BURGLARY OF VEHICLES
Burglary of Vehicles in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “BURGLARY OF VEHICLES” means
Under Texas Penal Code § 30.04, a person commits burglary of a vehicle by breaking into or entering a vehicle, or any part of a vehicle, without the effective consent of the owner and with intent to commit any felony or theft. 'Enter' means to intrude any part of the body, or any physical object connected with the body, into the vehicle, so reaching through an open window can qualify and no forcible break-in is required. The State does not have to prove that anything was actually taken; the offense is complete at the moment of entry with the required intent. This is the baseline form of the offense, graded a Class A misdemeanor under § 30.04(d)(1), meaning the charge does not allege prior burglary-of-vehicle convictions or entry of a rail car, the circumstances that elevate the offense.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
Bail for BURGLARY OF VEHICLES in Texas
Across 32,851 Texas bail settings for this charge (86 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $4,000 (middle half: $2,000 – $7,005). 6% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 843 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (5,122 records), the median was $2,500 and 14% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 3,893 | $2,000 | $1,000 – $3,500 | 3% | 2% |
| El Paso | 2,806 | $5,000 | $2,500 – $7,500 | 8% | 3% |
| Travis | 2,251 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $8,000 | 13% | 2% |
| Bexar | 1,991 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $7,500 | 5% | 4% |
| Dallas | 1,674 | $2,000 | $1,500 – $3,500 | 1% | 3% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
How real BURGLARY OF VEHICLES cases ended
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
Related charges
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.