (Alteration of Relevant Proportion of Sentence) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/158), arts. 1, 3 (with art. 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Pt. 12 Ch. 6 modified (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 245(1)(2)(c), 416(1) (with ss. 2, 245(3), 398(1), 406, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "Pt. 12 Ch. 6 modified (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 244(1)(2)(c), 416(1) (with ss. 2, 244(3), 398(1), 406, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "Pt. 12 Ch. 6 applied (29.6.2021) by 1984 c. 47, Sch. para. 2(3B) (as inserted by Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 (c. 11), s. 50(2)(r), Sch. 11 para. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 244 partly in force; s. 244 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 336(3); s. 244(1)(2)(3)(c)(d) in force for certain purposes at 26.1.2004 by S.I. 2003/3282, art. 2, Sch.; s. 244(1)(2)(3)(a)(d) in force at 4.4.2005 by S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 19 (subject to art. 2(2), Sch. 2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/44/section/244",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:17:40.404644+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}