List of longest prison sentences

This is a list of longest prison sentences ever given to a single person, worldwide. Listed are instances where people have been sentenced to jail terms in excess of a human lifetime, but effectively the same purpose. Note that many national legislations worldwide do not allow for such sentences.

Since the sentence given is not necessarily equivalent to time served, see the list of longest prison sentences served for those who have spent the longest continuous time in prison.

Out of the 18 listed prisoners who were sentenced to more than one life imprisonment or to life imprisonment plus additional time, 14 of them were in the United States.

Prisoners not sentenced to life imprisonment
These sentences differ technically from sentences of life imprisonment in that the designated jail times have specific lengths, although in practical terms they effectively serve the same purpose.