Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03 · Chapter 17. BAIL
PERSONAL BOND.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, a magistrate may, in the magistrate's discretion, release the defendant on personal bond without sureties or other security.
(b) Only the court before whom the case is pending may release on personal bond a defendant who:
(1) is charged with an offense under the following sections of the Penal Code:
(A) Section 30.02 (Burglary); or
(B) Section 71.02 (Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity);
(2) is charged with a felony under Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or Section 485.033, Health and Safety Code, punishable by imprisonment for a minimum term or by a maximum fine that is more than a minimum term or maximum fine for a first degree felony; or
(3) does not submit to testing for the presence of a controlled substance in the defendant's body as requested by the court or magistrate under Subsection (c) of this article or submits to testing and the test shows evidence of the presence of a controlled substance in the defendant's body.
(b-1) A magistrate may not release on personal bond a defendant who, at the time of the commission of the charged offense, is civilly committed as a sexually violent predator under Chapter 841, Health and Safety Code.
(b-2) Except as provided by Articles 15.21, 17.032, 17.033, and 17.151, a defendant may not be released on personal bond if the defendant:
(1) is charged with:
(A) an offense involving violence; or
(B) an offense under:
(i) Section 19.02(b)(4), Penal Code (murder as a result of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1-B);
(ii) Section 22.07, Penal Code (terroristic threat), if the offense is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor or any higher category of offense;
(iii) Section 25.07, Penal Code (violation of certain court orders or conditions of bond in a family violence, child abuse or neglect, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case); or
(iv) Section 46.04(a), Penal Code (unlawful possession of firearm); or
(2) while released on bail, parole, or community supervision for an offense involving violence, is charged with committing:
(A) any offense punishable as a felony; or
(B) an offense under the following provisions of the Penal Code:
(i) Section 22.01(a)(1) (assault);
(ii) Section 22.05 (deadly conduct); or
(iii) Section 42.01(a)(7) or (8) (disorderly conduct involving firearm).
(b-3) In this article:
(1) "Controlled substance" has the meaning assigned by Section 481.002, Health and Safety Code.
(2) "Offense involving violence" means an offense under the following provisions of the Penal Code:
(A) Section 19.02 (murder);
(B) Section 19.03 (capital murder);
(C) Section 20.03 (kidnapping);
(D) Section 20.04 (aggravated kidnapping);
(E) Section 20A.02 (trafficking of persons);
(F) Section 20A.03 (continuous trafficking of persons);
(G) Section 21.02 (continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual);
(H) Section 21.11 (indecency with a child);
(I) Section 22.01(a)(1) (assault), if the offense is:
(i) punishable as a felony of the second degree under Subsection (b-2) of that section; or
(ii) punishable as a felony and involved family violence as defined by Section 71.004, Family Code;
(J) Section 22.011 (sexual assault);
(K) Section 22.02 (aggravated assault);
(L) Section 22.021 (aggravated sexual assault);
(M) Section 22.04 (injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual);
(N) Section 25.072 (repeated violation of certain court orders or conditions of bond in family violence, child abuse or neglect, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case);
(O) Section 25.11 (continuous violence against the family);
(P) Section 29.03 (aggravated robbery);
(Q) Section 38.14 (taking or attempting to take weapon from peace officer, federal special investigator, employee or official of correctional facility, parole officer, community supervision and corrections department officer, or commissioned security officer);
(R) Section 43.04 (aggravated promotion of prostitution), if the defendant is not alleged to have engaged in conduct constituting an offense under Section 43.02(a);
(S) Section 43.05 (compelling prostitution); or
(T) Section 43.25 (sexual performance by a child).
(c) When setting a personal bond under this chapter, on reasonable belief by the investigating or arresting law enforcement agent or magistrate of the presence of a controlled substance in the defendant's body or on the finding of drug or alcohol abuse related to the offense for which the defendant is charged, the court or a magistrate shall require as a condition of personal bond that the defendant submit to testing for alcohol or a controlled substance in the defendant's body and participate in an alcohol or drug abuse treatment or education program if such a condition will serve to reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant for trial.
(d) The state may not use the results of any test conducted under this chapter in any criminal proceeding arising out of the offense for which the defendant is charged.
(e) Costs of testing may be assessed as court costs or ordered paid directly by the defendant as a condition of bond.
