TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IATTexas Penal Code (PC) § 37.10(c)(2)(a)
“TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT” stands for Tampering with a Government License, Certificate or Seal to Defraud or Harm, a second-degree felony under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 37.10(c)(2)(a). It is punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT” mean?
“TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT” stands for Tampering with a Government License, Certificate or Seal to Defraud or Harm, a second-degree felony under Texas PC § 37.10(c)(2)(a).
Texas Penal Code § 37.10 prohibits tampering with a governmental record, including making a false entry or alteration, presenting or using a false record as genuine, destroying or concealing a record, or unlawfully possessing or selling a record or blank form. This charge, under § 37.10(c)(2)(A), applies when the governmental record was a license, certificate, permit, seal, title, letter of patent, or similar document issued by government, whether by Texas, another state, or the United States, or certain public school records, reports, or assessment instruments. The offense is a second-degree felony because the State further alleges the defendant acted with intent to defraud or harm another; the same conduct involving these record types without that intent is graded one level lower. Government-issued licenses and seals receive heightened treatment because falsifying them undermines documents the public relies on as authoritative.
What usually happens to a TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT charge?
50% ended without a conviction, 21% in deferred adjudication and 29% in a conviction.
How 62 resolved TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 10 counties (Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, FortBend, Galveston, Hays, Montgomery, Rockwall, Travis):
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (0) covers waived counts, bond forfeitures, transfers and unrecorded outcomes. Bexar County records disposition dates but not outcomes, so it counts toward time-to-disposition only. Tarrant County criminal records are not in this dataset.
How long does a TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT case take to resolve?
Typically about 9 months: half of resolved cases closed within 271 days of filing.
Across 62 resolved TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 271 days. The middle half took between 82 and 356 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT cases end?
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
What is the punishment for Tampering with a Government License, Certificate or Seal to Defraud or Harm in Texas?
2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second-degree felony | 2 to 20 years in prison (TDCJ) | Fine up to $10,000 | Penal Code § 12.33 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT in Texas?
The median bail is $5,000, and 6% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 1,493 Texas bail settings for this charge (9 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $5,000 (middle half: $5,000 – $15,000). 6% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 117 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (218 records), the median was $7,500 and 34% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 474 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $10,000 | 2% | 7% |
| Grayson | 276 | $5,000 | $5,000 – $5,000 | 0% | 0% |
| Bexar | 135 | $15,000 | $10,000 – $35,000 | 1% | 20% |
| Harris | 120 | $10,000 | $5,000 – $15,000 | 58% | 8% |
| Dallas | 84 | $10,000 | $3,875 – $25,000 | 0% | 12% |
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.
Charged with TAMPER W/GOVERN RCD LIC/SEAL DEFRAUD/HARM IAT?
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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.