(f) Repealed by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 11 (S.B. 6), Sec. 20, eff. December 2, 2021.
(g) The court may order that a personal bond fee assessed under Section 17.42 be:
(1) paid before the defendant is released;
(2) paid as a condition of bond;
(3) paid as court costs;
(4) reduced as otherwise provided for by statute; or
(5) waived.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 374, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Sec. (b)(2) amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 284(57), eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Subsec. (f) amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 284(45), eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Subsec. (b) amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 14.19, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8), Sec. 3.08, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 122 (H.B. 3000), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 34 (S.B. 1576), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 221 (H.B. 375), Sec. 2.08, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 11 (S.B. 6), Sec. 6(a), eff. December 2, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 11 (S.B. 6), Sec. 20, eff. December 2, 2021.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 982 (S.B. 2479), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023.
Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 339 (S.B. 9), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2025.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.17.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 71f7e4d081b03a190091b025a68eb0c9e5ef64d8e913de426b3961e6d322842c
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
BenchPath cards that rely on this text
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.21RELEASE ON PERSONAL BOND IF NOT TIMELY DEMANDED.Printed as Articles 15.21, 17.032, 17.033, and 17.151
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.032RELEASE ON PERSONAL BOND OF CERTAIN DEFENDANTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.Printed as Articles 15.21, 17.032, 17.033, and 17.151
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.033RELEASE ON BOND OF CERTAIN PERSONS ARRESTED WITHOUT A WARRANT.Printed as Articles 15.21, 17.032, 17.033, and 17.151
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151RELEASE BECAUSE OF DELAY.Printed as Articles 15.21, 17.032, 17.033, and 17.151
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.42PERSONAL BOND OFFICE.Printed as Section 17.42
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 21.02REQUISITES OF AN INDICTMENT.Printed as Section 21.02
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 21.11CERTAINTY; WHAT SUFFICIENT.Printed as Section 21.11
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.01BAIL FORFEITED, WHEN.Printed as Section 22.01(a)(1)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.02MANNER OF TAKING A FORFEITURE.Printed as Section 22.02
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.04REQUISITES OF CITATION.Printed as Section 22.04
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.05CITATION AS IN CIVIL ACTIONS.Printed as Section 22.05
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 29.03FOR SUFFICIENT CAUSE SHOWN.Printed as Section 29.03
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 30.02DISTRICT JUDGE DISQUALIFIED.Printed as Section 30.02
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 38.14TESTIMONY OF ACCOMPLICE.Printed as Section 38.14
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 42.01JUDGMENT.Printed as Section 42.01(a)(7)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 43.02PAYABLE IN MONEY.Printed as Section 43.02(a)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 43.04IF DEFENDANT IS ABSENT.Printed as Section 43.04
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 43.05ISSUANCE AND RECALL OF CAPIAS PRO FINE.Printed as Section 43.05
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 43.25BODY OF CONVICT.Printed as Section 43.25
Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 481TEXAS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACTPrinted as Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.002DEFINITIONS.Printed as Section 481.002, Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 485.033INHALANT PARAPHERNALIA.Printed as Section 485.033, Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 841CIVIL COMMITMENT OF SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORSPrinted as Chapter 841, Health and Safety Code
Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 19.02MURDER.Printed as Section 19.02(b)(4), Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 22.07TERRORISTIC THREAT.Printed as Section 22.07, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 25.07VIOLATION OF CERTAIN COURT ORDERS OR CONDITIONS OF BOND IN A FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, SEXUAL ASSAULT OR ABUSE, INDECENT ASSAULT, STALKING, OR TRAFFICKING CASE.Printed as Section 25.07, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 46.04UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARM.Printed as Section 46.04(a), Penal Code
Cited by 7 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.021PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT SYSTEM.Printed as Article 17.03
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.031RELEASE ON PERSONAL BOND.Printed as Article 17.03
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.032RELEASE ON PERSONAL BOND OF CERTAIN DEFENDANTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.Printed as Article 17.03(b)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15RULES FOR SETTING AMOUNT OF BAIL.Printed as Article 17.03
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.20BAIL IN MISDEMEANOR.Printed as Article 17.03
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.22MAY TAKE BAIL IN FELONY.Printed as Article 17.03
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